Lamb Kofta

Kofta are spiced, hand-formed ground lamb skewers grilled over open flame, popular throughout the Levant, Turkey, and North Africa. Packed with onion, garlic, and warm spices like cumin and cinnamon, they're traditionally served with flatbread, grilled vegetables, and a cool yogurt sauce.

By YumYum Editorial · Mediterranean

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 32 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground lamb
• 1 small onion, finely grated and squeezed dry
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup plain yogurt, for serving
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, for serving
• to taste Flatbread, for serving

Instructions

1. Combine ground lamb, grated onion, garlic, parsley, and mint in a large bowl.
2. Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and mix gently with your hands until just combined.
3. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to firm up and let the flavors meld.
4. Divide the mixture into 8 portions and mold each around a skewer into an elongated oval shape.
5. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
6. Grill the kofta 5-6 minutes per side, turning once, until well charred outside and cooked through (160°F internal).
7. Meanwhile, stir lemon juice into the yogurt with a pinch of salt to make a quick sauce.
8. Serve the kofta hot off the grill with warm flatbread and the yogurt sauce.