Shellfish 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 a touch of cayenne all worked together into something deeply fragrant and satisfying. The mixture is molded onto skewers and grilled over high heat until charred on the outside and juicy within, which is exactly the kind of result that makes people ask for the recipe. A short rest in the fridge before grilling is the quiet trick that keeps everything together on the grates — no falling apart, no fuss. Since this dish is built entirely around lamb, fresh herbs, and spices, there's nothing to second-guess for anyone avoiding shellfish; every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh parsley, and you've got a platter that looks like it came from a proper grill house. These skewers work just as well for a weeknight dinner as they do for entertaining a crowd.
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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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