These aren’t your usual kebabs! My Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce are packed with protein and bursting with flavor. Your whole family will love these kebabs and you can make them in 30 minutes! Read on to get the recipe and step-by-step instructions on how to make kofta.
Get ready to fire up your grill because you're going to love this recipe! These healthy Beef Kofta Kebabs are delicious, easy to make, and packed with flavor.
They're easy enough to make for a quick weeknight dinner but I also love to serve them at parties. When you present a platter of these mouthwatering ground beef kebabs accompanied by an assortment of fresh vegetables, pita bread, and tzatziki sauce, your guests will think you're a culinary rockstar!
Grilling is one of my favorite healthy cooking techniques. I make everything from Tandoori Chicken Kebabs to Spice-Rubbed Grilled Salmon to Cuban Mojo Pork Tenderloin on the grill. It's quick, easy and uses a minimal amount of oil.
If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can still grill using a stovetop grill pan. My grill pan has one of my most used kitchen items ever since I started cooking years ago in my tiny New York City apartment kitchen!
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What is kofta vs kofta kebabs?
Kofta (also called kafta or kefta) are basically spiced meatballs that are common in many parts of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Persia. Kofta can be served as meatballs or it can be formed onto skewers as kebabs and cooked over an open flame.
Traditional kebabs are usually made with cubed meat. Kofta kebabs, on the other hand, are made with ground meat.
They're typically made with beef, lamb or a combination of the two. The meat is mixed with fresh herbs, onion, garlic, and warm spices like coriander and cumin. Then the minced meat kebabs are grilled to perfection.
Ingredients
Keep in mind that there are many different variations of beef kofta that vary from region to region. There's no one single authentic recipe.
Here's what I use in my dish:
- Ground beef- I use beef in this recipe but you can use lamb or a mixture of beef and lamb. Although it's not traditional, you can also use ground turkey.
- Fresh parsley- adds bright flavor. You can also use cilantro.
- Onion and garlic- add great flavor to the kebabs and the onion keeps them moist.
- Dried spices- I use a combination of cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon or allspice. But you can experiment with other spices like cardamom, sumac, and paprika.
How To Make Beef Kofta Kebabs Step-By-Step
- Add the onion, garlic, a parsley to a mini food processor and process until very finely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the onion on a box grater (you want to keep all the onion as well as the juice) and finely chop the garlic and parsley with a knife.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the ground beef, cumin, coriander, cinnamon (or allspice), salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Divide the mixture into roughly even balls. Mold each ball around the pointed end of a skewer, making an oval kebab that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes before threading the meat onto them. Place the kebabs on a sheet pan.
- Grill the kebabs on a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until brown all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Serve the kofta kebabs with Tzatziki sauce or other desired accompaniments like hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, and onion.
Chef's Tips
- There are many variations of kofta found across various regions and cultures. Feel free to experiment with different spices like sumac, paprika, and cardamom.
- I use ground beef in this dish but some traditional variations of kofta use ground lamb or a mixture of beef and lamb. You can also make these kebabs with ground turkey or chicken. For the juiciest kebabs, I would use a mixture of dark and white meat rather than turkey or chicken breast.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the garlic and parsley with a knife. I would recommend grating the onion on a box grater. Make sure you add the grated onion as well as the juice to the kebab mixture. This will keep the kebabs moist and infuse them with lots of flavor.
- You can bake these kofta kebabs in the oven if you don't have a grill or grill pan. Bake them on a sheet pan at 400°F for about 15-18 minutes until cooked through. You can turn on the broiler at the end for 2-3 minutes to brown them a little more. You don't need to use skewers if cooking them in the oven.
Beef nutrition
I use lean ground beef in my Beef Kofta Kebabs. Ground beef provides plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals like iron.
Incorporating more protein in all of your meals throughout the day, starting with breakfast, helps keep you feeling full and satisfied. This cuts down on mindless eating later. It also helps you build lean muscle mass and reduce body fat.
There are many lean cuts of beef. This means that they have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 ounce serving. You can also use ground lamb or turkey in this recipe.
Complete vs. Incomplete proteins
Although there are many food sources of protein, not all proteins are equal. Complete proteins contain all of the essential amino acids that are needed by our bodies. They are found mostly in animal sources of protein like beef, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Plant based protein sources like beans, seeds, vegetables, grains and nuts are usually incomplete proteins, which means that they lack one or more of the amino acids that your body can’t produce. There are a few vegetarian foods like soy, quinoa and chia seeds that are complete proteins.
Kofta Kebab Sauce
Serve these Beef Kofta Kebabs with my creamy Tzatziki Sauce and pita and you’ve got a delicious and easy meal that’s perfect for casual summer dining! You can buy tzatziki at the grocery store but it's easy to make at home.
To make the sauce, simply mix Greek yogurt with grated cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and mint or dill. Season with salt to taste. It's a tasty all-purpose sauce that can be used in a wide variety of recipes from zucchini fritters to falafel.
What To Serve with Beef Kofta
You can serve these beef kofta kebabs with pita bread and some dips and spreads like tzatziki sauce, hummus, and baba ganoush.
You can also serve rice on the side. If you're watching your carbs, you can serve them with cauliflower rice.
I also like to put out plenty of crisp, raw veggies like sliced cucumber, red onion slices, and tomatoes. You can also serve them with roasted vegetables or my quinoa with roasted vegetables on the side.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Beef, lamb or a mixture of beef and lamb is traditional for this dish. However, you can also make these kebabs with ground turkey or chicken. For the juiciest kebabs, I would use a mixture of dark and white turkey or chicken rather than just white meat.
Using a food processor is convenient because it chops everything up quickly. But if you don't have one, you can finely chop the garlic and parsley with a knife. I would recommend grating the onion on a box grater. Make sure you add the grated onion as well as the juice to the kebab mixture. This will keep the kebabs moist and infuse them with lots of flavor.
Yes! You can make baked kofta kebabs in the oven if you don't have a grill or grill pan. Bake them on a sheet pan at 400°F for about 15-18 minutes until cooked through. You can turn on the broiler at the end for 2-3 minutes to brown them a little more. If baking in the oven, skewers are optional.
I like to serve the kebabs on a platter with tzatziki sauce and pita bread. I also arrange sliced vegetables like cucumber, tomato and red onion on the platter. You can also serve them with additional dips like hummus and baba ganoush (Mediterranean eggplant dip).
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Recipe
Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Kebabs:
- ½ small onion, cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup parsley
- 1 ½ pounds grass-fed lean ground beef (I use 90% lean)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon or allspice (optional)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Olive oil, for brushing the grill
- Flat bread and sliced vegetables like cucumber, tomato and onion for serving (optional)
Tzatziki sauce:
- 1 cup plain reduced fat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup grated cucumber, squeezed dry
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh mint or dill (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, a parsley to a mini food processor and process until finely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the onion on a box grater and finely chop the garlic and parsley with a knife.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the ground beef, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Divide the mixture into 8 roughly even balls. Mold each ball around the pointed end of a skewer, making an oval kebab that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes before threading the meat onto them.
- Heat a grill pan over medium high heat or prepare a grill. Brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until brown all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with tzatziki sauce, flat bread and sliced vegetables like cucumber, tomato and onion.
- To make the tzatziki sauce, mix all of ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
Bev says
How much Sumac would I use and what spice would I take out?
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
Hi! You can use the sumac in addition to the other ingredients. I would start with 1 teaspoon. I hope you enjoy it!
Brittany says
Great recipe, super easy and its super yummy! Paired it with some spinach feta rice and baked tomatoes and it was a crowd favorite! One person wasn't a fan of the cinnamon but I liked it!
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
That's great- so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! You can always try cutting back on the amount of cinnamon or you can leave it out altogether. Thanks for leaving a review!