Published: Feb 26, 2022 · Last Updated: Feb 25, 2022 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 30 Comments

Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce

Name: Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 small onion, cut into chunks; 3 cloves garlic; 1/3 cup parsley; 1 1/2 pound 93% lean grass-fed ground beef; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 1/4 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; Olive oil, (for brushing the grill); Flat bread and sliced vegetables like cucumber, tomato and onion (for serving (optional)); 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

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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 Coconut Curry Shrimp Kebabs 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?
Ingredients
Instructions
Beef nutrition
Kofta Kebab Sauce
Recipe FAQs
More grilling recipes
Recipe
Reviews

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, and cayenne pepper. But you can experiment with other spices like allspice, cardamom, sumac, and paprika.

Instructions

ingredients chopped up in food processor

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.

kofta ingredients mixed together in a bowl

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 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 kebabs with Tzatziki sauce or other desired accompaniments like hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, and onion.

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.

collage of tzatziki sauce with ingredients and sauce in a silver bowl

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.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different type of meat other than beef?

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.

What if I don't have a food processor to chop up the ingredients?

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.

Can I bake these kebabs in the oven if I don't have a grill?

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.

What should I serve with these kebabs?

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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