Beef Kofta Kebab
This is the only recipe you need for an authentic and super tasty beef kofta kebab. An amazing grilled Kofta kebab is a summertime essential recipe in any Middle Eastern home. These beauties are typically made with ground beef along with minced parsley, garlic, and onions. These beef kofta kebabs are a crowd pleaser and go so well with side dishes like rice, Arabic Salad, hummus, baba ghanouj, and so much more.
I am sure we all have heard of kebabs. Kufta kebab however refers to ground meat kebabs so ground beef is specifically used for this recipe but there are recipes with ground lamb, ground chicken, or even ground turkey.
Seasonings like allspice or seven-spice are what really amplify the flavor of this dish. The red chili and tomato paste also add lots of dimension in taste and in appearance. You honestly can’t go wrong with this super simple beef kofta kebab recipe. It is a family favorite.
How to cook your Beef Kofta Kebab
There are a few ways to shape and cook these.
The grill I use is charcoal as its even more flavorful than gas grill but either works great. You do not want your grill to be scorching hot but in the 350 F realm is great. Also if using charcoal make sure the coals are spread evenly throughout so there is even cooking for the meat. This way the kofta has nice char marks on the outside and super tender and juicy on the inside.
If using skewers, stainless steel ones are great but wooden skewers do the trick too. If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for 3 minutes prior to using.
I prefer to use neither and actually shape the kofta by hand into what looks like small sausages. This way I don’t have to worry about the meat not sticking to the skewer and they look just as great!
Alternatively, you can cook these on the stovetop in a hot pan for 5-7 minutes on each side then cover with a lid to allow for the inside to cook as well or finish them off in the oven. You can air fry at 370 for about 15 minutes or bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Just make sure it is cooked through to your liking!
Anywho, give these kebabs a try and let me know what you think in the comment section below! Send your remakes my way via Instagram for a chance to repost. I would love to see it.
Beef Kofta Kebab
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ground Beef 90/10
- 2 tbsp Red Chili Paste (shatta)
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 3 tbsp All Spice or Seven Spice
- Salt & Pepper to taste be generous
Salsa for the meat marinade
- 2 cups Parsley
- 1 Onion
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 Colored Bell Pepper optional, recommended
- 1/2 Jalapeno optional
Instructions
- Pulse the salsa ingredients in a food processor until fine.
- Add the salsa to the meat along with all the seasonings, tomato paste, and red chili paste. Mix all together with your hands.
- You take about 1/4 cup of the meat to give you a size idea and shape it into what looks like mini chubby hot dogs!
- Grill for about 15-20 minutes around 350 F temperature on the grill gage. You want to keep the meat nice and juicy so do not over cook. The outside should be lightly charred and the inside fully cooked and tender.
- Alternatively, you can pan-sear these in a hot pan for 5-7 minutes each side then cover with a lid and allow for it to cook on the inside until it reaches your preference. You can also bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until cooked to your liking or airfry at 370 for 15 minutes.
- These koftas go fabulous with my Arabic style salad, hummus, and rice or pita. Enjoy!
Notes
Which red chili paste do you use?
Sambal olek
These are EXCELLENT. I knew trying this recipe would be a success. Thank you!
Thanks, Heidi!
So delicious! I added a bit of cinnamon as well and it was absolutely dreamy!
Easy to make and we ate half of it before we even got to the dinning table!
Thanks fufu for the great recipe! 🙂
Great addition! My pleasure 🙂
Can you make this in the oven?
Yes, try baking for 375 F for about 35 min then removing excess fat/liquid and baking another 10-15.
In your original recipe you say to bake at 375 for 15-20 mins. Do you recommend a total bake time of 45-50 minutes then? Would that not dry the kababs out? Asking for clarification as I really want to bake them. Thank you Heifa! ❤️
Hi Nesha,
I am not sure what recipe you are referring to but for these yes, you can bake them at 375 for about 20 minutes. Check doneness from there and see if you need any more time! Hope this helps!
I made these following your exact recipe and they turned out incredible! Best kofta I ever made. My family was impressed 😉 thank you!
Thanks for the great review Nada!
This was sooooo delicious that it will be the only kofta recipe I follow from now on. I added a pinch of cinnamon as well and substituted the tomato paste for red pepper paste because that’s all I had and the flavors were just amazing. Thanks Fufu, you never disappoint!
I am so happy it was enjoyed, Samah!
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
Thank you, Helen! It is a family favorite here as well!
What could i use instead of the all spice or seven spice as they are both not available where I stay.
Hi, typically mainstream supermarkets will carry allspice but if you cannot find either then do a mixture of ground cumin, ground cinnamon, ground clove, and ground coriander with salt and pepper.
Thanks so much 🌺
It was so good, I made it again two days later for my in laws! This will def be my go to recipe. I also made hummus (using your recipe mixed with my moms lol) on the side to pair the kebab’s with and everything was great! Everything was easy to make and super flavorful 🙂 Thank you!!
So happy to hear that, Mona!! Try the Bulgar Salad sometime with it too; its really good!
Thanks for the recipe Heifa, we had it with baba ghanouj and garlic nan bread! The entire family enjoyed it.
My pleasure, Sara!
I typically don’t like working with red meat, but this was delicious. Definitely keeping this recipe in my regular rotation. It’s easy to follow and makes a quick dinner.
Thanks, Sadaf!
These turned out amazing! I literally make these with different rice dishes and is always a crowd pleaser! Yum
These were delicious and easy to make, everyone enjoyed them! Thank you!
I want to start by saying that ANY recipe I follow from Heifa is a hit in my house. This kofta recipe was so delicious! My husband and kids could not stop eating them and kept coming back for more after dinner (my son is a picky eater so that says a lot)! So moist and full of flavor, I should’ve made more!
This is such a lovely review, thank you!
Delicious and very easy to make than you!
I made this so many times, they are very delicious! Excellent recipe thank you!
Thank you!
So tender, tastes amazing
Can I substitute the beef for chicken mince? Do I need to adapt the recipe?
Hi Sofi,
I would check out my chicken kufta recipe and use that.
How much dried parsley should I use? I’m assuming the 2 cups is for fresh.
Hi Amanda, I would only use fresh for this recipe as it gives the best taste.
These are delicious. Thank you! We’re trying to eat less beef and been using more Impossible ground beef as a substitute. Have you tried? It would be great to have some meat alternatives. Thanks!
Hi Sharon, thank you! No, I have yet to try it with impossible beef!
Another win! Your recipes never disappoint! So juicy and flavorful!
Thanks, April!
Salaams!
Do you use flat-leaf parsley for this recipe or the spiky kind that is usually used as a garnish?
I use flat-leaf for all my recipes.
amazing! better than restaurants!
where can I obtain the rwd pepper paste :shatta?
Hi Gillian,
You can find shatta at any arab store but you can replace this with harissa or sambal if you find that instead. If you cant find any of those, you can use a little more tomato paste and some red chili flakes.