Fragrant spiced ground beef and lamb skewers grilled over charcoal — Egypt's ultimate street food.
Egyptian kofta is one of the great pleasures of the Nile — ground beef and lamb seasoned with onion, parsley, and a blend of warm spices, formed around flat skewers and grilled over glowing charcoal until beautifully charred outside and juicy within. Served with baladi bread, tahini, and a chopped salad, it's a feast both simple and magnificent.
Serves 4
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.
Divide into 12 portions. Wet your hands. Press each portion around a flat metal skewer, forming a long, thin sausage shape.
Refrigerate the skewers for 30 minutes so the kofta holds its shape during grilling.
Grill over high heat (or hot grill pan) for 3–4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
Serve immediately with baladi bread, tahini sauce, chopped tomato and onion salad, and pickles.
Grating the onion (not chopping) keeps the kofta moist and smooth.
Mix well — the longer you mix, the better it holds together.
Flat skewers are easier to form kofta on than round ones.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Add pine nuts to the mixture
Make without skewers as patties
Serve in pita with pickled vegetables
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Refrigerate raw kofta up to 2 days. Cooked kofta keeps 3 days.
Kofta is one of the oldest prepared meats in human history, dating back thousands of years across the Middle East and Central Asia. Egyptian kofta has been perfected over millennia and remains central to Egyptian street food culture.
Mix the meat more and let it rest in the fridge. Also, wet hands prevent tearing during forming.
Yes, but the addition of lamb adds significant flavor and fat. Aim for a fattier beef if using alone.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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