Lebanese Lamb Kofta Recipe (Kafta/Kofta Kebabs)

How to make Lebanese lamb kofta (aka kafta) with a simple combination of ground lamb (or beef) with parsley, onion, and Middle Eastern spices for simple and flavorful kofta kebabs. Plus, you can enjoy these lamb kofta grilled, using a grill pan, or baked!

This summer, I’ve inundated you with some of my favorite Lebanese recipes from my childhood, including Lebanese mint lemonade, lentil soup, labneh dip, and za’atar manakish. Now it’s the turn of these simple yet flavorful Lebanese lamb kofta (kafta) – made up of just 4 ingredients plus salt and pepper, with minimal prep time and under 20 minutes of cooking time. The results are a tender, juicy lamb kafta perfect for enjoying with pita, salad, grains, and more.

What is Kofta?

Throughout this post, you’ll notice that I use the terms kofta, kofte, and kafta interchangeably. While kafta is the traditional Lebanese way of referring to this dish, the other two are popular in different regions, and all refer to the same thing. That being a type of Middle Eastern meatball/kebab made up of either lamb, beef, or chicken with onion, parsley, and a simple Middle Eastern spice blend (in this case, Lebanese 7-spice). It’s worth noting that there are also Greek and Indian versions of kofta, too!

While this Lebanese kofta recipe traditionally grills the kafta over charcoals, I’ve included grilling, grill-pan frying, and baking methods below so you can enjoy this Lebanese kofta recipe all-year-round. However, I’ll admit, the extra flavor from the authentic grilling method is definitely my favorite.

Once cooked, serve the kofte kebabs over grains, with salad, or as part of a pita wrap with hummus (like falafels too) for a traditional lamb kafta sandwich. You can also cook the kafta as part of a larger meal – like kafta bil sanieh (kafta baked with tomatoes and potatoes) or Dawood basha (a tomato meatball stew).

The Lebanese Kofta Recipe Ingredients

• Lamb: you need minced lamb; I recommend using one that is 10-15+% fat (my local source is 20%). This fat is necessary for moisture and to help bind the ground lamb kebabs, since there is no other “binder” like eggs or breadcrumbs in this lamb kofta recipe.
• Onion: use a yellow onion (not red). Alternatively, shallots would also work.
• Herbs: all you need for this kofta kebab recipe is fresh parsley.
• Seasonings: I used a simple combination of Lebanese 7-spice and salt and pepper.

Optional Add-ins and Recipe Variations

• Beef: instead of lamb, you could use minced beef. Make sure to use one with 10%+ fat for moisture and binding. Alternatively, you can even use a combination of 50:50 lamb and beef.
• Cinnamon: while there is some cinnamon in Lebanese 7-spice, some versions of this lamb kafta recipe contain an extra pinch of cinnamon.
• Spice: if you want to add some heat to the lamb kafta recipe, I recommend using a little cayenne/chili powder. However, I usually keep mine heat-free and provide chili sauce for any guests.

How to Make Lebanese Lamb Kofta

Step 1: Mix the Kafta Meat

First, finely chop the onion and parsley. The smaller the onion pieces, the better!

Then add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well incorporated.

To save time, you could do this in a small food chopper/processor (as the pieces don’t need to be even). First, pulse the onion and parsley separately until finely chopped, then add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined into a homogenous meat paste. If the processed onions are very “wet,” squeeze them lightly to remove excess liquid.

Step 2: Prepare the Kofta Kebabs

To prepare the skewers, first transfer the lamb kofta mixture to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Then, divide the mixture into portions of around 3-3.5 oz/85-100 g (around a fistful). Then thread each portion onto skewers in a sausage shape, around 1-inch thick, pressing firmly). Be careful to make them even-sized, so they’ll cook evenly.

If you’re using wooden skewers and plan to make the lamb kofta immediately, then first soak the skewers for 30 minutes (that way, they won’t burn on the grill). Also, keep water nearby to dip your hands in while shaping the ground lamb kebabs – if they become too sticky.

To grill the lamb kofta: transfer the kofta kebab to a pre-heated and oiled grill (or charcoal BBQ) and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through (usually about 10 minutes total for well-done, 6-8 minutes for medium).

Grill Pan: using an indoor grill pan is relatively similar to the above. Add a little oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Then add the lamb kofta kebab and pan-fry for several minutes, then flip and cook on each side until evenly cooked.

Baked: to bake the lamb kafta, lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet brushed/sprayed with a little oil. Bake in the oven at 350ºF/175ºC for between 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Feel free to broil at the end for extra browning.

You could also broil the lamb kafta, turning to evenly cook.

How to Serve

There are several ways you can serve and enjoy the lamb kofta kebabs, including:

• With dips: hummus, garlic sauce, spinach yogurt dip (or tzatziki), baba ghanoush, tahini sauce, etc.
• In a wrap: I like to serve mine over homemade pita bread (pita pocket or Greek-style) with hummus, chili sauce or garlic sauce (toum), pickles (cucumber, red onion, or turnip), lettuce, and tomatoes.
• With grains: serve off the skewer over rice – like this vermicelli rice, basmati rice, or rice pilaf. You can also enjoy them with quinoa or couscous.
• In a stew: or served alongside one – like this green bean stew, fasolia (butter bean stew), or bamia (okra stew).
• Make a Lebanese kofta bowl: With hummus, lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad and/or tabbouleh and lemon wedges. Optionally, add some pita too.

You can also enjoy the kofta with fries or Lebanese appetizers and salads, including:

• Fattoush salad
• Lebanese chickpea salad
• Tabbouleh (or lentil tabbouleh)
• Tomato and cucumber mint salad
• Batata harra
• With grilled tomatoes and onions
• Stuffed Swiss chard rolls.

How to Store 

Make ahead: you can prepare and form the kofta kebabs patties in advance and store them covered in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to three months. Then, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

Storing: Store any leftover Lebanese kafta in an airtight container in the fridge for between 3-4 days OR in the freezer for up to 3 months (freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to container/Ziplock bag, to avoid sticking).

Reheating: You can reheat the kafta on a hot grill for several minutes or in the oven at 350ºF/175ºC until warmed through (7-10 minutes).

Recipe Notes and Top Tips

• Skip the skewers: you can skip the skewers altogether if you plan to bake or grill pan-frying the kofta kebabs. Instead, use your hands to shape them into oblong, tapered sausage-like shapes.
• Don’t overwork the meat: you want the mixture to be well combined but not overworked. Otherwise, you may end up with dry, tough lamb kofta.
• Change the kofta shape: feel free to make the kafta meat into rounder patties, meatballs, etc. Just adjust the cooking time based on the size and thickness.
• Chill the mixture: don’t skip this step. As there is no additional “binder” in this recipe, chilling the kafta meat will help it hold together better.
• If you have issues with binding: this may be because the onion was too wet, or you’ve added too much parsley. Feel free to add breadcrumbs as an additional binder – I’ve never had to do this, but it’s good to know (just in case).
• To ensure the lamb is cooked: if you’re a nervous meat cooker, you can use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the lamb kofta kebabs reaches 160ºF/71ºC.
• Allow the flavors to meld: I recommend making the lamb kofta a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld and develop. You won’t regret it!

More Simple Lebanese Recipes

• Sfiha (Lebanese Meat Pies | Lahmacun | Lahm bi Ajeen)
• Chicken Shawarma (Wraps/Platter/Plate)
• Spinach fatayer
• Vegetarian stuffed carrots
• Stuffed makdous (eggplant)
• Simple fatteh (pita with chickpeas and yogurt)
• Pomegranate molasses
• Gluten-free muhammara
• Okra Stew (Bamya/Bamia Recipe | + Vegan Version)

If you try this Lebanese Lamb Kofta recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!