Description
Juicy and flavorful spicy Armenian beef kefta served with creamy tahini sauce and refreshing tzatziki, perfect for a Middle Eastern-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- Tahini Sauce:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water (adjust for desired consistency)
- Salt to taste
- Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and drained
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pita bread or flatbreads, for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion around a soaked wooden skewer into elongated sausage shapes.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the kefta for 4–5 minutes on each side or until cooked through and nicely charred.
- While the kefta cooks, prepare the tahini sauce by whisking together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, water, and salt until smooth. Adjust water to reach desired consistency.
- 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 pita or flatbreads, drizzled with tahini sauce and a side of tzatziki. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Soaking wooden skewers prevents them from burning on the grill.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the heat level of the kefta.
- These kefta can also be cooked in a broiler or on a stovetop grill pan if a grill is not available.
- For a dairy-free option, serve with tahini sauce only.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Armenian / Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer with sauces
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg