Kofte Kebabs With Spicy Harissa Yogurt Sauce and Grilled Flatbread (Minced Lamb Kebabs) Recipe

Packed with seasonings, these minced meat skewers are as easy to make as a hamburger.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated June 09, 2023
Plated Kofte Kebabs on grilled flatbread drizzled spicy harissa, topped with arugula, and garnished with lemon wedges.

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • The seasoning is built right into these mince meat kebabs, packing more flavor in less time.
  • Stick to a ground meat that is 20% fat to 80% lean ratio to ensure the kebabs stay juicy.
  • Place them directly over blazing hot heat to firm up and char the meat quickly so the kebabs don't fall apart on the grill.

I don't know why shish kebabs became the dominant form of grilled-meat-on-a-stick imported from the Middle East to the U.S. when kofte kebabs are, in my humble opinion, so much better. Shish kebabs—that's chunks of marinated meat (or vegetables) grilled on a skewer—are really tough to get right, and when not right, they're really tough. Kofte kebabs, on the other hand, are made with minced meat, and thus don't have that problem. Shish kebabs must be marinated for extended periods of time if you want flavor to penetrate beyond the very exterior. Kofte kebabs have seasoning built right into them, packing more flavor in less time.

Originating in Persia, they're found all over the Middle East and as far north as Turkey, Armenia, and Macedonia. In the U.S., you're most likely to find them at Turkish or Lebanese restaurants where they're served either as individual balls, or threaded onto skewers and grilled. They're one of my favorite quick meals during the summer, as I've always got the dried spices on hand, and all it takes is a bit of ground meat and aromatics to throw together.

It's the kind of thing that comes off looking and sounding very impressive, but is really no more difficult to make than a hamburger.

Skewers of kofte kebabs and flatbread on a hot charcoal grill.

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

Traditionally, ground spices like cumin and coriander, garlic, onions, and herbs like parsley or mint are the primary flavoring ingredients for the lamb. I like to add a big squirt of harissa paste—the Tunisian pepper paste made from piri-piri chiles. It's not from anywhere near the same region, and if I had a Lebanese grandmother she'd probably disown me, but I'm of the mind that if it tastes good, it's welcome to the party. Harissa tastes good. You can leave it out if you want to stay true to the original.

Likewise, I don't necessarily stick to lamb. If, say, I've got a bunch of beef trimmings or even pork, I've got no compunction in swapping the meats out. So long as you have a good 20% fat to 80% lean ratio (more fat is better), you're in safe territory.

The key to developing flavor is to grill them hard and hot. The kebabs do have a tendency to fall apart if you aren't careful, so I skip my usual method of starting on the cool side and finishing up over the hot. Instead, I place them directly over a blazing inferno to firm up and char as quickly as possible, then transfer them over to the cooler side to finish.

They're delicious as is, but I like to drizzle them with a quick yogurt and harissa-based sauce. And while rice is the traditional accompaniment, they go exceptionally well with a fresh grilled flatbread, like my grilled naan. If you time it right, you can be grilling the bread on the hot side of the grill while the kebabs are finishing off on the cooler end and get everything hot and fresh to the table at exactly the same time.

May 2012

Recipe Details

Kofte Kebabs With Spicy Harissa Yogurt Sauce and Grilled Flatbread (Minced Lamb Kebabs) Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup strained yogurt

  • 4 tablespoons harissa (to taste, see note)

  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced on a microplane grater (about 4 teaspoons)

  • 1 cup fresh mint or parsley leaves (or a mix), minced

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 pounds ground lamb or beef, at least 20% fat

  • 1 tablespoon red chile flakes

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 (2-inch) knob of ginger, grated on the medium holes of a box grater

  • 1 small onion, grated on the medium holes of a box grater (about 1/2 cup)

  • Thinly sliced red onions, soaked in cold water

  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving

  • A handful of greens, such as arugula (optional)

  • 1 recipe grilled naan, or store-bought flatbread warmed on grill

Directions

  1. Soak 12 large bamboo skewers in water (unless using metal skewers). Combine yogurt, half of harissa (more or less depending on spice tolerance), half of garlic, and half of herbs. Whisk to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  2. Combine lamb, chile flakes, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, onion, remaining garlic, remaining harissa, and remaining herbs in a large bowl. Season with salt. Work the meat together with your bare hands until homogenous, then pull off a small piece and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high power until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Taste meat and add salt as necessary. Repeat the tasting process until seasoned to your liking.

  3. Working with wet hands, divide meat into 12 balls. Roll each ball into a long sausage-like shape, then insert skewer through center of each kebab.

    Hand forming seasoned ground lamb kebabs.

    Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

  4. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

  5. Place kebabs directly over coals. Cover and cook until well-charred, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip kebabs, cover, and cook until second side is well-charred. Remove cover, transfer kebabs to cooler side of grill, cover, and continue cooking until desired doneness is reached, about 2 minutes more (you can tear off a piece of one to check). Transfer to a large plate and let rest for 3 minutes.

    A row of kofte kebabs on a hot charcoal grill.

    Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

  6. Serve kebabs with lemon wedges, sliced onions, greens, and yogurt sauce on boiled rice or with a grilled flatbread, such as grilled naan.

Special Equipment

Grill, metal or wooden skewers

Notes

Kofte kebabs are traditionally made with lamb, however, ground beef or pork can be substituted.

Harissa is a Tunisian spice paste made from piri-piri peppers. It can be found in cans or bottles in most major supermarkets or specialty grocers. It's not in any way Lebanese, but I like the flavor it adds to the dish. If you can't find it, any fresh chili sauce will do, such as sambal oelek. Serve kebabs with yogurt sauce on boiled rice or with a grilled flatbread, such as this grilled naan.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
864Calories
44gFat
63gCarbs
56gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories864
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g56%
Saturated Fat 16g80%
Cholesterol 167mg56%
Sodium 1607mg70%
Total Carbohydrate 63g23%
Dietary Fiber 6g22%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 56g
Vitamin C 23mg113%
Calcium 250mg19%
Iron 9mg48%
Potassium 1162mg25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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