Greek Beef and Lamb Kafta Kabobs
Kaftas are a Lebanese meatball skewer typically made with lean ground beef. I added in Greek spices here including oregano, thyme, and garlic and topped these Greek Beef and Lamb Kafta Kabobs with grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and Kalamata olives.
If you’re looking for more Greek inspired recipes, check out my Greek Avocado Toast, Chicken Sausage Greek Salad, Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Cinnamon Pecan Kourambiethes (Greek Butter Cookies), or Grilled Greek Chicken Shish Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Greek Beef and Lamb Kafta Kabobs
- Ready In: 20 minutes
- Makes: 4 servings
- Main Ingredients: ground beef, ground lamb, oregano, olive oil
- Flavor Profile: savory, herb-forward warm Mediterranean spices, subtle smokiness from grilling
- Dietary Info: gluten free, dairy free, eggless, no seed oils
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: quick and easy light lunch or party recipe
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold Mediterranean flavors: Perfectly seasoned with a spice blend of oregano, thyme, garlic, and lemon.
- Quick & Easy: Ready in about 30 minutes with simple, wholesome ingredients.
- Lamb + Beef: Made with lean organic ground beef, these allow me to get the bold Greek flavors that I grew up with but without all the richness of using all lamb. This is why I love this combination!
- Versatile Serving Options: Enjoy with pita bread, over rice, vegetables, or alongside hummus and a fresh salad.
- Perfect for Entertaining: Fun handheld skewers that are crowd-pleasing and delicious! People will be asking for this recipe, they are so good!
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I use organic ground beef that is 90% lean, but if you can only find 85% that will also work.
- Ground Lamb: I use a mix of ground beef and ground lamb for the ground meats for Mediterranean flavor. I buy organic ground lamb from TruBeef. You can easily shop online as this is something that is not found in most grocery stores.
- Lemon: The lemon juice adds zesty flavor to this Greek recipe. You can use fresh lemon juice or lemon juice from a bottle, either works.
- Garlic: Organic garlic is a staple in the Mediterranean culture. You can use minced garlic from a jar, or fresh cloves and mince them up, either works.
- Oregano: I use organic dried oregano. This spice is common in Greek recipes and provides flavor. I'm using dried herbs here instead of fresh herbs as it's easier and gives you a little bit bolder flavor.
- Kalamata Olives: These are Greek olives, which bring that Mediterranean flavor to dishes. I prefer to buy them already pitted for ease.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Tips for Greek Beef and Lamb Kafta Kabobs
- You can soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning. However, I didn’t do this here and I didn’t have any problems. But, if you do notice your wooden skewers are burning, this is a great trick!
- I used 6-inch skewers. If you want to use larger ones, you can do that and get 4 total instead of 8 total skewers. If using larger ones, it may be easier to form the meat into the middle of the skewer, leaving skewer on each side.
- I found it's easiest to create the oblong shape of meat first and place it on a platter. Place the skewer into the middle and form the meat around it.
- You can make these on the grill or in a cast iron skillet. Either way will work! I used a grill cast iron pan, which was super easy.
- You can add feta on top of these as well, it’s totally delicious this way!
- You can also serve these with my Organic Tzatziki Sauce With Fresh Dill and fresh mint. This Greek yogurt dip is also a great dipper if you want to serve alongside the hummus or in place of it.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to Make Greek Beef and Lamb Kafta Kabobs
- In a large bowl, add the ground beef and lamb, diced onion, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and thyme.
- Mix together until combined and the spices are evenly distributed.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 portions.
- Using your hands form an oblong shape with each portion of meat and wrap it around a 6-inch skewer, ensuring that it covers about half the skewer. Place on a plate and continue with the rest of the meat.
- In a large grill pan, or on the grill, heat to medium/high. Add the olive oil to coat the pan. Place the kabobs onto the grill pan and sear.
- Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes to ensure even cooking and grill marks on each side.
- Serve with hummus, chopped cucumbers, Cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives.
Recipe FAQ's
There is no difference between a kafta, kofta, or kefta kabob (or kebabs). They all mean the same thing, there are just different spellings that are used in different parts of the world. They are all a grilled meat kabob that is so delicious!
Yes, I actually use my grill pan a lot more than the grill as its a little easier, unless we're grilling other stuff! I use my Caraway Grill Pan as it's nontoxic and it works great! You can make these in this or on the grill, either works. You cook them the same way, but cook times may vary a little bit if you are on the grill as it's a less controlled heat sometimes. Just ensure your meat is cooked completely.
Yes, if you don't have skewers you can simply form these into patties, meatballs or even a log shape. You could even make burgers with this meat mixture if you want.
I use both ground lamb and ground beef for the best flavor. Lamb is common in Greek dishes, and it's very flavorful. But it can be very rich and sometimes a bit too much. This is why I add in a lean ground beef to balance the flavor. You get the Greek lamb flavors but just a little more approachable and more liked by everyone that may not have a taste for such rich lamb.
Yes, you can use all of one meat if you prefer. But, you just won't have the same flavor. Using all lamb will be much richer. And using all ground beef will taste more like a seasoned burger skewer as the lamb is what makes these taste more Greek, in my opinion!
Traditionally, this type of recipe is made with a leaner beef which would be a 90/10 ground beef. But, if you can't find that, then an 85/15 also works too. I don't like to use an 80/20 as we're already getting a lot more fat from the addition of lamb so I think it's too rich with that higher beef variety.
No, you don't have to. I didn't do it for this recipe, but I shot these when I made them inside in my grill pan. If you make these on the grill, the heat is not as controlled, so the the skewers can burn easier. But, if you don't mind and are feeling lazy, then no worries, don't soak them!
When you see grill marks and the meat is cooked to a golden brown, no more pink spots. Ensure you are rotating kabobs so they can cook on all sides.
If they are falling off the kabob you probably didn't form them to the skewer well enough. This can also happen if you have too much diced onion or your onion pieces are very large as it can cause a break in the meat mixture.
Yes, you can mix up the meat mixture and form the skewers in advance of a party. Just wrap the plate completely in plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge until you are ready to grill them.
These are a wonderful appetizer with the addition of tzatziki sauce or hummus. They also go great as a meal with vegetables, rice, quinoa, or Greek salad too!
Serving Ideas
These tasty skewers are perfect for grilling season!
- Serve them alongside my Lemon Tahini Hummus like I do here.
- Organic Tzatziki Sauce With Fresh Dill is another wonderful sauce for dipping as it's light and refreshing and compliments the spiced meat well.
- Make them as an appetizer or side to Turkey and Lamb Burgers With Dill Sauce, Real Simple Corn Salad With Avocado, and Lemon Herb French Fries for a cookout menu that's a little Greek inspired!
- Serve with pita bread, rice, or quinoa to make these into a meal.
- Use them as the meat in Chicken Sausage Greek Salad if you have leftovers, as this makes a great lunch!
More Greek Inspired Recipes
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Greek Beef and Lamb Kafta Kabobs
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Cast Iron Grill Pan (or cast iron skillet)
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef (90% lean)
- ½ pound ground lamb
- ¼ cup yellow onion (diced)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon Tahini Hummus (for serving)
- Cucumber (for serving)
- Cherry Tomatoes (for serving)
- Kalamata Olives (for serving)
- Bagel Chips or Crackers (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the ground beef and lamb, diced onion, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Mix together until combined and the spices are evenly distributed.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 portions.
- Using your hands form an oblong shape with each portion of meat and wrap it around a 6-inch skewer, ensuring that it covers about half the skewer. Place on a plate and continue with the rest of the meat.
- In a large grill pan, or on the grill, heat to medium/high. Add the olive oil to coat the pan.
- Place the kabobs onto the grill pan and sear, cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes to ensure even cooking and grill marks on each side.
- Serve with hummus, chopped cucumbers, Cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives.
Notes
- You can soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning. However, I didn’t do this here and I didn’t have any problems. But, if you do notice your wooden skewers are burning, this is a great trick!
- I used 6-inch skewers. If you want to use larger ones, you can do that and get 4 total instead of 8 total skewers. If using larger ones, it may be easier to form the meat into the middle of the skewer, leaving skewer on each side.
- I found it's easiest to create the oblong shape of meat first and place it on a platter. Place the skewer into the middle and form the meat around it.
- You can make these on the grill or in a cast iron skillet. Either way will work! I used a grill cast iron pan, which was super easy.
- You can add feta on top of these as well, it’s totally delicious this way!
- You can also serve these with my Organic Tzatziki Sauce With Fresh Dill and fresh mint. This Greek yogurt dip is also a great dipper if you want to serve alongside the hummus or in place of it.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
- High Altitude — Follow the recipe as noted.
Nutrition
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