🔥 Lebanese Beef Kafta (Kofta): The Ultimate Guide to Grilling Bold Mediterranean Flavor

Some smells don’t just make you hungry — they take you back.

For me, it’s the scent of beef kafta sizzling on the grill. That warm mix of cumin, cinnamon, fresh parsley, and onion instantly transports me to my childhood kitchen, where my mother stood over the stove shaping perfect little kafta logs by hand, while my father fired up the charcoal grill outside — the kind that smoked up half the neighborhood.

Kafta wasn’t just a meal. It was a ritual. It was summer nights on the back patio, plates full of grilled tomatoes, pickled turnips, warm pita, and always — always — a huge bowl of my mom’s homemade hummus.

This Lebanese beef kafta recipe brings me right back to those moments. It’s simple, authentic, and packed with everything I love about the food I grew up with.

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Grilled Lebanese beef kafta wrap with lettuce, tomato, onion, and garlic sauce in warm pita bread, served with crispy golden French fries on a wooden board – authentic Middle Eastern street food

🥙 What Is Kafta?

Kafta (or Kofta) is one of Lebanon’s most loved dishes — a spiced ground meat mixture that’s shaped into logs or patties, grilled or pan-seared, and served with everything from rice to flatbread.

There are many versions across the Middle East, but the one we made at home was always beef-based, loaded with finely chopped parsley and onion, and seasoned with that iconic Lebanese 7 Spice blend.

It’s a humble dish, but when it hits the grill — there’s nothing like it.

🧄 Ingredients That Feel Like Home

Here’s what you’ll need for that nostalgic, true-to-Lebanon kafta flavor:

• ¼ cup parsley – fresh and vibrant, it gives the kafta its signature green flecks

• 1 small yellow onion, quartered – the base of the flavor

• 1 pound ground beef – use something with a little fat for the juiciest result

• 2 teaspoons 7 spice – the heart of Lebanese flavor

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon coriander

• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper – optional, but we always added a pinch

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  
  

If you don’t have 7 Spice, allspice works in a pinch. But if you can find the real deal — use it. It’s what makes this dish taste like home.

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👨‍👩‍👧 How to Make Lebanese Kafta (Just Like My Sitto Did)

1. Chop the Parsley & Onion

Start with the parsley in a food processor — pulse until finely chopped and set aside. Do the same with the onion, but give it a gentle squeeze with your hands or a towel to get rid of extra water. That step is key — too much moisture and the kafta won’t hold its shape.

2. Mix Everything Together

Add the parsley and onion back to the food processor, then toss in your ground beef and spices. Pulse just enough to combine. You’re looking for a pasty texture — not too chunky, not over-blended.

3. Shape the Kafta

Growing up, we shaped them into thick, oblong logs — about an inch thick. Sometimes we used skewers if we were grilling, sometimes not. Either way works.

4. Grill or Pan-Sear

Grease your grill or indoor pan and heat to medium-high. Cook the kafta for 4-5 minutes per side, or until they’re nicely browned with a slight char. That smell? That’s the smell of family.

5. Serve with Love

Serve right off the grill with warm pita, tabbouleh, pickled veggies, and a dollop of labneh or hummus. This dish brings people together — it always has in my family.

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🧊 Storage & Tips from My Family’s Kitchen

• Leftovers: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. We used to eat them cold, straight from the fridge, with bread and olives.

• Make Ahead: Shape them and freeze raw. Just thaw overnight before grilling.

• Spice Tip: If you see a jar labeled “Kafta spice” at a Middle Eastern store, grab it. It’s usually a perfect mix of everything you need.

  
  

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🧂 Gear Up: What You’ll Need

• Food Processor (a man’s best friend in the kitchen)

• Solid Knife Set

• Cutting Board

• Mixing Bowl

• Cast Iron Grill Pan (If you don't grill)

  
  

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🍖 Bonus: Kafta Variations to Try

• Swap beef for lamb or a 50/50 beef-lamb blend

• Add minced garlic for more bite

• Toss in mint for a fresh punch

• Serve with my Lebanese Shawarma Sauce and Tabbouleh Salad for the real flavor chasers

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💬 Why This Recipe Still Matters

Now that I’ve got a family of my own, I find myself coming back to these recipes more and more. Not just because they taste amazing (they do), but because they connect me to where I came from. To big family dinners, loud kitchens, and parents who showed their love through food.

So when I make this kafta, I’m not just cooking — I’m remembering.

And every time that first bite hits — juicy, warm, spiced just right — it feels like home again.