Easy Lebanese Kafta Recipe (Beef Kafta Sandwich or Bowl)

This Easy Kafta Recipe turns a classic Lebanese dish into a simple weeknight meal. This recipe uses ground beef, doesn’t make you mess around with skewers, and can be served two different ways – as a sandwich or in a bowl!

If you’ve seen the term “kafta” on a Lebanese restaurant menu and have been unsure of what it might be, this post is for you!

To quickly explain, kofta is a mixture of ground beef or lamb, mixed with onion and spices, formed into a patty, log or meatball and then grilled.

Even if this is your first time hearing this term, I’m here to convince you that this dish is a great make-at-home weeknight dinner with huge flavor!

It can be made with your choice of ground meat, it comes together in about 30 minutes, and you can serve it sandwich- or bowl-style.

This beef kafta recipe is easier than many others you might find, because it doesn’t make you mess around with shaping the meat onto skewers. It’s not really necessary, trust me.

An easy kafta recipe, served two different ways

For a weeknight dinner, I thought I would adapt Jeff Mauro’s Kefta Dog into a quick weeknight meal made with ground beef.

While the original recipe requires takes 1 hour, 55 minutes (!!!) to make, my version can be prepared in just about 30 minutes.

I actually adapted this recipe two different ways – one which is more along the lines of Jeff’s kafta hot dog idea, and a second serving option that skips the bun and serves the kafta in a bowl with rice and garnishes.

Instructions for both serving ideas are in the recipe card below.

What is Beef Kafta?

Kofta/kefta/kafta is a Middle Eastern meatball or skewer, usually consisting of beef or lamb mixed with onion and spices.

In my recipe, versatile ground beef is flavored with just enough onion, garlic, herbs and spices to give it some extra flavor, but not too much so that you can’t taste the great flavor of the meat itself.

Instead of shaping the beef onto skewers (which is traditional), I skipped the skewers and formed the meat into logs (longer logs for the hot dog serving idea, and shorter logs for the bowls).

After a quick trip to the oven or grill, I finish the beef kafta with a simple savory yogurt sauce (creamy feta dressing works too), and garnishes like cucumber and tomatoes.

Lebanese Kafta Ingredients

• ground beef – we’ll need 1 pound of ground beef for this recipe, as it’s the main protein source. You can also use ground lamb, chicken or turkey if you prefer.
• garlic – adds a pungent and aromatic depth of flavor to the meat.
• onion – chopped yellow onion adds a savory flavor, as well as moisture and texture, to the kafta.
• dried herbs and spices – dried parsley, ground coriander, ground cumin, allspice, salt and pepper are what we’ll use to heavily season the meat and make it super flavorful.
• Greek yogurt – the backbone of the creamy sauce that will pair with the spiced kafta.
• lemon – fresh lemon juice and zest are used to brighten the tangy yogurt sauce.
• dried oregano – adds a herbaceous note to the yogurt sauce.

How to Make Kafta

1. MIX KAFTA. Mix the garlic, onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper into the beef.
2. SHAPE. Shape the beef mixture into 4 portions, and shape each portion into a log.
3. GRILL. Transfer the kafta to a preheated grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F (about 8 to 10 minutes).
4. MAKE SAUCE. While the kafta are grilling, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt and pepper.
5. SERVE SANDWICH STYLE. Place each kafta in a hot dog bun and top with some of the yogurt sauce, along with cucumber and tomato.

Lebanese Kafta Recipe Variations

1. SHAPE. If you’ll be serving the kafta bowl-style, mix the kafta the same way, but shape the meat mixture into 8 logs instead of 4. Grill them and make the yogurt sauce the same way.
2. SERVE BOWL STYLE. Place tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and olive oil in a medium bowl and toss until well combined. Divide rice between 4 serving bowls or plates and top with hummus, tomato mixture, kafta and yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with parsley for garnish.

What do you eat kafta with?

• SANDWICH STYLE – Place each kafta in a hot dog bun and top with a bit of the yogurt sauce, along with some chopped cucumber and tomato.
• BOWL STYLE – Make some white or brown rice, and a quick salad with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and olive oil. Divide the rice between your bowls, then divide the kafta and salad between the bowls as well. Add a bit of hummus and yogurt sauce to each bowl.

Kafta Recipe Storage

Store any leftover kafta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Kafta Beef FAQs