Israeli Ground Lamb Kebabs with Tahini and Sumac

About This Recipe

Ground lamb kebabs are a staple of Israeli grilling culture, particularly for weekend and holiday gatherings, seasoned generously with cumin, coriander, garlic and fresh parsley before being shaped onto skewers and grilled hot and fast until charred on the outside while staying juicy within. Toasted sesame seeds worked into the meat mixture add a subtle nuttiness, while a tangy sumac sprinkle and cool tahini sauce served alongside cut through the meat's richness. The technique that matters most is keeping the meat mixture cold while shaping it onto skewers, since warm lamb fat can make the mixture too soft to hold its shape over the grill's high heat. Grilling over genuinely hot coals or a very hot grill pan for a relatively short time develops a good char on the outside while keeping the interior tender and juicy — overcooking dries out ground lamb quickly given its leaner-than-you'd-expect fat content once well-trimmed. Served with warm pita, fresh herb salad, tahini sauce and a scatter of sumac, these kebabs reflect the centrality of grilled meat to Israeli social eating, a fixture at barbecues and family gatherings across the country.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground lamb
• 1 smallonion(finely grated)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 0.33 cupfresh parsley(finely chopped)
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 cuptahini sauce(for serving)
• 2 tspsumac(for garnish)
• 4pita breads

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the kebab mixture

   Combine ground lamb, grated onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

2. 2

   Chill

   Refrigerate the mixture for at least 20 minutes to firm up before shaping.

   Cold meat holds its shape much better on skewers over high grill heat than a warm, soft mixture.

3. 3

   Shape onto skewers

   Divide the mixture and shape onto flat metal skewers into long, oval kebabs.

4. 4

   Grill

   Grill over hot coals or a very hot grill pan for 3-4 minutes per side until charred outside and just cooked through.

5. 5

   Serve

   Serve hot with warm pita, tahini sauce and a generous sprinkle of sumac.

Variations

• •

  Use ground beef instead of lamb for a milder flavor.

• •

  Add a pinch of cinnamon to the spice mix for a warmer, more traditional Middle Eastern touch.

• •

  Serve wrapped in warm pita with pickles and Israeli salad for a full sandwich.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked kebabs up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan or oven, since high heat can dry them out further.

Frequently Asked Questions