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    Home » Recipes » Ground Beef » Lebanese Beef Kebabs with Garlic Cream Sauce

    Lebanese Beef Kebabs with Garlic Cream Sauce

    Published: Apr 11, 2021 Modified: Nov 4, 2021 by Isabel Laessig

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    Jump to Recipe

    Ground beef kabobs seasoned with Mediterranean spices and grilled to perfection: that’s these Lebanese Beef Kebabs with Garlic Cream Sauce! Ready in 30 minutes for a fun family dinner or party food.

    Beef kofta on a plate with cream sauce, couscous and a cucumber salad
    Jump to:
    • What is kafta?
    • Can I make kebabs without a grill?
    • Seasoning for Kebabs
    • Sauce for Kebabs
    • 🍽 Tools
    • How long do you soak skewers?
    • ⭐ Family Foodie Tips
    • What to Serve with Kebabs
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    You know how much I love grilling, especially beef. I’m lucky to live where it’s grilling season almost year-round! These ground beef Lebanese kebabs, also known as kafta or kofta, are one of my favorite recipes to make on the grill.

    Middle Eastern spices give the beef so much flavor. Top it all off with creamy garlic sauce and a side of couscous and Cucumber Feta Salad, and you have a perfect meal.

    My family always comes back for seconds of this Lebanese beef kabob recipe!

    Lebanese kebabs on a white platter with no sauce

    What is kafta?

    Kafta, also known as kofta or kefta, is a Middle Eastern meatball or meatloaf made with ground meat mixed with onions and herbs. The name comes from the Persian kufta, which refers to a rissole (a fried, rolled meat patty).

    The difference between kofta and kafta is simply that kafta refers specifically to Lebanese kofta. How the dish is prepared depends on the country, but they are essentially very similar.

    For example, a Turkish kebab recipe (kofte) would use more traditional Turkish seasonings, but is essentially a packed meat patty just like Lebanese kafta.

    For this recipe, we’re making ground beef kabobs!

    combining spices and ground beef in a bowl

    Can I make kebabs without a grill?

    Yes. You can make this ground beef kebab recipe in the oven or on the stove.

    1. To make in the oven: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake on a greased baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
    2. To make on the stove: If you have one, use a grill pan over medium-high heat and grill on each side until browned and cooked through (140-145°F for medium). If you don’t have a grill pan, cook the beef kofta in a pan without skewers. Cast iron works best.
    Uncooked lebanese kebabs on a white plate on metal skewers

    Seasoning for Kebabs

    • sea salt
    • ground white pepper
    • red pepper flakes
    • cinnamon
    • ground ginger
    • allspice
    • white onion, chopped
    • fresh parsley, finely chopped
    • fresh mint, finely chopped

    White pepper has an earthier, more mild flavor than black pepper. We recommend ground white pepper and not black pepper for these Lebanese kebabs.

    Ingredients to make beef kofta kebabs

    Sauce for Kebabs

    Lebanese beef recipes like these kofta kebabs pair well with traditional Mediterranean sauce recipes such as:

    • Tahini
    • Tzatziki
    • Lebanese Toum (garlic sauce)
    • Aioli

    We serve ours with a delicious Creamy Garlic Sauce. This easy garlic parmesan sauce tastes incredible with this beef kofta kebab recipe. It is our absolute favorite!

    Garlic cream sauce in a bowl with a spoon

    🍽 Tools

    • Metal skewers or bamboo skewers
    • Grilling tongs
    • Meat thermometer
    • Mixing bowl
    • Knife

    How long do you soak skewers?

    If you’re using bamboo skewers to make your ground beef kabobs, you’ll need to soak them first so they don’t burn on the grill. Soak them for 30 minutes up to 1 hour before grilling. Do not let them soak for over 3 hours.

    Beef kofta kebabs on a white plate with sauce on top

    ⭐ Family Foodie Tips

    • Use ground beef that is at least 80% to 85% lean. A little bit of fat helps keep the Lebanese kebabs moist and juicy.
    • Make sure to size each log evenly so they all take around the same amount of time to cook.

    What to Serve with Kebabs

    • Cucumber Feta Salad – our favorite!
    • Portuguese Butter Rice
    • Lemon Couscous

    If you love beef kebab recipes as much as we do, try our Portuguese Espetada Recipe. These steak kabobs are truly delicious!

    Enjoy this dish as a part of a Tapas Menu!

    Lebanese beef kofta on a plate with couscous and cucumber salad

    Check out our Lebanese Beef Kabobs Web Story!

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!

    📋 Recipe

    Lebanese beef kafta on a plate with garlic cream sauce drizzled on top

    Lebanese Kebabs

    Isabel Laessig
    Once you try grilled Lebanese Kebabs made with ground beef, herbs, and aromatic seasoning, they will quickly become one of your favorite easy summer dinners!
    4.34 from 30 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Servings 8 kebabs
    Calories 391 kcal

    Equipment

    • 8 metal skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes)

    Ingredients
      

    Beef Kafta

    • 1½ pounds ground beef 80 or 85% lean
    • 1 tsp. sea salt
    • ½ tsp. ground white pepper
    • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
    • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp. ground ginger
    • ½ tsp. allspice
    • ½ white onion chopped
    • 4 Tbsp. fresh parsley finely chopped
    • 1 Tbsp. fresh mint finely chopped

    Garlic Cream Sauce

    • 4 Tbsp. butter salted
    • 4 cloves garlic grated, or 1 tsp. minced garlic
    • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups half and half not fat free
    • ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1-2 Tbsp. fresh parsley minced, or 2 tsp. dried parsley
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    Instructions
     

    Lebanese Kebabs

    • In a small bowl, combine sea salt, white pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, ground ginger, and allspice. In a large bowl, add ground beef, parsley, mint, white onion, and the spice mix.
      combining spices and ground beef in a bowl
    • Form ground beef mixture into about 8 logs. Skewer each log, packing the mixture evenly and tightly around each skewer. Pull the ground beef lengthwise from the tip of the skewer toward the handle, leaving four inches of skewer to hold the kebabs.
      Skewering the beef onto kebabs
    • Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight before grilling.
      Uncooked lebanese kebabs on a white plate on metal skewers
    • Grill skewers over medium-high heat until cooked through and browned on all sides, approximately 2 minutes for each side. The internal temperature should reach 160°F on a meat thermometer.
      Grilled Lebanese kebabs on a white platter

    Garlic Cream Sauce

    • In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
      Add in flour, stirring, and cook for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Stir frequently.
      Whisk in half and half gradually and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes – keep stirring now and then. Whisk out any lumps that form. Cook the sauce just until it thickens. When it thickly coats the back of a spoon, it's ready.
      Stir in Parmesan and parsley, then remove pan from heat. Serve immediately for best results. It will thicken further off heat.
      Garlic cream sauce in a bowl with a spoon

    Notes

    • Nutrition includes garlic cream sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 19gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 400mgPotassium: 408mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1382IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword beef kebabs
    Did you try this recipe?Tag #SundaySupper on social and leave a comment below!
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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joe Ghammashi says

      November 12, 2022 at 6:37 pm

      5 stars
      The best Lebanese Beef kabab i have had in years, very easy to prepare. I grew up in Lebanon as a child and that’s what I remember it tasting like. The smell and taste brought back beautiful memories. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        November 14, 2022 at 12:22 pm

        Joe, this is wonderful to hear. We are so incredibly glad you enjoyed it and that it brought back good memories for you. Thank you for your lovely comment!

        Reply

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