My Cookbook: Souk to Table 
Authentic Iraqi Kabab Recipe (BBQ)
Iraqi kabab is one of the most popular types of grilled skewered meat in the middle east, and for good reason! It is known for its tenderness due to its high fat content and minimal spices. You really get to taste the flavour of the meat, perfectly char grilled on an open flame. Follow along for how to make it at home!
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What Distinguishes Iraqi Kabab
If you’ve ever been to an Iraqi restaurant, you know that Iraqi kabab is on a league of its own (yes I am Iraqi and I am biased). That’s because it is extremely tender, and very flavourful, and always made a specific way.
Authentic Iraqi kabab is known for two main things:
- A very high fat content. Iraqi kabab is at least 20% fat, 80% meat. That’s what makes it Iraqi style! If you use less fat content, it won’t be as fall-apart tender (still delicious, and I often do use less fat but when I want the true authentic flavour – 20% is the minimum). It is typically made from ground lamb, but a mix of lamb and beef is quite common too, and my favourite combination.
- No additional spices. Iraqi kabab does not have any spices, aside from salt and pepper. Iraqis love to savour the actual flavour of the meat, char grilled and smokey. And because the kabab already has a high fat content, it packs a ton of flavour!
In terms of shape, Iraqi kabab are grilled on long flat stainless steel skewers. The final look is a flat and dimpled skewer or kabab. You can usually find these skewers at a local middle eastern shop, or find them online.
The recipe I’m sharing here is the closest I have gotten to restaurant-style kabab, and it is extremely delicious! We make it in the summer almost weekly, and serve the skewers over Iraqi bread (which soaks up all the juices), along with grilled tomatoes, grilled onions, and sumac.
You should definitely try making it – but be warned that it is quite greasy and you’ll only need a few skewers before getting quite full! If you love more spices in your kabab (which I get), you can try this Lebanese style kofta which is quite similar but with more spices (and I also have a baked meatballs version of them too).
How to Make it At Home (Successfully!)
Gather the Ingredients
Start by gathering all your ingredients. Let’s walk through the few ingredients you’ll need and some important notes I have for you.
- Ground lamb and beef: I use 50% ground lamb and 50% medium ground beef. I find the mix to be the optimal flavour. Ground lamb typically has 17%-20% fat content, while medium ground beef can range between 20% – 23%. If you can’t find ground lamb (or don’t like it), you can just use medium ground beef.
- Salt and black pepper. That’s all the seasoning we need!
- Grated onion: this is important, as the onion not only adds a lot of flavour, but it also helps to cut through the fattiness of the lamb and enhance its flavour. I usually pulse the onion in a food processor, or grate it, then squeeze out the water before adding it to the meat.
- Olive Oil: Traditionally, restaurants will also add chopped up lamb fat to the mix. But instead of that (since it’s not easy finding the exact type of fat used and because I want to balance the fattiness), I love to add olive oil. It adds flavour, and a bit more fat but less of that gamey lamb flavour.
- All-purpose flour: just a small amount is needed, up to 2 tablespoons. Because the meat mixture has a high fat content, it will be hard to keep it together on the skewer without falling apart. The little bit of flour helps to bind the mixture a bit better and makes skewering easier.
- Optional but recommended: whole tomatoes and white onions for skewering and grilling alongside the kababs.
Preparing the Kababs
Once the ingredients are ready, the first step is to mix them all together using gloved hands (to keep the meat from getting under your fingernails!) until the mixture looks homogenous and well combined. Knead the meat mixture for at least 7 minutes to ensure the meat proteins start to bind together, which helps the kababs not fall apart while grilling. Allow it to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
TIP: Make sure you squeeze out the moisture from the grated onions using your hands. Discard any water that comes out, and use the dry onion in the meat mixture. Extra moisture from the onions will make the kababs fall apart.
Next, grab a small fistful of meat and start skewering it onto the metal skewers. Do this by by using one hand to hold the skewer and the other hand to squeeze the meat onto the skewer and elongate it so that it starts to form (please refer to the video in the recipe card for a demo!).
Aim for roughly 6 to 7 inches in length and 1/4 inch in thickness. The length doesn’t matter as much as the thickness. The thickness of the meat needs to be uniform across the whole skewer so that it cooks evenly. Flatten the meat slightly using your thumb, and repeat all the way down the skewer.
Grilling The Kababs
Once the kababs are skewered, it’s time to grill. If you’re also grilling the tomatoes and onions, prepare them but cutting them in half (keep the skin on the onions). Then skewer the halves onto metal skewers.
Before grilling, make sure you remove the BBQ grates so that the skewers are able to sit across the two metal edges of the bbq, with the open flame underneath. Turn on your gas grill to 450F at least 15 minutes before grilling. If using a charcoal grill, make sure you start the coals at least 30 minutes before grilling.
Start by placing the skewers on the BBQ, and turn them to the other side every 30 seconds. It’s important to keep turning them so they cook evenly on both sides. Grill the kababs for about 7 to 8 minutes. You will notice some of the fat start to drop and cause the flames to flare up and lick at the kababs, which is totally normal.
Once you see that the outside of the kababs has nicely browned, you can remove them. To un-skewer the kabab, we place the skewer in the middle of a large pita bread or Iraqi bread, then fold the bread over and use it to pull the hot meat off the skewer.
How to Traditionally Serve Iraqi Kabab
Iraqi kabab is traditionally served over a large loaf of Iraqi bread, alongside the grilled onions and tomatoes. It is also served with fresh parsley, and thinly sliced red or white onions covered in sumac. You then make wraps with the kabab, the onions, parsley and tomato. It is a delicious bite!
If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!
Authentic Iraqi Kabab (BBQ Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb, 454 g
- 1 lb medium ground beef, 454 g
- 1 large white onion, grated and squeezed dry
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Start by either grating the onion on a box grater or cut the onion in quarters, place them in a food processor and process until pureed. Once pureed or grated, squeeze the onion over a bowl to remove as much liquid as you can.
Combine the ground lamb, ground beef, grated (and squeezed) onion, salt, pepper and olive oil in a large bowl. Using gloved hands, mix everything together until well combined, then add the flour and mix it into the meat. Knead the meat mixture for at least 7 minutes. This step ensures the meat proteins bind together stay on the skewers and not fall apart. Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes in the fridge.- Using large 1-inch flat metal skewers, grab a fistful of the meat mixture and start to skewer the meat. Using your hands to squeeze and stretch the meat along the length of the skewer, aiming for roughly 6 to 7 inches in length, and a 1/4 inch in thickness. The length is not as important (they can be shorter or longer) as the thickness; make sure it is uniform so the kabab cooks evenly. Use your thumb and index finger to create indentations in the meat roughly 1-inch apart, which helps to flatten the kabab.
- Turn on your gas grill at least 15 minutes before grilling, to 450F, and remove the grill grates. If using a charcoal grill, make sure to start the coals at least 30 minutes before grilling.
- Suspend the skewers on either edge of the grill so that they are directly over the flames or coals. Flip the kababs every 30 seconds, grilling them for a total of 7 to 8 minutes until visibly cooked and browned on the outside but still juicy on the inside. The fat may start to drip onto the flames and make them flare up which is totally normal.
- If using, skewer the halved tomatoes and onions (with skin on) and grill alongside the kababs for 10 to 12 minutes until charred and softened.
- Serve the kabab with grilled onions, grilled tomatoes, fresh parsley, sumac onions, and Iraqi bread (or pita bread).
Notes
- Iraqi kabab traditionally uses at least a 20% fat ratio. The mixture of lamb and medium ground beef works really well, or you can use only lamb or only beef, per preference.
- It’s important to use flat 1-inch skewers for these kababs (the thin round skewers will not work) so that the meat can stay on the skewers.
- Iraqi kabab is grilled directly over an open flame or coals, not using grill grates. Make sure you remove the grill grates on your grill or the kababs will stick to them.
- Ensure you flip the kababs every 30 seconds to ensure an even cook on the kababs without drying out.
Is there a way we can make this in the oven?
Sure! You can. You won’t get the proper taste of Iraqi Kabab since it’s always char grilled or gas BBQ grilled, but you can definitely bake it in the oven for an easier version.
So so so good! Soft, tasty and melt in mouth kabobs!
Thank you for the recipe
I am so glad you enjoyed it Sara! Thanks so much for the review. 🙂