Kofta Kebab Meal Prep takes the best aspects of meatballs and turns them into an easy meal prep served with pita, hummus, and tzatziki!
Here at MPOF, we’re human, too. And this means, among other things, that naturally we are no different than our ancestors in our love for meatballs. (What? You don't believe us? Ask people in your family!)
Therefore, it's intergenerational love that brings you today’s kofta kebab meal prep recipe. And gosh darn, is it ever tasty! This dish combines the two iconic Middle Eastern culinary traditions of kofta and kebabs together in a combination that is doubly delicious!
What is Kofta?
Well, meal prep fam, Oxford Dictionary defines it as, “a savory ball made with minced meat, paneer, or vegetables.” In general, though, kofta is a traditional food most commonly made from an amalgam of beef and lamb and can most commonly be found in the cuisine of the Middle East and some Mediterranean countries. Basically, kofta is a kind of meatball! And the tradition of adding heat to meat? Well, that transcends human history in a completely ubiquitous way, friends. Meatballs have been a beloved staple food for many hundreds of thousands of years, and they transcend most every culinary cultural boundary we can think of. Truth!
What Are Kebab's Macros?
This kebab meal prep recipe also delivers in the way of nutritional value! Containing 21g of protein, 1g of fiber, and 27.5g of fat per single serving, our keto readers will find that this kebab meal prep is nothing to shake a stick at (or meat on a stick, for that matter)! We love the fact that it’s paleo and Whole30-compliant, too, so our readers on these diet plans won’t get the short end of the stick, should they decide to make these kebabs for their weekly prepped meals. (OK, we'll stop now with the sticky puns!)
Kofta Kebab Meal Prep Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef chuck (80% lean meat, 20% fat)*
How to Make Kofta Kebab Meal Prep
This prep all starts by bringing together the beef and spices. Start by bringing the garlic and onion with the spices in the food processor, along with a little bit of the ground meat. Then it all gets combined in a bowl and you form it into these long patty-like shapes that fit nicely over the skewers that you've been soaking for about 20 minutes or so (this is so they don't burn when you pop them on the grill, naturally!). These will rest in the fridge once you've formed them, and then you can fire up the grill!
How to Store and Serve Kofta Kebab Meal Preps
These can go right into the containers once you've cooked them, along with some pita, cut up veggies, and maybe even some tzatziki, which you can make with a little garlic, plain yogurt, dill, and chopped cucumbers, or you can buy already prepped. It's a great contrast to the gently spiced meat. They'll keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, and you can also very easily freeze the kofta. Just wrap it tightly and put in a zip-close bag you've labeled with the contents and the date. Reheat from frozen in the oven or defrost in the fridge first for optimal taste! They'll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 months.
You can eat this meal prep at room temp or even reheat it if you want, but that's up to you. We kind of like this at room temperature or even a little cold.
Serve alongside hummus, if you want, or a small fattoush salad or other salad with a zippy red wine vinaigrette. A bulgur wheat salad such as tabbouleh would taste great here, too.
Substitutions and Customizations
By the way, if you want a more traditional flavor for your fare, you can absolutely incorporate ground lamb with the beef, and you’ll still get all the nutritional benefits!!
More Middle Eastern-Inspired Meal Preps to Love!
- Easy Falafel Meal Prep
- Pesto Beef Kabobs
- 8 Kabob Combos for Your Summer Meal Prep
- Middle Eastern Breakfast Salad Bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tbs fresh cilantro
- 1 tbs fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- 2 teaspoon grapeseed oil or neutral oil of choice
- 1 pound ground beef we used 80/20
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse together onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cilantro, mint, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, and oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Add about 2 tablespoons of ground beef. Process until spice mixture resembles a thick paste.
- Transfer spice mixture to a large bowl with remaining ground beef. Use your hands to gently combine ingredients together.
- Divide spice-meat mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into an oblong. Gently flatten with your palm and mold around a wooden skewer. Finish by lightly pressing it flat. Arrange on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining portions. Let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or 10 minutes in the freezer.
- Preheat the grill for medium-high. Lightly brush oil over grill grates. Alternatively, use a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook kofta kebabs for 4-5 minutes on each side until browned.
- Serve warm with pita bread (or flatbread), bulgar, hummus, and/or tzatziki sauce (optional)
- NOTE: Ground lamb or a mixture of ground lamb and ground beef can be used.
