Minced Beef Kababs – Middle Eastern Style
These Moroccan ground beef kebabs are as easy as 1-2-3. Combine the ingredients together, skewer them, and grill them to perfection. Minced beef kebabs cook fairly quickly, so these take barely 5 to 6 minutes on the grill. Serve them with flavored rice or pita bread and tahini. Don’t forget to serve some homemade hummus and aromatic salads for that full Middle-Eastern experience.
Grilled meat on skewers in any part of the world is always a wonderful meal. Whether you eat Asian satay chicken, Indian Murg malai kebabs, or middle-eastern kabobs. Perfect for summer BBQs with the family or friends over the weekend.
I learned something interesting recently. Did you know that the kebabs is originally an Arabic word for fried meat, not grilled? Apparently, in medieval times, the Turkish soldiers used their swords to grill meat over the open field fires, and that’s how the kebab as a grilled dish was invented?
Also, did you know that there are so many types of kebabs? Adana kebabs, chicken shish kebabs, Turkish shish kebabs. The list goes on.
Beyti kebab is one I love very much. It is made with lamb or beef. I tried it in Istanbul the first time. Very moist and juicy.
About these ground beef kebabs
This has got to be the easiest kabab recipe and most flavorful you will ever make. The addition of onions, garlic, and ginger, along with aromatic spices, pack these minced beef kababs with tons of flavor. While the fresh herbs and lemon give these the added freshness and zing.
We love to serve these with fresh pita (yes, these are my homemade pita bread) and with a side of tahini and salad.
The whole meal for me comes together in less than half an hour (without pita). Often, on busy days, I will marinate the meat overnight. The tahini takes as little as two minutes to make while the salad another five.
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)
- Beef – Always use good quality beef like sirloin or chuck when making kebabs. These are lean but with just enough fat to keep the kebabs moist and tender.
- Onions – I can never think of meat on the grill without onions. They make a perfect combination. Today I have cut them finely but you can also grate them the Moroccan style.
- Ginger – I love freshly grated ginger, and yet ginger powder works just as well for kebabs.
- Garlic – Adds a nice aromatic flavor and highly recommended when making Indian or Middle-Eastern kebabs.
- Spices – These kebabs are Middle-Eastern style, so of course, we’ve got a good mix of wonderful aromatic spices like smokey cumin and sweet cinnamon along with some hot cayenne or paprika for some heat.
- Fresh herbs – Parsley and mint make a great combination and is very commonly used in the middle-east. And yet, cilantro with mint also works wonderfully together. I also love to add a sprig or two of dill.
Useful Tips and Tools
- You will need a mixing bowl to mix all the ingredients. I highly recommend using stainless steel or glass mixing bowl not aluminum as the acid in the marinade will react with the metal.
- Also, always keep separate cutting boards for meat and veggies.
- And a sharp kitchen knife for cutting veggies is great when you need to cut them finely.
- I like to use a zester to grate my garlic and ginger.
- I use metal skewers when I grill kebabs outside. But I prefer to use wooden skewers when I grill them indoors because my stovetop grill pan is a medium size.
How to make Moroccan Ground Beef Kababs – Minced beef Kebabs
Ingredients can be found below in the recipe card with unit conversions.
Method
Marinate meat
- Chop onions finely, grate the garlic, and ginger.
- Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the ground meat – and combine everything well.
- Do not overwork the meat – mix just enough to combine everything.
- This can be marinated for an hour and up to 12 hours.
- Drain soaked skewers and pat dry.
Form the kebabs
- Keep a bowl of water ready. Dip your hand in the water.
- Take some ground meat in your wet hand, make a ball then a sausage.
- Now thread a skewer thru the sausage. Then press and shape the sausage to secure the meat around the skewer (about 6 o 8 inches long) (See video).
- Continue until all the kebabs are ready.
Grill Skewers
- Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat.
- Place skewers – do not overcrowd the grill.
- Let cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it.
- When it’s done on one side it will release from the pan.
- Turn to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.
- As a guide, each skewer takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides.
- The char marks can be controlled by raising and lowering the heat under the grill.
- Serve with rice or pita and tahini.
Tips for juicy Kebabs
- Always use good quality ground meat with a good fat of at least 25%. This fat later helps bind the meat together when kneading.
- Ground meat kebabs are best made with lean meat. The fat tends to melt over the grill and the meat tends to fall apart. I prefer 75% lean meat.
- When buying beef for kebabs use either lean sirloin (90%) or chuck which is 80% lean.
- If possible use metal skewers, these when heated cook the meat from the inside as well.
- Knead the meat well so the mixture sticks to each other (like glue) this keeps the meat together when grilling.
- Kebabs are always best served fresh off the grill. If you make them early keep them covered in a container to catch all the juices. I prefer to keep them between bread so the bread soaks up all the juices.
- To reheat the kebabs – I place them on a plate and cover them with a wet paper towel. The moisture created by the steam from the paper towel keeps the kebabs moist.
Frequently asked questions
Middle-Eastern kebabs can be served with middle eastern laffa or pita bread, accompanied by tahini or hummus. It can also be served with wonderful aromatic rice such as pilaf.
Absolutely, you can use lamb, turkey as well as chicken. The cooking time for chicken and turkey will be less compared to lamb or beef. So make sure to adjust accordingly.
Creating finger impressions on the meat helps create an uneven texture making the meat grip the skewer better. Also, try not to make the kebabs too thick.
This could be the result of a few things:
– The mixture was not kneaded well, which did not create a cohesive bond (glue-like texture).
– The meat was too lean with no fat to hold it together. OR there was too much fat, which melted off resulting in the meat falling off the skewers.
– Finally, the meat was perhaps not secured to the skewer well. Creating finger impressions on the meat helps create an uneven texture making the meat grip the skewer better.
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Ground Beef Kebabs
Print Pin RateDescription
Equipment /Tools
Ingredients
Makes 8 to 10 skewers
- 500 grams (1.1 lb) Ground beef
- 1 cup (1 cup) Onion chopped finely
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Garlic grated
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Ginger fresh grated
- 1/4 tsp (1/4 tsp) Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Cumin powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Paprika or cayenne – hot or mild
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Olive oil
- 1 cup (1 cup) Fresh herbs chopped (parsley, cilantro, and mint)
- 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) Salt
- 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) Pepper
Instructions
MARINATE MEAT
- Chop onions finely, grate the garlic, and ginger.
- Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the ground meat – and combine everything well.
- Do not overwork the meat – mix just enough to combine everything.
- This can be marinated for an hour, and up to 12 hours.
- Drain soaked skewers and pat dry.
FORM THE KEBABS
- Keep a bowl of water ready. Dip your hand in the water.
- Take some ground meat in your wet hand, make a ball then a sausage.
- Now thread a skewer thru the sausage. Then press and shaped the sausage to secure the meat around the skewer (about 6 to 8 inches) (See video).
- Continue until all the kebabs are ready.
GRILL SKEWERS
- Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat.
- Place skewers – do not overcrowd the grill.
- Let cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it.
- When it’s done on one side it will release from the pan.
- Turn to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.
- As a guide, each skewer takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides.
- The char marks can be controlled by raising and lowing the heat under the grill.
- Serve with rice or pita and tahini.
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Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Cathleen
Great tips in this post! Whenever I make something with ground beef, it always seems to fall apart. I guess I wasn’t using very good quality ones!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Cathleen. Yes, you need to knead the meat so it creates a sticky bond. Then it will stay together.
Claire
These kebabs look so delicious! I love the blend of cumin, sweet cinnamon and paprika! I had kebabs when I visited Turkey several years ago and they were the most delicious kebabs I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to try your version!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Claire. Me too. Love spice mixes.
Neha
Kebabslook so good Veena! My mouth is watering just by looking at them. Loving the combination of spices, yum!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Neha. Yes, they are so good. You must try
Amanda Mason
Ok, wow! I would have never thought to make kebabs using ground beef!! Loved that you showed a step-by-step picture because I thought…no way! And I had no idea there were so many types of kebabs! Now I want to go research all the different types of kebabs I can make!! CAn’t WAIT to try your recipe first, though!!!
Veena Azmanov
Oh yes, lots of different types of kebabs. Glad you like my pictures. Thanks Amanda.
Anna
These kebabs look so flavoursome and so juicy! My other half is going to love this recipe, I can’t wait to share it with him! Thank you for all the tips, they are very helpful!
Veena Azmanov
They are so flavorful and juicy. You must try Anna.
Tammy
These beef kabobs are mouthwatering, Veena!! What a delicious and flavorful recipe. I have to try this soon!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Tammy. They are delicious.
Veronika's Kitchen
What a great recipe and useful tips! I love beef kebabs but never made them before. Going to try your recipe and will let you know how it came out!)
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Veronika. Let me know how it was.
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli
Easy, delicious and nutritious meal for the whole family. Love that you dressed your meat with onion, lots of spices, and herbs. Homemade pita must be amazing with these!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Nicoletta. Yes, I love onions, spices, and herbs.
Kylie | Midwest Foodie
This is such an informative post! I love the tips and tricks and the process shots. And my mouth is WATERING. Can’t wait to try this recipe next weekends – kebabs are my husband’s favorite!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Kylie. Yes, my husbands favorite too.
Leslie
I always forget to put kebabs in my meal rotation! Thanks for the reminder…these will be my next kebabs to try!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Leslie, I hope you try these.
Elaine Benoit
I love that these kebabs look so easy and super scrumptious! I’m excited to try these as I’m very much into Moroccan spices at the moment! Another great recipe, Veena!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Elaine. You will love these.
Heather
I’ve bought something similar to these at Whole Foods but I had no idea how easy these are. And I love love love Moroccan flavors- can’t wait to try!
Veena Azmanov
Yes, you can find these skewers everywhere, Heather.
penelopi
oh my! These Kebabs look delicious! I am going to give them a try!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Penelopi. Yes, they are delicious. You must try.
Amy
I love the sound of these, perfect for summer!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Amy. Yes, perfect for summer
Shashi
So much flavor on a stick! These sound so delicious – having grown up in the middles east, your lamb kabobs have me drooling!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Shashi. I think you will enjoy these.
Milica Vladova
What an incredible tasty and spicy recipe! I will be making these kebabs very soon!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Milica. Yes, you can adjust the spice to more or less to your preferece.
Brian Jones
These look and sound delicious, I have been on the hunt for some good sheekh kebab skewers for a while… They still look like swords and stop the meat spinning on the skewer as it cooks 😀
Veena Azmanov
Yes. I have those metal skewers, Brian. Love them.
Natalie
Looks so juicy and moist! Perfect for BBQ season!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Natalie.