Skewered spiced ground lamb kefta grilled over high heat until charred, served with a smoky tomato salad and warm bread.
Kefta mchermel, grilled seasoned meat skewers, are a fixture of Moroccan grill houses, where ground lamb or beef is worked with a heavy hand of cumin, paprika and fresh herbs before being molded onto skewers. Unlike a tagine version simmered in sauce, this grilled preparation depends entirely on a hot fire and a well-seasoned mixture to develop flavor, the meat charring on the outside within minutes while staying juicy inside thanks to a good ratio of fat. Served alongside a simple grilled tomato and pepper salad and warm khobz bread for wrapping, this is a straightforward, high-flavor dinner built for a grill rather than a slow afternoon at the stove.
Serves 4
Combine ground lamb with grated onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne and salt.
Knead the mixture by hand for 3-5 minutes until it becomes slightly sticky and well combined.
Mold the mixture around flat metal skewers into long, evenly shaped logs.
Refrigerate the shaped skewers 15 minutes to help them hold together on the grill.
Grill over high heat, turning, 8-10 minutes total until well charred on the outside and cooked through.
A hot, quick grill gives the best char without drying out the lean cuts of meat.
Grill tomatoes and peppers brushed with olive oil alongside until softened and charred.
Serve the kefta skewers with the grilled vegetables and warm bread.
Knead the meat mixture until it turns slightly sticky — this is what helps it hold its shape on the skewer without falling apart.
Chill the shaped skewers briefly before grilling so they firm up and hold together better over high heat.
Use flat metal skewers rather than round ones — the meat grips flat skewers much more securely.
Ground beef can replace or be mixed with lamb for a slightly milder flavor.
Some versions add finely diced bell pepper directly into the meat mixture for texture.
A version simmered afterward in a light tomato sauce turns these into kefta mkaouara, a tagine-style dish instead of a grill dish.
Best grilled fresh; the raw seasoned mixture keeps refrigerated up to 2 days before shaping and grilling. Cooked leftovers reheat well in a hot dry pan.
Kefta skewers are a staple of Moroccan grill culture, closely related to kebab traditions found across North Africa and the Middle East, with the specific blend of cumin and cinnamon marking this version as distinctly Moroccan.
Yes, a hot cast-iron grill pan or broiler works well indoors, though you'll get slightly less smoky flavor.
Shape the mixture into oval patties instead and cook the same way in a hot pan.
Make sure the grill grates are well oiled and hot before adding the skewers, and avoid moving them too early — let a crust form first.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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