Grilled Kofta Kebabs are fun and easy to make, perfect for summer grilling season. Made with only 2 ingredients!
Whether you call them kebabs, kabobs, or shish kabobs, these delicious lamb koftas kebabs will be a hit at your next BBQ party. Perfect alongside Greek Couscous Salad.
Ground lamb and seasoning are all it takes to make this super simple kofta kebab recipe. Fire up the grill and get cooking! All you need is a simple side dish like this cold pea salad, or cucumber and onion salad and dinner is ready!
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these minced lamb kebabs can be found at the bottom of this post.
So what do you call them? Kebabs, kabobs, or shish kabobs? How about skewers or meat on a stick? Whatever you call them, they all have one thing in common, DELICIOUSNESS!
One of our favourite ways to cook on the grill. Chili Lime Chicken Skewers are always a hit. Have you tried Grilled Balsamic Strawberries? The perfect summer dessert.
Being Ukrainian, I have had my share of “meat on a stick” as we call it. If you really want to get technical, they are called patychky. These are breaded meat kebabs that are fried in oil.
Lamb Kofta Kebab Ingredients
If you have never made koftas before, you are in for a tasty treat. With a couple of simple ingredients and a (little) bit of time, before you know it, you will be a kebab master. After you make these for the first time, you will wonder why on earth you never tried them before.
- ground lamb
- seasoning
- salt and pepper
- oil
Preparing This Lamb Kofta Recipe
Do know how easy kofta kebabs are to make? SO EASY! I think this has got to be one of the simplest grilling recipes ever. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Combine ground meat and seasoning.
- Shape into LARGE meatballs.
- Roll to form a sausage shape.
- Slide onto the skewer.
- Flatten slightly.
Mix, slide on a skewer, and grill. You have to admit, it doesn’t get easier than this, right?
Throwing some frozen burgers on the grill is easy too, but after you try this kofta recipe, frozen burgers will only be for emergencies.
Grilling Koftas
- Brush each kofta kebab with a bit of oil.
- Preheat grill.
- Cook for about 6 minutes per side over medium-high heat. The internal temperature should be 160º F.
Suggestions/Recipe Tips
Seasoning – You can mix any type of seasoning you like into the ground meat. I used some wonderfully aromatic Cinnamon Chili blend. Don’t be scared to experiment here. Smoked paprika, Moroccan seasoning, Greek seasoning, have fun. You can also add diced onion and garlic too.
Ground Lamb – You can turn this into chicken or beef koftas. Ground turkey works too.
Measuring – I used a kitchen scale to weigh the meatballs. This makes hubby happy since they are all the same size. Meaning they will cook up evenly.
Skewers – I love using double-pronged stainless steel skewers. The meat does not flip flop when you turn it. You can use a single prong or bamboo skewers. Be sure to soak bamboo skewers in water befofe using them. Amazon affiliate link for skewers.
Serving – We love turning these into lamb kofta wraps. Add some shredded lettuce, pea shoots, or any greens like kale and arugula. Top with hummus, tzatziki, or tahini sauce, and enjoy. HINT: Bourbon Caramelized Onion Jam is a great topping!! Making these over the top delicious. You can also serve these on a bun.
Cooking Kofta Kebabs In The Oven – Prepare a baking sheet with foil or cooking spray. Place meat skewers on the sheet. Bake at about 400º F for about 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160º F.
Leftovers – Store cooked koftas wrapped in the fridge. They will last for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage.
Reheating – Wrap in foil and place in a preheated oven (about 375º F) until heated through.
Marinating – A great way to add some additional flavor to meats. This chocolate coffee marinade will give the kebabs a bold, smoky profile.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Generally speaking, shish kebabs contain chunks of meat, seafood, and vegetables on skewers. Koftas are made with ground or minced meat.
Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. Traditional cuisine in countries like India, Morocco, Turkey, Pakistan, and Greece to name a few.
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Craving more delicious recipes using lamb? Give these a try:
Be sure to check out the great bbq recipes, perfect for summer cooking.
Looking for some summer roundups? Here you go:
Grilled Kofta Kebabs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 2 tablespoons Cinnamon Chili Seasoning
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup oil (to coat)
Instructions
To Make the Koftas:
- In a large bowl combine the ground lamb and seasoning.
- Mix and divide into 8 equal portions (4 ounces each). I used a kitchen scale.
- Roll each portion into a LARGE meatball.
- One at a time, take a meatball and roll into a log/sausage form (about 6 inches long).
- Thread onto a skewer, and slightly flatten. (I used metal skewers. You can use bamboo, but be sure to soak them in water first).
- Brush koftas on both sides with oil and set aside till ready to grill.
To Grill the Koftas:
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Grill koftas approximately 6 minutes per side (turning once). Internal meat temperature should be 160º F.
- Remove from grill onto a serving platter.
Crystal Faulkner
Thanks for the recipe! I love kebabs, and lamb is such a cool idea!! Thanks again. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you give this recipe a try soon.
Chef Mireille
I love lamb – this is definitely my type of kofta but I think I might like to try the Ukrainian version you mentioned also 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH….well I wish I could send some your way. However, mom and baba would have made them much better than me.
Vladka
Lamb koftas are my favorite and they look like easy to make. Thanks for the recipe.
Homemade & Yummy
You are welcome….hope you give these a try.
Echo
I’ve never made lamb kebabs before, I’ve only had lamb when eating out. Your photos are so beautiful and appetizing, I’m convinced I have to give it a try. Thank you for sharing!
Homemade & Yummy
These are super easy to make. Really what you see in the photos is all it takes.
Elizabeth
Love the process shorts, And the recipe sound so tasty!!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks….these are so easy to make. I wanted to make sure I got the message across.
Heather
These look amazing!! Love the idea of new dish at the summer bbq this year 🙂 I have no idea what cinnamon chili is but you better believe I am going to go find some .. sounds so perfect for warmer weather.
Homemade & Yummy
OMG that spice blend is so delicious…and works well in so many recipes.
Leslie-Anne
My favourite skewer recipe is a pork/pineapple combo, but I LOVE lamb koftas. Lamb is one of my favourite meats – it’s got such lovely flavour and depth! I haven’t tried lamb egg rolls, but I’m completely intrigued, I’ll have to check out that recipe too!
Homemade & Yummy
The lamb egg rolls are so good. I always have some in the freezer to warm up for a quick snack.
Dana
This looks so tasty and so easy! I’ve only ever had lamb once, and I’ve never worked with it myself, but this seems pretty approachable. And I’ve never heard of cinnamon chili seasoning! But I know those flavors go super well together. Can’t wait to try it out!
Homemade & Yummy
You really need to give working with lamb a try. This recipe is so easy and delicious.
Marisa Franca
This recipe is on the docket this weekend. It reminds Hubby of Gyros he had when he was stationed in Greece. We love our double prong skewers. We have a bunch of them and I don’t remember where we got them. I’ll have to make up a batch of flatbread to serve along with the Kofta Kebabs. Can’t wait to taste them.
Homemade & Yummy
Funny someone asked me about those skewers, and I cannot remember where we got them. I really need to make your flatbread recipe….it would be perfect with this.
Amanda
I’ve never made Kofta! I keep seeing these types of delicious kebabs on the Internet and need to try them! We’re big lamb fans around here, and I can only imagine how flavorful these are. I love how you’ve served them with the naan bread and that delicious-sounding peach preserve mayonnaise. What a great pairing of sweet and savory!
Homemade & Yummy
These were super delicious…I love them more than burgers….and wrapping them in naan is SOOOO good.
Karyn Ryan
Confession time I have never made lamb kebabs always beef or chicken..these look so good and only 2 ingredients how can you not try.pinning for later
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY….hope you love them as much as we do.
Ruchi
Its fantastic how just a few ingredients can make an outstanding dish. I would love to try it with lamb first, and then maybe mixing two meats together? Chicken and pork? Sound good too!
Homemade & Yummy
Bty all means….experiment and ENJOY!!
Oana Iancu
These grilled kofta kebabs look fantastic, so juicy!. My whole family will surely love this recipe when I make it for them next time we’ll have a barbecue.
Homemade & Yummy
These are super delicious and so easy to make.
Annemarie
Kofta is such a great way to mix things up in the summer! I’m glad you tried lamb again since it’s such a great meat when cooked properly. I’ve never thought about using cinnamon chili in my kofta, but I’m going to have to give that try soon. Thanks for the recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
That is the thing with lamb, you can put so much flavour into it….and it turns out delicious.
Julia
I loved that story about lamb chops and mint sauce. Very funny! We also didn’t eat lamb in my family for many years but we do (and love) now. These koftas look really good and delicious and I actually really like those skewers that you have with double prongs. I need to look for them also. And thanks for the tip for weighing the ingredients!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH…well thank god I didn’t stop at my first experience…or these would not be on the blog. I wish I remembered where we got those skewers….I will see if I can hunt that info down.