Description
These Juicy Oven-baked Kebabs feature a flavorful blend of ground beef or lamb seasoned with aromatic spices and herbs, baked to perfection with crisp edges. Served with tangy sumac onions, creamy garlic yoghurt sauce, fresh tomatoes, and warm flatbreads, this recipe offers a delicious and easy-to-make Middle Eastern-inspired meal perfect for gatherings or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Kebabs
- 1 kg (2¼ lb) minced (ground) beef or lamb (15–20% fat for best flavour and juiciness)
- 1 small brown onion, grated
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (or coriander/cilantro)
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing
Sumac Onions
- 1 small red onion, very finely sliced
- 1½ tsp sumac
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
Garlic Yoghurt Sauce
- 1¼ cups (310 g) Greek yoghurt
- ½ tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
To Serve
- 4–6 flatbreads or pita (omit for gluten-free)
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced
- ½ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 240°C (475°F) or 220°C (425°F) if fan-forced, preparing it for baking the kebabs.
- Make the kofta mixture: In a large bowl, combine the minced beef or lamb with grated brown onion, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, optional chilli flakes, salt, pepper, parsley, and bicarbonate of soda. Knead firmly with your hands for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.
- Shape onto tray: Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Press the kofta mixture evenly into a rectangle about 1 cm thick (30 x 40 cm), keeping edges tidy but not overly precise.
- Score and notch: Using a bench scraper or metal spatula, cut the mixture vertically into strips about 2–3 cm wide, slicing all the way through the mixture to the paper. Then create shallow horizontal slits across each strip for even browning and the traditional kebab appearance.
- Bake the kebabs: Brush the top of the kebabs with olive oil. Place the tray on the top rack and bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through with crisp edges. Optionally, broil for the last 1–2 minutes to deepen browning.
- Make the sumac onions: While the kebabs bake, combine sliced red onion, sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a bowl. Toss to coat and let sit for 5–10 minutes to pickle lightly, enhancing flavor.
- Prepare the garlic yoghurt sauce: In another bowl, stir together Greek yoghurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Warm the flatbreads: Heat flatbreads in a dry frying pan or over a gas flame for 20–30 seconds per side until soft and pliable.
- Assemble and serve: Press warm flatbreads onto the cooked kebab meat to soak up juices. Separate kebab strips along scored lines. Serve kebabs on or inside flatbreads with dollops of garlic yoghurt, sumac onions, fresh tomato slices, and chopped parsley.
Notes
- For best juiciness, choose minced beef or lamb with 15–20% fat. For chicken, adjust seasoning and hydration accordingly.
- Brushing olive oil on kebabs before baking promotes browning and crispiness.
- Sumac adds tangy, lemony flavor to onions but can be substituted with lemon zest and a pinch of paprika if unavailable.
- Alternatives to oven baking include barbecuing or air frying for similar results.
