Lamb Kofta — Grilled Kebabs
Transport your taste buds to the Middle East with these juicy, flavorful lamb kofta kebabs. Easy to make and perfect for grilling season, they're a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
25 min active, minimal dishes
Lamb Kofta — Grilled Kebabs
Transport your taste buds to the Middle East with these juicy, flavorful lamb kofta kebabs. Easy to make and perfect for grilling season, they're a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
25 min active, minimal dishes
Key move
Keep the lamb mixture very cold to prevent the fat from melting and creating a greasy, crumbly kofta.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Grill
- Large Bowl
- Skewers
The Mise en Place
5 of 11Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/3)
The Aromatics (0/4)
Kofta is falling apart on the grill.
Ensure the lamb mixture is cold and well-chilled before grilling.
Kofta is dry and tough.
Do not overmix the lamb mixture. Overmixing develops the gluten in the meat, resulting in a tougher texture. Also, avoid overcooking the kofta on the grill.
Chef's Notes
For tender kofta, don't overmix the lamb. Mix just until combined to avoid toughening the meat.
Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 mins before threading to prevent burning on the grill.
Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt mixed with chopped mint and a squeeze of lemon.
Shape the kofta onto skewers up to 24 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
The Method
CHILL
Time-sensitivePlace the ground lamb (900 g) in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill thoroughly. This helps prevent the fat from melting during mixing.
Fat breakdown: If the lamb warms up, the fat will melt during mixing, leading to a greasy, crumbly texture.
Ground lamb is very cold to the touch.
COMBINE
In a large bowl, combine the chilled ground lamb (900 g), chopped onion (½ cups), mint, parsley, minced garlic (4 cloves), cumin (2 tsp), coriander (2 tsp), paprika (1 tsp), cayenne pepper (¼ tsp) (if using), salt (1 tsp), and pepper.
Overworking the fat: Kneading the meat too long warms the fat, which will cause the kebabs to fall apart on the grill.
All ingredients are in the large bowl with the chilled ground lamb.
MIX
Gently mix all ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the kofta tough.
Overworking the meat: Mixing too vigorously develops proteins that result in a rubbery, tough kebab.
The lamb mixture is evenly combined but not overworked.
FORM
Using slightly wet hands, form the mixture into elongated kebab shapes around skewers. Aim for about 4-5 inches long.
Loose structure: If the meat is too warm, the fat will separate and the kebabs will slide off the skewers during grilling.
Kofta mixture is formed into 8 evenly sized kebab shapes around skewers.
CHILL
Prep aheadPlace the formed kofta kebabs on a plate or tray and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps them hold their shape during grilling.
Warm meat: If the meat is not thoroughly chilled, the fat will render too quickly and the kebabs will crumble during grilling.
Kofta kebabs have chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
PREHEAT
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
Uneven heating: Cold spots lead to uneven cooking; ensure the entire surface is uniformly hot before adding the lamb.
Grill is preheated to medium-high heat.
GRILL
Grill the kofta kebabs for about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through and have a nice char on all sides.
Sticking to grates: If you flip the kebabs before a crust forms, they will tear and stick to the grill.
Kofta kebabs are cooked through with a nice char on all sides.
REST
Remove the kofta kebabs from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Loss of juices: Cutting into the meat immediately will cause the juices to run out, resulting in dry kebabs.
Kofta kebabs have rested for a few minutes.
SERVE
Serve the lamb kofta kebabs hot with warm pita bread, yogurt sauce, and your favorite toppings.
Soggy base: Avoid placing kebabs directly on cold pita to prevent the bread from becoming greasy and soft.
Kofta kebabs are served.
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