Description
Spicy Beef Armenian Kefta are flavorful, seasoned ground beef skewers served with creamy tahini sauce and refreshing tzatziki, making a perfect combination of spicy, tangy, and cooling flavors for a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- Tahini Sauce: 1/3 cup tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 1 clove garlic (minced), salt to taste
- Tzatziki: 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cucumber (grated and drained), 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, paprika, cayenne, allspice, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each around a skewer into a long sausage-like shape.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the kefta skewers for about 4–5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked and slightly charred.
- While the kefta cooks, prepare the tahini sauce by whisking together tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, and salt until smooth. Adjust consistency with water if needed.
- For the tzatziki, mix Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve.
- Serve the spicy beef kefta hot with tahini sauce and tzatziki on the side, alongside pita bread or salad.
Notes
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control spiciness.
- Soaking skewers prevents them from burning on the grill.
- These kefta can also be cooked in a skillet or broiled in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer with sauces
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: spicy beef kefta, Armenian kefta, tahini sauce, tzatziki, Middle Eastern grilled meat