Beef Kafta

Yumna Jawad

Updated Aug 15, 2026

5 from 1630 votes

Lebanese style Beef Kafta that's made with ground beef, parsley, onions and a blend of Middle Eastern spices & perfect on the grill or stove.

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Comments
290

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When it comes to grilling during the summer time, my family is definitely more partial to Lebanese style grilling, which includes grilled chicken kabobs, shish tawook and this Beef Kafta recipe. It’s so good for grilling outdoors or on a grill pan and is so full of flavor, but only requires four basic ingredients: ground beef, onions, parsley and spices.

Beef Kafta.
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Recipe testing notes

For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this Beef Kafta recipe.

Reverse Engineering My Kafta Seasoning
I have a kafta seasoning mix from Lebanon that I’ve always loved, so I used it as a reference to try to reverse engineer my own blend using individual spices. I tested and adjusted the ratios until I got really close to the flavor of the Lebanese seasoning mix, which helped me fine-tune the combination of spices in this recipe.

Using the Food Processor for Better Texture
I tested chopping the onion and parsley by hand versus using a food processor, and I preferred the food processor method. Processing them very finely releases more moisture, which mixes into the ground beef and helps create a more tender, well-bound kafta mixture.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Beef Kafta Ingredients

  • Ground Beef: Use a more fatty ground beef like 80-85% lean ground beef. You can also make it with ground lamb (try my Lamb Kafta recipe), and ground chicken (try my Chicken Kafta recipe)
  • Aromatics: Use yellow onion and italian leaf or curly leaf parsley. Make sure it’s washed really well but also thoroughly dried so it doesn’t dilute the flavor.
  • Spices: My kafta seasoning is made up warm spices including Lebanese seven-spice, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, salt, and black pepper. I also include cayenne pepper, but you can leave it out.

How to Make Beef Kafta

These step-by-step photos show how I mix, shape, and grill the kofta. For exact measurements and full instructions, skip down to the Beef Kafta Recipe.

1. CHOP THE PARSLEY

Pulsed parsley in processor.
Place the dried parsley leaves without their stems in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. You should get about ¼ cup chopped parsley. Remove and set aside in a large bowl.

2. CHOP THE ONIONS

Onion after pulsing in processor.
Add the onion into the food processor and pulse it until it’s also finely chopped, being careful not to over-do it so the onions doesn’t get too watery.

3. PLACE AROMATICS, GROUND BEEF & SPICES IN BOWL

Kafta ingredients in a bowl before combining.
Put everything together. Transfer the onions next to the parsley, add the ground beef and the spices. You can also combine everything together in the food processor.

4. COMBINE THE INGREDIENTS WITH YOUR HANDS

Kafta ingredients in a bowl after combining.
Use your hands to combine everything until the mixture forms a pasty meat mixture like this.

5. FORM INTO OBLONG PATTIES

Shaped beef kafta on a baking sheet before baking.
When you shape the kafta, you can shape them around a wooden skewer to make grilling easier or just shape them with your hands only and without a skewer if you’re grilling indoors.

Recipe Video Tutorial

Full Beef Kafta Recipe

Beef Kafta

Author: Yumna Jawad
5 from 1630 votes
This is a Lebanese style Beef Kafta recipe that's made with ground beef, parsley, onions and a blend of Middle Eastern spices- perfect on the grill or stove
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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings6 servings

Video

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Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Place the parsley in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, remove and set aside.
  • In the same food processor bowl used to chop the parsley, place the quartered onion and pulse until finely chopped. Drain the onions slightly to release excess moisture.
  • Return the parsley back to the bowl of the food processor with the onions. Add the ground beef to the food processor in addition to all the spices. Run the food processor on pulse once or twice until ingredients are well combined and form a pasty meat mixture.
  • Transfer the mixture from the food processor to a large bowl and form the Kafta into an oblong shape about 1 inch in thickness. Makes about 12. You can form them on a wooden skewer or without. 
  • Grease the grates of a gas grill or indoor grill pan, and preheat it to medium high heat. When heated through, transfer the kafta to the grill. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, depending on your preferred level of doneness.
  • Serve hot off the grill with your choice of side.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Freezing: Kafta will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. 
Make Ahead: You can make the patties ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to grill them, thaw in the fridge overnight or for at least 6-8 hours.
Sourcing: You can find the the spices mentioned at Middle Eastern markets, natural-foods stores or even in large supermarkets, often located with other Middle Eastern ingredients. Sometimes you might even just find “Kafta” spices which has the spices all combined. In that case, you can use 1 ½ tablespoon of the kafta spice in place of all the other spices. If you can’t find 7 Spice, substitute All Spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 52mg, Potassium: 237mg, Vitamin A: 75IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1.7mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below!

Recipe Tips

  1. Use a good quality beef with 15%-20% fat for this recipe. Making kafta is like making meatballs which requires some fat and moisture to help it bind and stay juicy. There is no egg in this recipe, so the fat is crucial for binding.
  2. Pulse the beef only with the onions and parsley. It’s important to already have the parsley and onions chopped and then just pulse lightly with the beef in order to avoid over-mixing. Over-mixing can lead to overworked dry meat.
  3. Form the beef kafta into evenly sized shapes. This ensures that everything is finished cooking together making it all tender and juicy without anything being overcooked.
  4. Do not overcook the kaftas. They should be cooked to medium, this way they are more flavorful and aren’t dry. They dont’ need much time to cook. Keep in mind they’ll continue to cook when they’re resting off the grill.

Serving Ideas

TROUBLESHOOTING

Can you bake the kafta in the oven?

Yes, these work really well in the oven. Bake at 350ºF for around 15 to 20 minutes until they are cooked through.I do prefer the flavor of the kafta when grilled though.

Lebanese style beef kafta served with vermicelli rice and a salad

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Comments

  1. Amy says:

    Do you Use the 7 spice plus all those other spices as well?

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      Great question! Yes, 7 Spice plus the other spices as well!

      Reply
  2. Karen says:

    Delicious! The kids loves it, and they’re hard to please! I adjusted the spices: looked up “7 spice” and increased my cumin and coriander, plus sprinkled some nutmeg and cloves to compensate for no 7 spice. I didn’t increase cinnamon as my family doesn’t love too much cinnamon in meat. These Kofta were best sizzling off the grill! We had with a Mediterranean rice I made and salad. The kids want to try it in wraps next time, and I’ll try the linked Tahini sauce. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      I’m so happy this was a hit with everyone! I love that the kids enjoyed it, too. I know how hard that can be! Your spice adjustment sounds like a great way to work with what you had on hand. Making wraps is a delicious idea for next time. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

      Reply

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