Moist and flavorful, kafta is a type of homemade Lebanese kebab made with ground meat and spices. It's an easy, healthy dish that can be made on the skillet, BBQ, or in the oven.
Grind any spices that are in whole form (black pepper, allspice, cayenne peppers) in either a spice grinder or a high-power food processor. Grind all spices and salt together until ground finely and well combined.
Rinse and dry the parsley and add the leaves to the food processor. (There is no need to remove the spices if you have ground them in the food processor.)
Peel the onion and cut it into small pieces, adding them all to the food processor.
Process the onions and parsley together in the food processor until they are finely chopped and well combined.
Add the ground beef, salt, and spices to the food processor with the onions and parsley. Process them together just long enough to combine all of the ingredients together.
Divide the mixture into 24 equal parts and form each of them into oval-shaped meatballs. Optionally, place two of the formed kafta onto each skewer to form kebabs.
BBQ or grill skillet
Pre-heat either the barbecue or a grill skillet (or other skillet) over medium to high heat.
Cook the kafta on the grill or skillet, carefully turning them while cooking, until all sides are cooked evenly. (Use a spatula to help turn the kebabs without them breaking.)
If using oven
Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC.
Bake the kafta for around 10-15 minutes, until fully cooked.
Alternatively, bake the kafta under the broiler, turning each kebab until each side has browned and the meat is fully cooked.
Video
Notes
Serving
Serve either in a wrap (like my paleo pitas) or with, rice, couscous, or grilled veggies. Kafta is delicious when served with tahini, hummus, or baba ganoush. It can also be served with yogurt or tzatziki sauce.
Customizing the recipe
Kafta can also be made with other ground meats. Other choices include using ground lamb, or a combination of ground lamb and ground beef. You can also experiment with using other meats like pork, chicken, or turkey.