Nutmeg Free Moroccan Lamb Kefta Skewers
These smoky, herb-packed lamb skewers bring the bold flavors of a Moroccan street grill straight to your backyard. Ground lamb gets worked together with grated onion, garlic, fresh parsley, and cilantro, then seasoned with a warm, complex blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and a kick of cayenne — no nutmeg anywhere in sight. That matters more than you might think, since many spiced meat recipes and pre-blended ras el hanout mixes sneak nutmeg in without much fanfare. Here, every ingredient is listed and intentional, so you know exactly what's going into the bowl. The technique is just as satisfying as the flavor: pressing the meat firmly around the skewer and chilling it before grilling means you get that gorgeous char without anything falling apart on the grates. A squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh parsley at the end cut right through the richness of the lamb. Whether you're cooking on an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan, this one is a serious crowd-pleaser.
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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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