Grilled Koobideh Kabob (Beef and Lamb)

By Kevin

published Jul 30, 2020, updated May 10, 2023

5 from 14 votes

Koobideh kabob is a Persian recipe featuring skewers of seasoned ground lamb, beef, and onion. Make grilled meat skewers for a quick, easy meal!

overhead of flat metal skewers of koobideh kabob on a wooden table

Koobideh Kabob

This type of kabab hails is very popular in Persian cuisine, and the name is pronounced koo-bi-day.

It’s made from a mixture of ground lamb, beef, or chicken and is often mixed with different spices, fresh chopped parsley, and onions.

With lovely caramelization and charred flavor from the grill, these meat skewers are sure to become a new favorite.

How to make beef and lamb kabobs

Just mix together all of the ingredients and form around the skewers. Then, grill for a few minutes on each side and enjoy!

You can eat the kabob right off the skewer, or wrap it in a warm pita or barbari bread with some toum, a tangy garlic sauce.

Serve the koobideh kabob with shirazi salad or Persian saffron rice to make it a complete meal.

grilled beef and lamb skewers on a table with bowls of side dishes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Note: This is just a partial list of ingredients. For the full ingredient list, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
  • Ground meat – For best results, use an even mixture of lamb and beef that’s fresh instead of previously frozen. I like to use a 90/10 blend for the ground beef, as a higher fat content will cause the meat to fall off the skewer when grilled.
  • Onion – It’s important to grate the onion, not just dice it. This gives you all the flavor without large pieces in the mixture that will affect how well it molds to the skewer. Once grated, be sure to remove the excess liquid with a sieve.
  • Sumac – This spice has a tangy lemony flavor without the full tartness of actual lemon juice. It’s commonly sprinkled over Persian kabobs and rice, but you can easily leave it out if you’re unable to find it.
  • Lemon – Again, completely optional in this dish, but it can help balance the richness from the lamb meat.
meat on flat skewers next to fresh mint leaves and a whole lime

How to Make Grilled Koobideh Kabobs (Beef and Lamb)

  1. Mix the ingredients: Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or your hands until well combined. Don’t worry about overworking it, since it will hold its shape better the closer it is to a dough consistency.
  2. Form the kabobs: Next, wet your hands with water or leftover onion juice and form the meat mixture around the skewer. This works best when the mixture is cold, so place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes if it won’t hold it’s shape.
  3. Grill the meat: Place the skewers on a well oiled grill and cook until browned on both sides. These cook pretty fast, so keep a close eye on them or the meat will dry out if overcooked.
  4. Rest and serve: Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes, so the juices can redistribute throughout. Then, add a sprinkle of sumac or a squeeze of lemon if you’d like before serving.

Recipe Video: How to Grill Meat Skewers

Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post and you can watch the dish being made from start to finish!

Koobideh kabobs in the foreground and bowls of rice and salad in the background

Recipe notes

  • Use flat kebab skewers – These work much better for this Persian kabob recipe than the thin, round kind. Not only do they provide more surface area for the meat to stick to, but the heated metal helps cook the meat from the inside as well. Plus, the food doesn’t spin around when it’s time to flip them.
  • Make ahead – If needed, you can form the kabob on the skewer and refrigerate for a few hours in advance. Place the skewers over the sides of a sheet pan or baking dish so the meat doesn’t touch the bottom, then cover tightly with plastic wrap before placing in the refrigerator.
  • Storage – Wrap grilled koobideh kabob in foil or place in an airtight container before storing in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for up to 4 days.
  • Reheating – For best results, add a splash of water to an oven safe dish and place the kabobs inside. Then, cover with foil and heat in the oven until warmed through. Or, cover and reheat in the microwave over rice since the steam from the rice will keep the meat from drying it out.
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overhead of flat metal skewers with Koobideh babobs on a wooden table

Grilled Koobideh Kabob (Beef and Lamb)

5 from 14 votes
Koobideh kabob is a Persian recipe featuring skewers of seasoned ground lamb, beef, and onion. Make grilled meat skewers for a quick, easy meal!
Servings: 8 skewers
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 28 minutes
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Ingredients 

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

  • Grate the onion (See Note 1) and place onion in a sieve set over a bowl to drain. Press and squeeze out all the excess water. Discard onion juice or save for soup or other use.
  • In a bowl add the ground beef, lamb, shredded onions, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika, and mix well. Divide meat mixture evenly into eighths and form the meat onto 8 skewers, molding and flattening meat around skewer with wet hands to make each kebab about 8" long (See Note 2). For a traditional look, gently press meat between thumb and index finger once meat is on skewer (see photos). If not using skewers, shape meat into eight 8" hot dog/sausage shapes. Set kabobs aside.
  • Clean your grill and heat to 350°F. Oil your grill so these don’t stick. Place the skewers on grill and cook until browned on each side and cooked through, 3–4 minutes per side.
  • Allow meat to rest for 3-5 minutes and sprinkle with a little ground sumac, squeeze of lemon and or toum garlic spread. Serve immediately.

Broiler Method

  • If you use skewers they need to be all metal, otherwise make the kabobs into long rolls and place them on a broiler rack lined pan to catch the juices. Move the oven rack to the second highest setting from the top. Broil the kabobs until browned, about 6-7 minutes on each side.

Video

Notes

  1. I use a four sided cheese grater placed in a bowl to catch all the juice.
  2. If the meat mixture is room temperature the meat sometimes does not hold it’s shape. If so, refrigerate 20 minutes to firm up and then mold on to skewers. To form meat around skewer, I hold an oval shape of the meat in my hand and with other hand slowly pierce the meat through with skewer. Using my thumb and index finger, encircle meat. Pinch and squeeze the meat along the skewer, molding and flattening meat to make each kebab about 8″ long (see photos).
  3. I like to spread Toum Garlic Spread on top as well (see recipe).

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 3mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: main dishes
Cuisine: Iranian, Middle Eastern, Persian
Author: Kevin
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
grilled koobideh on metal skewers

Kevin

I was bitten by the cooking bug as a kid cooking and baking along side my mom. After an ROP restaurant course in high school, I went to work in restaurants and catering. My love of travel and food has led me across the world and I love to share those foods with family and friends.

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Recipe Rating




34 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    unfortunately i’m not one who leaves reviews, even when i love something so much. but this… this meat concoction was literally such a hit i’ve made it three times now. the only addition i made was adding a tablespoon of garlic powder. but WOW i love it i love it i love it. i’m way more generous with the garlic, onions, and fresh cut parsley than the recipe calls for. but WOW. so flavorful i will always be glad i stumbled upon this recipe.

    Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you, Kevin, your cooking site is wonderful, I am glad I met your site and I am even happier that I saw the recipe for the Kobideh kebab on your site. You made this delicious Iranian dish very well.😍
    Thank you Kevin for your great recipes and tutorials
    I follow you Mehrnoosh from Iran

    Reply

    1. Yes you can make these kabobs in the oven. If you use skewers they need to be all metal, otherwise make the kabobs into long rolls and place them on a broiler rack lined pan to catch the juices. Move the oven rack to the second highest setting from the top. Broil the kabobs until browned, about 6-7 minutes on each side.

      Reply

        1. Thanks Maira! I would start with maybe a teaspoon in the mix and you could always sprinkle on more after grilled to your liking.

          Reply

    3. 5 stars
      Loved this! I’ve made it into burgers for my cafe and I’m serving it with homemade harissa, homemade toum, lettuce, tomato and cucumber on a brioche bun! Thanks again!

      Reply