Lebanese Grilled Kafta with Parsley and Onions
Tantalize your taste buds with this authentic Lebanese Grilled Kafta recipe. Juicy, flavorful ground meat skewers are paired with the fresh zing of parsley and the sweet sharpness of onions, offering a delightful explosion of Mediterranean flavors.
Equipment
- Grill
- Mixing bowl
- Skewers
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (20% fat)
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- Vegetable oil, for grilling
- 1 medium onion, sliced into rings for serving
- Extra parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground lamb, chopped onion, parsley, and mint. Mix thoroughly to distribute the flavors.
- Add the salt, black pepper, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to the meat mixture. Knead with your hands until all the spices are well incorporated.
- Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a cylinder and thread onto skewers, pressing to form a sausage shape around each skewer.
- Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking. Place the kafta skewers on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they reach your desired level of doneness.
- While the kafta is grilling, toss the onion rings in a small amount of oil and grill them alongside the skewers until they are slightly charred and tender.
- Once cooked, remove the kafta skewers and onion rings from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Serve the grilled kafta skewers garnished with extra chopped parsley and accompanied by the grilled onion rings.
Notes
For an authentic Lebanese experience, serve with sides of hummus, baba ghanoush, or tabbouleh.
If you don't have access to a grill, a grill pan on the stove works well too.
Kafta can also be shaped into patties and cooked like burgers if skewers are not available.
For a lower-fat version, use leaner cuts of meat or substitute with ground chicken or turkey.