Lebanese Kafta Kebabs with Tahini Sauce

Kafta is a Levantine favorite: seasoned ground meat mixed with grated onion and fresh parsley, shaped onto skewers, and grilled until charred at the edges. The onion and parsley do more than flavor the meat. They keep it juicy over high heat.

These kebabs come together in about 30 minutes and work on a grill or in a hot grill pan. A simple lemony tahini sauce and warm pita finish the plate.

Lebanese kafta kebabs are seasoned ground meat mixed with grated onion and fresh parsley, shaped onto skewers, and grilled until charred at the edges. The onion and parsley do more than flavor the meat. They keep it juicy over high heat.

These kebabs come together in about 30 minutes and work on a grill or in a hot grill pan. A simple lemony tahini sauce and warm pita finish the plate. 

Lebanese Kafta Kebabs with Tahini Sauce

Juicy halal beef kafta with parsley, onion, and warm spices, grilled on skewers and served with lemony tahini sauce.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chilling time 15 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the kafta

• 1 1/2 lbs halal ground beef or lamb – 80/20
• 1 small onion – grated with excess liquid squeezed out
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt

For the tahini sauce

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic – grated
• 3 to 4 tbsp cold water – added a little at a time
• 1/4 tsp salt

To serve

• 4 pita breads – warmed
• 1 tomato – sliced
• 1 cucumber – sliced
• 1/4 red onion – thinly sliced

Equipment

• 8 skewers (soak wooden ones in water for 30 minutes)
• 1 Grill or grill pan
• 1 Instant-read thermometer

Method

 

1. Combine the meat, squeezed onion, parsley, garlic, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined, because overmixing makes the kebabs dense. Chill for 15 minutes.
2. Divide the mixture into 8 portions. With wet hands, press each portion around a skewer into a flat 5-inch log.
3. Grill over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until charred and cooked to 160°F.
4. For the sauce, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. It will thicken and look stiff at first. Whisk in the cold water one tablespoon at a time until smooth and pourable.
5. Serve the kebabs drizzled with tahini sauce, with pita, tomato, cucumber, and red onion.

Notes

1. Squeeze the grated onion well. Extra liquid makes the mixture too wet to hold on the skewer.
2. 80/20 beef stays juicy on the grill. Leaner meat dries out.
   1. Lamb is traditional, and half lamb and half beef works well.
   2. No skewers? Shape into patties and grill 4 minutes per side.
      Cooked kebabs keep 3 days in the fridge.

Tips for juicy Lebanese kafta kebabs

The biggest mistake with Lebanese kafta kebabs is a mixture that is too wet or too lean. Squeeze the grated onion in a clean towel so extra liquid does not loosen the meat, and choose 80/20 ground beef or lamb so the kebabs stay tender over high heat. Mix only until everything is combined, because overworking the meat makes it dense, and chill the mixture for 15 minutes so it holds onto the skewer. Wet your hands when you shape each log, grill until the center reaches 160°F, and let the kebabs rest for a few minutes before serving.

Spices and pantry finds

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Allspice, cinnamon, and cumin give kafta its warm, savory flavor, and good tahini makes the sauce. Flat metal skewers hold the meat better than round ones, and an instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness. Look for halal ground beef or lamb from a trusted halal butcher or an online halal shop. You’ll find spices, tahini, and halal grocery sources on my Pantry Passport list on Benable, and skewers, a grill pan, and a thermometer on my Little Kitchen Joys list.

How to serve Lebanese kafta kebabs

Serve the kebabs with warm pita, sliced tomato, cucumber, and a spoonful of tahini sauce, or over rice for a heartier plate. They sit well beside the Beirut Bites mezze board when you are feeding a crowd, and the same garlicky, lemony flavors show up in the crispy chicken shawarma wraps. Not in the mood to cook? Browse Lebanese and Mediterranean spots in our halal restaurant directory.

More recipes to try

• Viral halal smash shawarma burger: shawarma spices in a crispy smash burger
• Halal cart chicken and rice: charred chicken over turmeric rice with white sauce
• Chicken tikka wraps: marinated chicken in warm flatbread

FAQ

Can I make patties instead of skewers? Yes. Shape them about 3/4 inch thick and grill about 4 minutes per side.

Why did my tahini sauce get thick and clumpy? Lemon juice makes tahini seize. Keep whisking in cold water a tablespoon at a time and it smooths out.

Beef or lamb? Lamb is more traditional, and either works.