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Charred beef kofta skewers with Middle Eastern spices on white platter

Simple Beef Kofta Skewers

These Middle Eastern-spiced beef kofta skewers deliver incredible flavor with minimal effort. Ground beef is mixed with aromatic spices, fresh herbs, and grated onion, then formed onto skewers and grilled until perfectly charred. Juicy, aromatic, and irresistibly delicious.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Calories: 443
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Kofta
  • 700 g ground beef 85/15 lean-to-fat ratio
  • 60 g yellow onion finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 30 g fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 15 g fresh mint finely chopped
  • 10 g fine sea salt
  • 4 g freshly ground black pepper
For the Spice Blend
  • 6 g ground cumin
  • 4 g ground coriander
  • 3 g smoked paprika
  • 2 g ground cinnamon
  • 1 g cayenne pepper
For Grilling
  • 20 ml olive oil

Method
 

Mix the Kofta Mixture
  1. In a large bowl, combine the 700g ground beef, 60g grated onion, minced garlic, 30g parsley, 15g mint, all spices (6g cumin, 4g coriander, 3g paprika, 2g cinnamon, 1g cayenne), 10g salt, and 4g black pepper. Using your hands, mix thoroughly for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly tacky and well combined.
Form the Skewers
  1. Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions (approximately 100g each). Take each portion and form it into a sausage shape around a flat metal skewer, squeezing firmly so the mixture adheres tightly to the skewer. The kofta should be about 15-18cm long and 3cm thick.
Chill the Kofta
  1. Place the formed skewers on a plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This chilling step is crucial for firming up the meat so the skewers hold their shape during grilling.
Prepare for Grilling
  1. Heat your grill or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Brush each kofta skewer generously with the 20ml olive oil on all sides.
Grill the Skewers
  1. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10-12 minutes total, turning every 3 minutes to ensure even charring on all sides. The kofta should be deeply browned with nice char marks and cooked through to an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F).
Rest and Serve
  1. Transfer the grilled kofta to a serving platter and let rest for 3 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

Notes

  • The grated onion provides essential moisture to the kofta—using minced onion instead would cause the mixture to crumble and fall apart during cooking.
  • If using wooden skewers instead of metal, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before forming the kofta to prevent burning on the grill.
  • Squeeze the meat mixture firmly onto the skewers when forming—loose packing is the main reason kofta falls apart during grilling.
  • Serve with tahini sauce, yogurt sauce, warm pita bread, and a simple tomato-cucumber salad for a complete Middle Eastern meal.
  • These kofta can be formed up to 24 hours ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to grill.