Lebanese Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tahini-Lemon Sauce

Steps

1. Step 1

   If you're using wooden skewers, soak 8 of them in water for at least 20 minutes so they don't scorch. Metal skewers need nothing.

   20 min, hands-off

2. Step 2

   Grate the onion onto a plate, then scoop it into a fine strainer or a square of paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Wet onion makes the kofta fall apart, so squeeze hard — you want about 1/4 cup of damp pulp.

   5 min

   • 1 small yellow onion
3. Step 3

   In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, squeezed onion, parsley, minced garlic, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes, pressing and folding, until the mixture feels sticky and tacky and holds together in a ball. This kneading is what keeps the kofta on the skewer.

   5 min

   • 1 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20)
   • 1 small yellow onion
   • 1 cup flat-leaf parsley
   • 3 cloves garlic
   • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
   • 1 tsp ground allspice
   • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
   • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
   • 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
4. Step 4

   Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The meat firms up and shapes much more easily cold.

   30 min, hands-off

5. Step 5

   Divide the meat into 8 equal portions, about the size of a golf ball and a half each. With wet hands, press one portion around a skewer and squeeze it into a flat sausage about 5 inches long and 1 inch thick, pinching the ends to seal. Lay the finished skewers on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack, or straight on the foil.

   10 min

6. Step 6

   Position an oven rack about 5 inches below the broiler element and heat the broiler to high for 5 minutes.

   5 min, hands-off

7. Step 7

   Broil the kofta for 5 minutes, until browned and sizzling on top. Turn each skewer over and broil 4 to 6 minutes more, until charred in spots and cooked through (160°F at the center). Let them rest 5 minutes.

   11 min

8. Step 8

   While the kofta broil, make the sauce: whisk the tahini, lemon juice and grated garlic in a bowl. It will seize up and look pasty — that's normal. Whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until it loosens into a pourable, creamy drizzle, then season with salt.

   5 min

   • 1/2 cup tahini
   • 1/4 cup lemon juice
   • 1 clove garlic
   • 1/4–1/2 cup cold water
   • salt
9. Step 9

   Warm the pita: wrap the stack in foil and set it in the oven for the last 3 minutes of broiling, or toast briefly in a dry skillet.

   3 min

   • 4 pieces pita bread
10. Step 10

    Slide the kofta off the skewers onto the warm pita, drizzle generously with tahini-lemon sauce, and scatter over the sliced red onion and sumac. Serve with lemon wedges.

    • 1 small red onion
    • 1 lemon
    • 1 tbsp sumac

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 4, 2026