Kofta Recipe

Kofta on wooden skewers with green leafy garnish and a bowl of tahini sauce arranged on a black plate.

4.89 from 59 votes

This highly requested family recipe delivers the ultimate Middle Eastern kofta. Made with a flavorful blend of beef and lamb, these kebabs are guaranteed to be juicy, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle East

Diet: Halal

Servings: Kofta

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Amira

Ingredients

4 lbs ground beef/lamb (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio if using beef only)
2 medium onion finely grated
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon baharat , Middle Eastern spice blend
1 hotdog bun (or 1 slice of white bread)

optional

1 Tablespoon flour , helps bind the meat
1 cup Flat leaf parsley chopped, more for garnishing.

Instructions

Place the grated onion in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and press firmly with the back of a spoon to extract most of the juice. Reserve the onion pulp.
Tear the hot dog bun into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Pour the collected onion juice (or water) over the bread. Let it soak for 3–4 minutes until completely soft.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground lamb, squeezed onion pulp, salt, black pepper, baharat, parsley, and flour (if using).
Squeeze the excess liquid out of the soaked bread and add the softened bread to the meat mixture.
Mix everything together with your hands until well incorporated and the mixture becomes slightly paste-like.
If making meatballs, roll into 2-tablespoon portions. Otherwise, mold the meat mixture into long finger shapes around wooden or metal skewers. (Tip: Wet your hands with any leftover onion juice while shaping for extra flavor!)

Bake:

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
Place the kofta kebabs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Cover with another piece of foil and bake for 10–15 minutes.

Grill finish:

While the kofta is baking, preheat your grill to high and grease the grates well. Transfer the par-baked kofta straight from the oven to the hot grill. Grill for 5 minutes or less, just until you get nice grill marks and a deep brown color.
Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy hot with side dishes and dips like toomeya, taktouka, or tahini sauce.

Video

Notes

In order to get delicious kofta that is tender and juicy we will need fat. In Egypt kebab shops usually use lamb tail fat or what we call "Liyye". It is not easy to get it here in the US so instead we use ground lamb meat. If you would like to make it with beef only use ground beef that is no less than 20% fat.
Use any type of onions you have yellow, white or red onion.
The onion juice can be used in many ways, first you can soak your bread in it for more flavor. When you squeeze the bread though, you will be left with some so do not discard. Wet your hands with this water while shaping the kofta, this gives an even more delicious flavor. Some people like to brush the kofta with the onion juice.
The Flour Trick: Although optional, adding 1 tablespoon of flour is highly recommended. It acts as a binder, absorbing extra liquids and ensuring your kofta holds its shape perfectly without falling apart.
Add a teaspoon (less or more) of cayenne pepper for a little extra heat.
My Secret for Juicy Kofta: I love baking my kofta for 10–15 minutes before finishing them on the grill for 5 minutes. Covering the baking pan with foil locks in the moisture so the meat stays tender. It also partially cooks the kebabs, so they won't stick to the grill racks when you go to get those beautiful grill marks.
Oven-Only Method: If you don't have a grill or the weather isn't cooperating, you can easily bake these entirely in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Place the kofta on the middle rack for 15 minutes, then move them to the top rack for another 10 minutes to brown (no need to turn on the broiler). Since all ovens vary, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Tip: Shape the kofta and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag. When you're ready to eat, you can bake them directly from frozen—no need to thaw! Just add a few extra minutes to the total baking time.

Nutrition