Egyptian Kofta
Kofta represents a broad category of seasoned ground meat in Egypt, but the Egyptian style, simpler and less heavily spiced than Lebanese or Syrian versions, emphasizes the quality of the meat and the balance between onion, parsley, and black pepper. The technique of grating rather than chopping the onion is considered essential for the fine, homogeneous texture specific to the Cairene version. In Cairo, grill restaurants called 'kebab wa kofta' often serve the skewers directly on warm flatbread, alongside tahini salad and grilled vegetables, a custom considered the traditional Saturday evening meal for many families in the capital. Kofta is distinguished from kebab by using ground meat, while traditional Egyptian kebab consists of whole pieces of marinated meat — a distinction locals respect strictly when ordering.
Beef and lamb blend
Ground beef combines with a little ground lamb, offering a balance between juiciness and a more intense flavor.
Grated, not chopped, onion
The onion is finely grated rather than knife-chopped, so it fully integrates into the meat with no visible chunks.
Generous parsley and black pepper
Finely chopped fresh parsley and generous black pepper season the mixture, characteristic of the Egyptian style, simpler than Levantine versions.
Hand-pressed onto flat skewers
The meat is pressed by hand around wide, flat skewers, forming an elongated shape that cooks evenly over charcoal.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500 g ground beef
- 150 g ground lamb
- 1 large onion, finely grated
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp oil
How to make it
- 1The onion is finely grated directly into a sieve set over a bowl, and the excess juice is squeezed out well by hand, removing moisture that could make the mixture too soft.
- 2The ground beef and lamb are combined in a large bowl with the squeezed onion, crushed garlic, finely chopped parsley, black pepper, thyme, and salt.
- 3The mixture is kneaded well by hand for a few minutes, until it becomes uniform and slightly sticky, a sign the proteins have bound properly.
- 4The mixture is covered and refrigerated for thirty minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the meat to become easier to shape.
- 5A portion of meat is taken in hand and pressed firmly around a wide, flat skewer, shaping an elongated form, even along its whole length.
- 6The shaped skewers are placed on a grill over well-heated charcoal, at a suitable distance to avoid quickly burning the outside.
- 7They grill for about eight minutes, turning a few times, until evenly browned on all sides and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
- 8Kofta is served immediately, hot off the grill, alongside flatbread, salad, and tahini.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
