Artificial Food Coloring Free Moroccan Lamb Kefta Skewers
These boldly spiced lamb skewers are the kind of dish that makes a backyard grill feel like a street market in Marrakech. Ground lamb gets packed with fresh herbs, grated onion, and a warm spice blend — cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and a hit of cayenne — then molded onto skewers and charred over high heat until deeply browned and irresistible. Every single ingredient here is a whole, recognizable food, which means there's no need to scan labels for synthetic dyes or artificial additives hiding in a spice packet or marinade. The color you see on these skewers comes entirely from turmeric and smoked paprika doing their natural thing, not from anything artificial. Chilling the formed skewers before grilling is a smart step that helps them hold together and develop that gorgeous crust without falling apart on the grates. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end cuts right through the richness of the lamb and ties all those warm spices together beautifully. Whether you're cooking for a crowd or just treating yourself to something special on a weeknight, these skewers deliver serious restaurant-level flavor with nothing but clean, real ingredients.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the kefta
- 1 ½ lb ground lamb
- ¼ cup yellow onion, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For grilling
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for brushing the grill
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water and soak for at least 30 minutes so they don't char on the grill.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, grated onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix with your hands until the spices and aromatics are evenly distributed throughout the meat, about 1–2 minutes — the mixture should feel cohesive and slightly tacky.
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