This Beef Kafta recipe is undeniably delicious and super simple to whip up! Mix the simple six ingredient ground beef mixture together, then portion and shape around skewers, and cook each kabob on the grill or in a grill pan on the stovetop. It’s the perfect, flavorful recipe for meal prepped lunches, easy dinners, and summertime entertaining!
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This recipe is…
Beef Kafta is a Lebanese recipe that is loaded with flavor. If you’re looking for something to throw on the grill and you’re sick of the same ole hamburger/hot dog situation, this recipe is exactly what you need.
Onion, garlic, cilantro, and parsley get blended into a paste-like consistency and then combined with ground beef and 7 spice (a warm spice blend that includes black pepper, allspice, ground coriander, cinnamon, ground cloves, cumin, and ground nutmeg). The mixture gets formed onto a skewer and then grilled (outside or inside) to delicious perfection. You’re going to love it!
Looking for more grill recipes? Be sure to try our grilled skirt steak (marinate it with our easy, delicious skirt steak marinade first!), this grilled hamburger recipe if you’re looking for something classic, and these grilled veggies if you want to accompany your meal with the tastiest, most flavorful vegetables ever.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple, flavorful ingredients – only six simple ingredients (not counting the salt, because that’s already sitting in your kitchen, right?) make for the MOST flavorful ground beef kafta kabobs ever.
- Easy to cook – grill your beef kafta inside or outside – it’s quick and easy either way!
Beef Kafta Recipe Ingredients
This list is short! Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Fresh herbs – you’ll need cilantro and parsley here. Be sure to grab fresh (vs. dried) – the flavor is unbeatable!
- 7 Spice – you should be able to find this spice blend at your local grocery store. If you’re having a hard time finding it, look for Baharat seasoning instead. They’re super similar!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Use a different protein – the most classic variations of kafta use either ground beef, ground lamb, or ground chicken, but you could also use ground turkey, if you’d like. Any ground protein will swap really easily here.
How to Make Beef Kafta
This recipe is incredibly easy to make. You’ll start by making a paste of the onion, garlic, and herbs, then mix that with the ground beef and spice blend, shape the mixture around skewers, grill, and voila!, you’ve got the tastiest ground beef recipe ready for you to enjoy! Follow along below for the full, visual how-to.
Step 1: Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro to a food processor. Blend until smooth and paste-like.
Step 2: To a large bowl, add the ground beef, herb mixture, 7 spice, and salt. Use your hands to massage together until everything is evenly incorporated.
Step 3: Divide the mixture up into 8 even-sized balls, then shape them around a skewer (metal or soaked wood) in a long, thin form.
Step 4: Heat a grill pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the kabobs to the pan and cook on each side for 4-5 minutes, until the internal temperature of the ground beef reaches 145°F when a meat thermometer is inserted at the thickest portion of the meat.
Step 5: Serve over long grain rice with a cucumber salad and tzatziki and hummus, if you like.
Recipe Tips
Cook the kabobs on the grill – if you want to cook these on an outdoor grill, feel free! To do this, first clean your grill and spray the grates with oil (I like avocado oil spray). Then, place the beef kabobs on the grill and cook for 4 minutes over 400°F, or until grill marks form. Flip the kabobs over and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Pull the beef kafta off of the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
How to Serve
Serve your beef kafta kabobs alongside white rice, cucumber tomato salad, and hummus (homemade hummus or store-bought) like we did, or over a simple arugula salad if you want to keep the meal low-carb.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover beef kabobs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the beef kafta for up to 3 months.
Reheat (from refrigerated or frozen) in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a skillet on the stovetop for 6-8 minutes (let frozen kabobs thaw in the fridge overnight if you plan on reheating them on the stovetop).
Frequently Asked Questions
From the research I’ve done, it seems as if the two spellings are interchangeable and refer to the same herb-y, spiced, ground protein kabob.
More Favorite Ground Beef Recipes
If you tried this Beef Kafta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Beef Kafta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, packed
- ½ cup fresh parsley, packed
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 teaspoons 7 Spice
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro to a food processor. Blend until smooth and paste-like.
- To a large bowl, add the ground beef, herb mixture, 7 spice, and salt. Use your hands to massage together until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Divide the mixture up into 8 even-sized balls, then shape them around a skewer (metal or soaked wood) in a long, thin form.
- Heat a grill pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the kabobs to the pan and cook on each side for 4-5 minutes, until the internal temperature of the ground beef reaches 145°F when a meat thermometer is inserted at the thickest portion of the meat.
- Serve over long grain rice with a cucumber salad and tzatziki and hummus, if you like.
Recipe Notes
- Use a different protein – the most classic variations of kafta use either ground beef, ground lamb, or ground chicken, but you could also use ground turkey, if you’d like. Any ground protein will swap really easily here.
- To cook the kabobs on the grill – if you want to cook these on an outdoor grill, feel free! To do this, first clean your grill and spray the grates with oil (I like avocado oil spray). Then, place the beef kabobs on the grill and cook for 4 minutes over 400°F, or until grill marks form. Flip the kabobs over and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Pull the beef kafta off of the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
