- May 19, 2023
- 30 Minute Meals
Armenian Kofta Kebab Recipe
This Armenian kofta kebabs recipe is a flavor-packed Middle Eastern dish filled with bold, savory flavors and perfectly grilled. Made with a blend of ground beef and seasoned with aromatic herbs like parsley and mint and dried spices for an elevated meal you can make in 30 minutes or less.
Why This Recipe Works:
Bold & Delicious: The bold flavors in my Armenian kofta kebabs recipe always has me coming back for more. All of these flavors make a savory and fresh meal that pairs with just about anything! The herby parsley along with rich tomato paste and aromatic spices that add a hint of spice go perfectly with a fresh vegetable salad!
Grilling Season Perfection: When it comes to grilling season, you know that I have a whole bunch of stuff that I want to cook on the grill. This is definitely one of those meals that I look forward to every time grilling season comes around! These are a unique and easy meal that you can grill on a weeknight or whenever you need to feed a crowd!
What Are Kofta Kebabs?
You might be wondering, what does kofta mean? Kofta kebabs are kebabs that are made out of ground ingredients and usually grilled. This can be ground meat, seafood, or even vegetable mixtures for vegetarian kofta kebabs! In my Armenian kofta kebab recipe, I use just ground beef. You can use a mixture of ground beef and ground lamb, or switch the beef out completely for ground lamb if you prefer.
Supplies Needed:
- Skewers
- Food Processor or Blender
- Mixing Bowls
- Grill
Ingredients:
- Ground Beef: I like to use the ground beef that is 93% lean. If it has too much fat, it won’t stay onto the skewer as well.
- Yellow Onion: Yellow onion adds a nice flavor! No need to chop it up perfectly, since it will be going into the food processor.
- Parsley: Fresh, flat-leaf parsley is my preference. It has a more robust flavor than the curly parsley!
- Tomato Paste: Some tomato paste adds a depth of flavor and helps everything stick together.
- Red Wine: Red wine adds a bit of acidity and rounds out all of the flavors.
- Seasonings: Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Aleppo Pepper, Cumin and All Spice are combined to season these kofta kebabs to perfection!
How To Make Armenian Beef Kofta Kebabs:
- Preheat & Prep: Start by preheating your grill to medium heat, about 400 F. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water prior to grilling.
- Blend: In a food processor, combine the onion and parsley and blend until it is a paste.
- Mix: To a large mixing bowl, add the onion and parsley mixture, the ground beef, tomato paste, red wine, and the spices. Mix by hand until everything is fully combined.
- Assemble: Diving the beef into eight oblong meatballs that are roughly 3 inches long each. Grab a skewer and pat the meatball around the skewer so it holds together around it and set them aside on a plate or pan. Repeat this step with each meatball until every skewer is prepared.
- Grill: Place each skewer over direct heat across oiled grill grates and close the lid. Allow the kofta kebabs to sear for about 4-5 minutes before flipping. They should easily release from the grill grates when they are ready to be turned.
- Flip: Flip them and continue to cook an additional 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 F.
- Remove & Serve: Remove the kofta kebabs from the grill and plate them with pita, tzatziki, salad, or pilaf and enjoy!
What Do You Eat With Beef Kofta Kebabs?
Armenian beef kofta kebabs are usually served with some sort of pilaf and an herb forward, fresh salad. I highly recommend pairing it with some of my favorites:
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you notice that the meat is not wanting to stay on the skewer, you can refrigerate the meat for 20-30 minutes to chill it!
If you don’t have a food processor, don’t worry! You can definitely use a blender instead. You want the parsley and onion mixture to be a paste-like texture, so it is easiest to do with a food processor or blender. If you don’t have either, you can finely chop the mixture as small as possible!
Yes! While I absolutely love making these on a grill, if it isn’t grilling season or you simply don’t have a grill, you can make these on the stove on a griddle pan or you can bake them! I would broil them at the end for a little bit of char on the edges.
Store any leftover kofta kebabs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through!
More Recipes To Try:
- Tandoori Salmon Recipe
- Slow Cooker Gyros
- Grilled Chicken Kebabs & Tzatziki Sauce
- Grilled Succotash
- Whole Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Armenian Kofta Kebab Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef lean (93%) is best
- 1/2 Yellow Onion
- 1/2 cup Flat Leaf Parsley
- 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp. Red Wine
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp. Aleppo Pepper
- 2 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. All Spice
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium heat, about 400 F. If using wooden skewers, soak them prior to grilling.
- In a food processor, combine the onion and parsley and blend until its a paste.
- To a large mixing bowl add the onion and parsley mixture, the ground beef, tomato paste, red wine, and the spices. Mix by hand until everything is fully combined.
- Divide the beef into eight oblong meatballs that are roughly 3 inches long each.
- Grab a skewer and pat the meatball around the skewer so it holds together around it and set them aside on a plate or pan. Repeat this step with each meatball until every skewer is prepared.
- Place each skewer over direct heat across oiled grill grates and close the lid. Allow the kofta kebabs to sear for about 4-5 minutes before flipping. They should easily release from the grill grates when they are ready to be turned.
- Flip and continue to cook an additional 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 F.
- Remove the kofta kebabs from the grill and plate them with pita, tzatziki, salad, or pilaf and enjoy.
Great recipe. Turned out perfectly and very tasty. Definitely will make again.