Moroccan · Street Food
Charcoal Kefta Kebabs
The smell of these skewers grilling over charcoal is one of the defining scents of a Marrakech evening — hand-formed spiced ground lamb or beef, moulded onto skewers and cooked fast over glowing coals until charred outside and juicy within.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 600 g ground lamb or beef (with some fat)
- 1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry
- Small bunch parsley and coriander, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, pinch cayenne
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- Metal skewers
Method
- 1
Mix the kefta
Combine the ground meat with the grated onion, herbs, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and knead well by hand until sticky and well combined — this working of the meat is what helps it hold together on the skewer.
- 2
Rest
Cover and rest the mixture in the fridge at least 20 minutes to firm up.
- 3
Shape
With damp hands, mould the meat into sausage shapes directly onto flat metal skewers, pressing firmly so it grips the metal.
- 4
Grill
Cook over hot charcoal, turning frequently, 8–10 minutes total until charred outside and cooked through.
- 5
Rest and serve
Rest briefly, then serve on the skewers with khobz, a simple tomato salad and cumin salt.
Chef's tips
- Squeeze the grated onion dry before mixing it in — excess liquid makes the kefta harder to shape and more likely to fall off the skewer.
- Knead the mixture thoroughly by hand; this develops just enough stickiness to hold the meat together without needing egg or breadcrumbs.
- Flat metal skewers grip the meat far better than round ones, which tend to let it spin and slip.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my kefta fall apart on the grill?
Usually either too little kneading, which leaves the mixture too loose, or too much liquid from wet onion. Squeeze the onion dry and knead the mixture firmly before shaping.
Can kefta be cooked without charcoal?
Yes, a very hot griddle pan or grill works well indoors, though it won't have quite the same smoky char as an open charcoal fire.