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Get It NowA lamb kofta kebab recipe sounds like it could be something difficult to make, but it’s not hard at all! This is one of my favorite grilling recipes in the summer, because it comes together so quickly and it’s packed with a blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. It’s the perfect blend of juicy lamb, fresh herbs, onion, garlic, and cumin. The hardest part is picking your side dishes, but I have that covered for you below.
I love classic Mediterranean dishes, and this recipe for ground lamb kebabs definitely sticks with that theme. Like grilled lamb chops or Greek souvlaki, the meat is rich and juicy, and the seasonings are simple, highlighting the natural flavor in lamb. (If you love fancier lamb dishes, though, these braised lamb shanks will hit the spot!)
Lamb Kofta Kebab Recipe: Why You’ll Love It
- Tender, juicy lamb
- Herby Greek flavors
- Just 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- Takes only about 15 minutes
- Perfect for summer barbecues
What Is Kofta?
Kofta (or kefta) is a meatball or meatloaf on a stick, typically made with minced meat (beef, lamb, or chicken), fresh herbs, spices, and aromatics. Its origins are Persian, but today it’s common in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best kofta ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Ground Lamb – The star of the dish! If you don’t have lamb, you can use other ground meats, such as ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken instead for a simple kofta recipe variation.
- Onion – I recommend using yellow onions, as they have a sweet and mild flavor that complements the lamb without overpowering it, but you can use a white onion. Use a box grater to create fine shreds.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic delivers the best flavor here, but you could use 1 teaspoon jarred garlic for convenience.
- Fresh Herbs – I used fresh parsley and fresh dill, but fresh mint also makes a nice addition.
- Cumin – Adds a unique warmth and depth of flavor to your kofta kebab. You could also experiment with other classic spices like paprika, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, or cardamom.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Kofta
This section shows how to make grilled kofta kebabs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep. Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water. (This prevents them from catching fire on the grill.) Pat dry.
- Mix the seasonings. In a large bowl, stir together the grated onion, minced garlic, chopped herbs, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add the meat. Add the ground lamb and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
VARIATION: Use a food processor!
If you like, you can mix all the ingredients in a food processor instead. I prefer to do it by hand because it’s less cleanup!
- Assemble. Divide the ground meat mixture into 16 sections. Mold each section around a bamboo skewer. You’ll fit 2 sections of meat per skewer, about 1-2 inches apart.
- Grill. Preheat a grill (or a grill pan on the stove) to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for a few minutes, until browned on the bottom. Flip and cook until the lamb kebab reaches your desired doneness. (See recommended times on the recipe card below.)
Storage Instructions
- Store: Cool the kofta kebab to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Meal prep: Prepare the lamb mixture, and form meat onto the bamboo skewers and place the skewers on a platter. Wrap the platter tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- Reheat: Warm this kofta recipe in the oven at 350 degrees F, or reheat kofta on the grill over indirect heat.
- Freeze: Cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and store kebabs in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
What To Serve With Kofta Kebab
The best lamb kofta recipe calls for some epic sides, don’t you think? There are plenty of healthy sides on my site, but here are a few options that would pair perfectly with your ground lamb kebabs:
- Dipping Sauce – Dip your kebabs in cool and creamy tzatziki sauce (pictured above), plain Greek yogurt, or pair it with your favorite hummus (or cauliflower hummus).
- Vegetables – While the grill is still going, you can easily make grilled eggplant (or another eggplant recipe if you can’t grill), crisp grilled broccoli, or even grilled asparagus.
- Salad – For a fresh side, try a creamy cucumber salad, a simple Greek salad with cucumbers and tomatoes, or a add chickpeas for a Mediterranean salad.
- Pita Bread – Choose your favorite, or make my almond flour pita bread for a healthier option.
More Lamb Recipes
Lamb’s delicate flavor adds a unique touch to any meal. Try some of these other easy lamb recipes:
Recommended Tools
- Wooden Skewers – Essential for this recipe! They’re also great for BBQ, appetizers, fruit, and even crafting.
- Grill Pan – If you don’t have a grill or it’s raining, you can make this kofta recipe on the stovetop using this pan instead.
Kofta Kebab Recipe
Lamb Kofta Kebab (So Juicy!)
This easy lamb kofta kebab recipe is super juicy, just 6 ingredients, and packed with Middle Eastern flavors. Read in only 15 minutes!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Pat dry.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together all ingredients except the lamb. Add the lamb and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
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Divide the meat into 16 sections. Mold each section of meat around a bamboo skewer, making it a few inches long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. You'll fit 2 sections of meat per skewer, about 1-2 inches apart.
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Preheat the grill (or a grill pan on the stove) to medium-high heat and oil the grates lightly. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 3-5 more minutes, to desired level of doneness. Time on the second side will be about 2 minutes for medium rare, 3 minutes for medium, 4 minutes for medium-well and 5 minutes for well done.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 lamb kofta pieces (1 skewer)
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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43 Comments
jess
0this recipe was super quick and I loved the flavor so much! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
April
0Wow, was this ever delicious! Fun to eat on the skewers as well!
Erin
0What a great 15-minute recipe. Love the flavors with the cumin. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions. Will definitely make it again.
neads
0Made on a whim and now have a keeper! Thank you for inspiring recipes that push us to try something new. My family loved it and it’s now on request.
Celina
0I live in a food desert here in south central KY. After a week or two trying to find lamb chops, leg or breast of lamb, I was astounded at how few people even tasted lamb…ever. I couldn’t even get it delivered by companies on Amazon, etc… Anyway, I found ground 80/20 lamb at Walmart. I bought the last two one-pound packages that they had. I stuck one pound in the freezer and found your recipe for lamb kofta kabob. I had an uncle that used to make it quite often, but I forgot how. Your recipe was as close to authentic as was his and he came from the Middle East. I also like that your site was easy in that it did the math for the ingredients. Math distracts me. 🙂 We had it for dinner this evening. I served it with white garlic rice, parsley, that I had chopped fresh Romano tomatos into. I also served it with sliced raw yellow bell peppers. It was delicious. THANK YOU!
Wendy M
0These are so flavorful it surprises people that there are so few ingredients. Maya does it again.
Kimberly B
0O!M!G!!!! OUTSTANDING!!! My husband said this was the best find I have found in a long time. I did not have skewers so I made 2oz patties (yep I measured it). They were cooked on the grill for about 8 minutes for a perfect medium rare to medium. The only thing I did not like doing was grating the onion but totally understand why it needed to be done. I did put the patties together about 2 hours before they were cooked. I served this with your Tzatziki sauce recipe (you were right super easy), store-bought naan bread, and tomato, cucumber feta salad. I can’t wait to see how they reheat.
Anne
0I tried this recipe, substituting rosemary and thyme for the dill which I ran out of. I had trouble getting them to keep shape, so I added beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and pan-grilled them on non-stick pans instead of using a griddle. Where do you think I went wrong? Any tips please?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Anne, Did you add more rosemary and thyme than what is called for, that would be them not sticking together as well. I also recommend refrigerating for 30 minutes before cooking to get there more firm.
Elisa
0Love the recipes but absolutely hate having to scroll all the way down to find them.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Elisa, There is a “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page that will take you right to the recipe.
Judit
0I don’t have a grill, can’t it be done in an airfryer or oven?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Judit, I have not personally tested this, but either method should work. If you decide to try it, please share your results!
KnoxvilleKoftaKebabMaker
0It works in an oven. I’ve done it before but you don’t get a good char. I’d at least suggest hitting it with a butane torch if you go that route. I’m going to try air fryer tonight. Just too lazy to fire up the grill in this weather.
Tracey
0Made these last night and they were delicious and so easy!
Jennifer
0Great recipe!! I didn’t have skewers so I just formed the meat and grilled them. Definitely recommend the naan and tzatziki sauce with these! For the naan, I can’t have mozzarella so I subbed Monterey Jack cheese instead. Still worked/tasted great!
Evan
0Made your recipe, they tasted wonderful. The amount of spice was perfect! I cooked them on my gas grill on a grill mat. My wife and daughter loved them too. Very easy to prepare, and too quickly gone! Next time I make this and I will, I will not use the skewers. Had a bit of trouble with them rotating on the sticks when I tried to turn them over.
Kevin Khan
0I made this last night for a quick dinner since my mom requested a similar she got from feastbox. I used chicken tenders. It is sooooo good everyone loved it!
Jennifer
0I hadn’t made kofta in forever, this was great — thanks for the reminder that I love it!
Jean
0Probably one of my favorite things to eat at a Greek restaurant, and I never knew how easy it was!! I’ll be making this over and over again.
Joni Gomes
0Meat on a stick truly is so much better for some reason! Love all of the spices in this dish, great for when I host summer parties!
Irena Macri
0I’m a huge fan of Greek food and I love that these come together in no time at all. Lamb is one of those ingredients that is often underused but it’s so good (especially in Australia). I didn’t have skewers so I just made them in oval shapes as sausages and grilled them.
Paleoglutenfreeguy
0So simple, easy and Whole30 – I love these!
Raia
0I’ve never tried kofta before! Looks so delicious!
Megan Stevens
0Such special and yummy comfort food!! (We LOVE lamb.) Love that it was so quick too. Thank you!
Cissy Chin
0I live in a condo with no access to a grill. Can these be cooked in an air fryer?
Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cissy, I haven’t tried that but you probably could, however they probably wouldn’t brown as much. I’ve also done it on an indoor grill before.
Rosalie Dieteman
0Hi! Printing was fine on this recipe! However, the Pin link at the top did not work correctly; I got an error message about a bad image URL.
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Rosalie! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. The button seems to be working now.
Sheri
0This was a huge hit tonight with the family. Served it with marinated grilled veggies (zucchini, peppers, onions in lemon, mint, oregano, olive oil) and grilled haloumi cheese. Some quick tzatziki sauce. I got “best meal ever” from everyone including teenage boys. The kafta are flavorful and easy to do even on a weeknight. I had reusable metal skewers and this worked just fine. Cooking time seems as described. This is definitely being added to the recipe book!
Fitnesshealthforever
0Hey, very nice blog. I came across this on Google, and I am stoked that I did. I will definitely be coming back here more often. Wish I could add to the conversation and bring a bit more to the table, but am just taking in as much info as I can at the moment. Thanks for sharing.
Jenna Urben
0My husband loves kofta kebabs! We even bought stainless steel skewers to try to make them at home but I think we made them too large. I loved seeing your photos to use as a guide. We’ll have to try again 🙂
Liz
0We adore lamb at our house, but I tend to make the same dishes over and over. These kofta kebabs were new to us, but we all loved them! Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Maya!!
Christine
0These lamb kofta kebabs are so flavorful! So perfect for the summer grilling season!
Lynda Lentz
0These sound amazing! If not cooking them on the grill, what are your suggestions?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Lynda! You could use an indoor grill, broil them, or pan fry like burgers.
Lalo
0If broiling… would you do it for the same amount of time as on a grill?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lalo, I’d try broiling for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
Ivana
0One of my favourite meals. Saving for dinner tomorrow.
Sara Welch
0Looking forward to firing up the grill for this dish! This looks amazing!
Andrea Metlika
0This lamb kofta was marvelous and is so flavorful.
Tina
0I love lamb and I love koftas. They are like mini meatloaves. Even though my daughter is grown so I will never know for sure but I bet kids would really love these, especially served on a skewer, although probably with catsup.
Tawnie Kroll
0I love lamb!! Thank you for the step by step photos too!!