All the same juicy and flavor packed kebabs from the Middle East and Mediterranean region. They are the easiest crowd pleasers for your next Mediterranean feast night. I love making a heap of these delicious hand-held meals. Then all I am doing is pairing them with an easy salad, some Tzatziki, and pita bread or saffron rice. Simple… They alway brings a lot of praise for minimal effort on my part. Sometimes I think, if they ask me what I cook most often in our home, it’s a lot of Mediterranean and Levantine food. It is so flavor packed with all of those earthy spices and fresh herbs. I love my Greek Meatballs, Chicken Souvlaki, our unique Gyros along with fabulous dips like Moutabal, Zaalouk, and of course Tzatziki. I have been eating kebabs all my life, and have tried lots of kofta style kebabs.
What is Kofta, or Kefta?
Kofta kebabs are known by many names: Kefta, Kafta, Kofte, Koobideh, Kifta and so many similar sounding names. These kebabs are a specialty out of the Middle East, Levant and many Mediterranean countries. Every country has their own version of kofta, with little differences in ingredients. They are believed to have originated around the Persian region, and the word “Kofta” means pounded or ground. Koftas are made with ground meat, usually ground beef or ground lamb, or sometimes a mix of both. It is mixed and marinated with lots of fresh ingredients including onion, garlic, fresh herbs like parsley and mint, and a few other special exotic earthy spices. Then they are either formed as oblong meatballs, or made cylindrical on skewers, and traditionally cooked over an open flame. When I make kofta kebabs, I like them with flatbreads like pita, lavash, taboos or naan, and dips like hummus, baba ghanoush, moutabal, or tzatziki. I sometimes put them on saffron or jewel rice.
Ingredients Needed:
Ground beef or ground lamb – Today I am using ground beef for this kofta recipe. But you can use ground lamb instead, or a mix of the two. Whichever way, it comes out delicious. Aromatics – Onion, garlic, fresh parsley (I also use some mint if available) Herbs and spices – Cinnamon, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper and sumac. Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice with citrusy hints, which gives very authentic flavors. I highly recommend it, but you can still make great kofta kebabs in its absence.
Kofta Kebab Recipe:
- Marinate ground meat: Making kofta kebabs is like making meatballs. I mix all the ingredients in a bowl, shape them, and cook them. I suggest putting the meat mix in the fridge for at least an hour, maybe more, so it soaks up all those amazing flavors. Today, I marinated the meat in the morning for dinner. Just cover it with cling wrap and chill until cooking time. Keeping it cold also makes it easier to shape the koftas. Or, you can put them on skewers and chill them like that.
- Skewer the Koftas: If I’m using wooden skewers, I soak them in water for about 30 minutes to an hour. This stops them from catching fire when grilling. Then, I divide the mixture into 8 balls and shape each into a cylinder. I slide the skewer into the kebab, aiming for about 1 inch thickness. Sometimes, I make finger marks along them for that authentic kofta kebab look.
- Cook the koftas: I place the kofta kebabs on a hot, oiled grill or indoor griddle pan and cook until they’re cooked through and browned, rotating the skewers every 2-3 minutes. On my indoor grill pan, it takes about 8-10 minutes total. The cooking time varies based on how thick the kebabs are. Just keep an eye on them, and when they’re nicely browned, they’re ready to enjoy! When grilling outdoors, I preheat the grill to a high temperature, around 450° to 550°F. Then, I grill the kofta kebabs until they’re browned all over, which usually takes about 6-8 minutes, turning them a few times for even cooking
Can I Bake It?
Yes, of course. To bake kofta kebabs in the oven, I preheat it to 350°F. Then, I lightly grease a baking sheet and line up the koftas. They bake for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through for even cooking
Serving Suggestions
Tzatziki Moutabal Hummus Saffron Rice Pita bread Feta cheese Cucumber, tomato and olive salad
Feast on this kofta kebab platter. Think about this great company meal, or weekend dinner for your friends and family, the next time you want to cook something special. All you need is a few simple ingredients, and you end up with a meal way better than regular meatballs. When you add in all the fixings and trimmings along with these koftas, the result is one delicious exotic experience over lots of laughter and good times.
Kofta Kebab, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
