Nitrate & Nitrite Free Moroccan Lamb Kefta Skewers
Ground lamb gets the full Moroccan treatment here — grated onion, garlic, fresh parsley, cilantro, and a warm spice blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and cayenne all worked together into something deeply fragrant and satisfying. Every ingredient is fresh, whole, and completely free of the cured or processed additives that make so many grilled meat recipes off-limits for people avoiding nitrates and nitrites. There's no deli meat, no cured sausage, no packaged shortcuts — just real spices and quality lamb doing all the heavy lifting. The trick to keeping the kefta on the skewer is in the technique: mixing until the meat feels tacky, molding it firmly, and chilling the skewers before they ever hit the grill. That resting step in the fridge is a small detail that makes a big difference, giving you those gorgeous charred edges without the meat falling apart. A squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh parsley at the end brighten the whole dish and balance the smoky, spiced richness beautifully. Whether you're cooking for a crowd or just craving something bold on a weeknight, these skewers deliver serious flavor with total peace of mind.
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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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