Turkey Free Moroccan Lamb Kefta Skewers
Ground lamb is the star here, seasoned with a bold North African spice blend that includes cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and a hit of cayenne — the kind of combination that makes your kitchen smell absolutely incredible before the skewers even hit the grill. Grated onion, fresh parsley, and cilantro are worked directly into the meat, keeping every bite juicy and fragrant from the inside out. The technique of chilling the formed skewers before grilling is a small but smart step that helps the kefta hold its shape and develop those gorgeous char marks over high heat. Because the recipe is built entirely around lamb, there's no poultry of any kind in the mix — just clean, straightforward ingredients you can feel confident about. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end cuts through the richness beautifully and ties all those warm spices together. Whether you're cooking on an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan, this is the kind of recipe that feels special enough for a dinner party but is honestly simple enough for a weeknight.
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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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