Easy Beef Kebabs
By Andrew Zimmern
This is a really fun, simple kebab recipe that the whole family will love. A staple on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean tables, kebabs come in many shapes, sizes and flavor profiles. Here, I’ve seasoned ground beef with roasted red peppers, onion, parsley and za’atar, but you could use just about any type of ground meat. And while you can skewer the meat and grill it over charcoal, which is fantastic, I’ve simplified the process for a weeknight meal by browning the patties in a skillet. I’m serving them inside a lavash wrap, filled with a garlicky tahini sauce, herby green hot sauce (similar to a zhug, which you can watch me make here), charred peppers and tomatoes with my Morrocan-style Grill Magic blend, and a simple onion and parsley salad brightened up with my Citrus Herb seasoning.
Beef Kebab Platter
Ingredients
Beef Kebabs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon za’atar
- 2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1/4 cup minced roasted red peppers
- 1/2 yellow onion, minced
Garlic Sauce
- 5 garlic cloves, passed on a Microplane to grate finely
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup thick yogurt
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
Green Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 serrano chile, seeds and stem discarded
- 3 jalapenos, seeds and stem discarded
- 1 shallot, halved
- Salt
To Serve
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon Andrew Zimmern’s Citrus Herb seasoning
- Juice of 1 lime
- Lavash, or try these homemade bacon fat tortillas
- Roasted peppers, seasoned with Andrew Zimmern’s Grill Magic Seasoning
- Roasted tomatoes, seasoned with Andrew Zimmern’s Grill Magic Seasoning
Instructions
Beef Kebabs
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, za’atar, garlic, parsley, roasted red peppers and minced onion. Mix really well to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate for an hour while you prepare the other components.
Garlic Sauce
Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Green Hot Sauce
Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until pureed.
To Serve
In a small mixing bowl, combine the parsley, red onion, Citrus Herb seasoning and lime juice. Season with salt. Reserve.
Form the kebab mixture into small oval patties. Preheat a pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, then add the patties in an even layer (you may need to do this in batches). Sear the patties until well browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Lightly toast the lavash or flatbread. Spread the green hot sauce and garlic sauce evenly over the center of the lavash. Add a layer of roasted peppers followed by the parsley onion salad. Add the beef kebabs in a line on top of the salad. Roll the lavash up burrito style. Slice across the waist into 2 inch pieces. Serve on a platter
