Enjoy a Middle Eastern-inspired feast with these exotically seasoned grilled beef kofta kabobs served with a refreshing Yogurt Mint Sauce.

Kofta are essentially a meatball made with beef or lamb with grated onion and spices shaped into a cylinder, skewered then grilled. The warm and intense spices used to season the kofta are cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, oregano and cinnamon.

The bold herbs and spices are what give these kofta so much flavour. They make a great party food for a summer barbecue and are easy to serve as no utensils are required. Once your guests get a whiff of these kofta kabobs grilling, they won’t be able to resist them!

The kofta kabobs are so convenient to make ahead, freeze and grill when you need them. I always keep some on hand in my freezer so I can grill them right from frozen at any time; that makes entertaining really easy!

Ingredients needed to make kofta kabobs

It seems like a lot of seasoning ingredients are needed for this recipe but you’ll be surprised that most of the them are pantry items you likely already have!

Cumin
Coriander
Smoked paprika
Turmeric
Oregano
Cinnamon
Salt & pepper
Eggs
Onion & garlic
Parsley
Toast bread
Ground beef

How to make kofta kabobs

In a medium bowl add dry seasoning mix, garlic, onion, parsley, eggs and bread; combine to make a paste
Place the ground beef in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the seasoning paste to the well
With your hands lightly mix the ground beef with the seasoning paste to ensure it is distributed evenly
Form the beef mixture on skewers and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill or flash freeze them

How to cook kofta kabobs

Place cold or frozen kabobs on pre-heated outdoor BBQ grill over medium-high heat. Grill for a total of 10 – 12 minutes, turning once or twice until browned and meat feels firm to the touch and no pink remains.

What if I don’t have a grill?

My favourite way is to cook kofta kabobs is on an outdoor grill, but you can easily cook them in a skillet or in the oven and they’ll taste just as great!

What can I serve with kofta kabobs?

Serve the kofta kabobs as a finger food dipped in yogurt mint sauce or as a meal on pita bread with a lettuce, cucumber, tomato and red onion salad and yogurt mint sauce. You can also make the yogurt mint sauce early in the day or a day ahead. Get the yogurt mint sauce recipe here.

Can I make kofta kabobs ahead of time?

Yes! It is recommended that the assembled kofta kabobs be flash frozen for at least 2 hours or longer so you can make them up to 3 months ahead! For best results, grill them cold or right from frozen. For this reason it’s so convenient to keep a stash of them in your freezer.

How do I store frozen kofta kabobs?

Flash freeze the kofta kabobs spaced out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once they’re individually frozen, layer the kofta kabobs between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. I do not recommend they be stored in plastic baggies because the skewers will undoubtedly poke holes in the bag which will comprise the seal.

Tips for making kofta kabobs

Pre-soak the skewers in water for at least 20 minutes or longer to avoid flare ups
Don’t skimp on the seasonings – those big bold flavours are paramount to the flavour
Use glass or ceramic bowls to mix the ingredients as the seasoning can stain plastic
Be gentle when mixing the ground meat mixture; over mixing results in tough meat
Freeze kabobs for at least 2 hours to chill or longer to freeze completely before grilling
Try the recommended yogurt mint sauce and make it early in the day or a day ahead

You must try these uniquely seasoned kofta kabobs! Serve them with my Yogurt Mint Sauce.

Beef Kofta Kabobs

Middle-Eastern-inspired beef kofta kabobs seasoned with onions and exotic spices are grilled and served with a yogurt mint sauce.

Servings 24 kabobs

Ingredients

Seasoning mix

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
2 eggs
½ cup grated onion and juice (use the large holes of a box grater)
4 garlic cloves minced
½ cup parsley finely chopped
2 slices white or whole wheat toast bread torn into pieces

Beef

1 kg lean ground beef (about 2 pounds)

For serving

Yogurt mint sauce
Pita bread
Lettuce, cucumber, tomato and red onion salad

Instructions

Soak 24 bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes or longer while preparing the beef.
In a medium glass or ceramic bowl combine the dry seasoning ingredients: cumin, coriander paprika, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the eggs, onion, garlic, parsley and torn bread. Mix all the ingredients well with a fork while mashing the bread until a thick creamy paste is achieved.
In a large glass or ceramic mixing bowl, add the ground beef and make a well in the centre. Add the seasoning paste into the well. With your hands, lightly mix the ground beef with the seasoning paste to ensure it is distributed evenly.
Prepare two baking sheets by lining with parchment paper. Divide mixture into 24 equal portions, about 50 grams each. Form and mold each portion into a 4” cylinder and run the skewer through it. Place the kofta kabobs on the lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Freeze for at least 2 hours to get them really cold or longer to freeze completely before grilling. Grill the kabobs from cold or from frozen.
Place cold or frozen kabobs on pre-heated BBQ grill over medium-high heat. Grill for a total of 10 – 12 minutes, turning once or twice until browned and meat feels firm to the touch and no pink remains.
Serve with yogurt mint sauce, pita bread and a lettuce, cucumber, tomato and red onion salad.