Kefta Mchermla

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   If using wooden skewers, soak them in water. Preheat a grill pan, barbecue, or broiler to high heat. Finely grate the onion, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible so the kefta holds its shape better. Chop the parsley very finely.

   4 wooden or metal skewers60 g onion, very finely grated and squeezed dry15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2. 2

   In a bowl, combine the ground beef, ground lamb, grated onion, parsley, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Mix with your hand for 1-2 minutes until the mixture looks slightly sticky and cohesive; this helps it cling to the skewers without becoming dense.

   200 g ground beef (15% fat)200 g ground lamb60 g onion, very finely grated and squeezed dry15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped2 tsp ground cumin2 tsp sweet paprika1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp fine sea salt1/2 tsp black pepper1 tbsp olive oil
3. 3

   Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Wet your hands lightly, then press each portion firmly around a skewer into a long, flat sausage about 2 cm thick. Compacting well prevents cracking during cooking.

   4 wooden or metal skewers
4. 4

   Lightly grease the hot grill surface or the kefta with the extra olive oil. Grill the skewers for 4-5 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for another 3-5 minutes until browned with a little char and cooked through. The center should reach at least 71°C, or when cut into, the juices should run clear and the meat should no longer be pink.

   1 tsp olive oil, for greasing
5. 5

   Rest the kefta skewers for 2 minutes so the juices settle, then serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing over just before eating.

   2 wedges lemon wedges

Origin & History

Kefta is a beloved category of seasoned minced meat dishes found across Morocco and the wider Maghreb, often shaped into patties, meatballs, or skewers. Moroccan versions are typically fragrant with cumin, paprika, herbs, and onion, and are commonly cooked over charcoal for a smoky street-food character.