Grilled Lamb Kofta Meatball Skewers with Tzatziki

Name: Grilled Lamb Kofta Meatball Skewers with Tzatziki
Prep time: 39 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 51 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) English cucumber, coarsely grated, squeezed very dry in a clean towel; 1½ cups (360 g) whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely grated; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; 2 lb (907 g) ground lamb (15–20% fat), cold; ½ medium (about 4 oz) (115 g) yellow onion, finely grated, excess liquid drained off; ½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) ground cinnamon; 2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, for brushing grill and skewers; 6 rounds (360 g) pita bread rounds (about 2 oz / 60 g each), warmed (optional); 1 teaspoon (3 g) sumac, for sprinkling (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy, cumin-scented lamb meatballs threaded onto skewers, charred on the grill and served with a cool, garlicky cucumber tzatziki. Perfect for a crowd and easy to prep ahead.

Prep: 39 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 33 min
Total: 1 hr 24 min
Makes: 12 skewers (36 small meatballs) plus about 2 cups tzatziki

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the tzatziki
1 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) English cucumber, coarsely grated, squeezed very dry in a clean towel
1½ cups (360 g) whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely grated
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
For the kofta
2 lb (907 g) ground lamb (15–20% fat), cold
½ medium (about 4 oz) (115 g) yellow onion, finely grated, excess liquid drained off
½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) sweet paprika
½ teaspoon (1.2 g) ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1.2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, for brushing grill and skewers
To serve
6 rounds (360 g) pita bread rounds (about 2 oz / 60 g each), warmed (optional)
1 teaspoon (3 g) sumac, for sprinkling (optional)

Equipment (8)

12 flat metal skewers or 10-inch (25 cm) wooden skewers
Grill or cast-iron grill pan
Large mixing bowl
Box grater
Fine-mesh sieve
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs

Steps

Before you start

If using wooden skewers, start soaking them in water for at least 30 minutes before you need them so they don't burn.
Use ground lamb with about 15–20% fat; leaner lamb makes dry, crumbly meatballs.
Keep the meat cold until you shape it, and chill the shaped skewers for 30 minutes so they hold together on the grill.
Make the tzatziki first so the flavors blend while the kofta chills.

1
Soak skewers
- If using wooden skewers, submerge them in a long dish of water and leave them while you make the tzatziki and kofta mixture (at least 30 minutes).
- Metal skewers need no prep.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
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Ready when: Skewers feel slightly slick and waterlogged
Tip: Soaking runs in the background while you do the next steps, so it adds no extra time.
2
Dry the cucumber
- Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.
- Wrap in a clean kitchen towel and twist firmly over the sink, squeezing out as much liquid as you can.
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Ready when: Cucumber shreds look like damp pulp and no more drops come out when squeezed
Tip: Skipping this step gives watery tzatziki that turns thin within an hour.
3
Mix the tzatziki
- In a medium bowl, stir together the squeezed cucumber, yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, mint and salt.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or a few drops of lemon if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate while you make the kofta.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick, creamy and speckled with green
4
Prepare the aromatics
- Grate the onion on the small holes of the grater into a sieve.
- Press with a spoon to drain off the liquid, discarding the juice.
- Finely chop the parsley and grate the garlic.
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Ready when: Onion is a moist, fine pulp that isn't dripping
Tip: Excess onion juice makes the meat mixture loose and hard to skewer.
5
Mix the kofta
- In a large bowl, combine the cold lamb, drained onion, parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
- Use your hands to knead for about 1 minute, just until the mixture looks sticky and uniform.
- Fry a small spoonful in a skillet to taste and adjust the seasoning if you like.
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Ready when: Mixture is tacky and holds together when squeezed, with no streaks of spice
Tip: Don't overmix; overworked meat turns dense and rubbery.
6
Shape and skewer
- Divide the mixture into 36 portions of about 1.5 ounces (40 g), roughly a golf-ball size.
- With lightly dampened hands, roll each into a smooth ball.
- Thread 3 meatballs onto each skewer, pressing them gently together so they touch and flatten slightly.
- Place on the lined baking sheet.
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Ready when: Meatballs are smooth, firmly packed and gripping the skewer
Tip: Dip your hands in cold water as you work to stop the meat sticking to your palms.
7
Chill the skewers
- Cover the baking sheet loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (up to 8 hours).
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Ready when: Meatballs feel firm and cold to the touch
Tip: Heat the grill in the last 10 minutes of chilling so it's fully hot when you're ready.
8
Heat the grillOven 450°F / 230°C
- Heat a gas or charcoal grill, or a cast-iron grill pan, to medium-high, about 450°F (230°C).
- Scrape the grates clean, then use tongs to rub them with an oiled folded paper towel.
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Ready when: Oiled grates shimmer and a drop of water sizzles instantly
Tip: A well-oiled hot grate is the key to kofta that doesn't stick.
9
Grill the kofta
- Lightly brush the skewers with oil.
- Lay them on the grill and cook 10–12 minutes total, turning a quarter turn every 2–3 minutes, until deeply browned with charred spots on all sides.
- Don't move them for the first 2 minutes so a crust forms and they release naturally.
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Ready when: Meatballs are browned and register 160°F (71°C) in the center, with clear juices
Tip: If flare-ups happen, move the skewers to a cooler part of the grill briefly.
10
Rest and serve
- Transfer the skewers to a platter and rest for 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle with sumac, if using, and serve hot with the chilled tzatziki and warm pita.
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Ready when: Juices settle and meatballs are hot throughout

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the cucumber and onion thoroughly; excess water is the main reason for loose sauce and crumbly meatballs.
Flat metal skewers keep meatballs from spinning when you turn them.
No grill? Broil on a rack-lined sheet 4 inches from the element for about 12 minutes, turning once halfway, or until they reach 160°F (71°C).
Cook one test meatball first if you're unsure of the seasoning, and adjust the salt in the raw mixture.

Make ahead

Shape and skewer the kofta up to 8 hours ahead, covered in the fridge. The tzatziki keeps well for up to 2 days; stir before serving and drain any liquid that collects.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate cooked kofta and tzatziki in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days (tzatziki up to 2 days). Reheat kofta in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes or in a skillet over medium heat until hot, 160°F (71°C) inside. Freeze uncooked, shaped meatballs on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before grilling. Tzatziki doesn't freeze well.

Substitutions

ground lamb (15–20% fat) → ground beef (80/20) or a half-beef, half-lamb mix. Beef is milder; the spicing works the same and cooking time is unchanged.
whole-milk Greek yogurt → full-fat plain yogurt, strained 1 hour through cheesecloth. Regular yogurt must be strained to reach a thick Greek consistency.
fresh mint leaves → fresh dill. Gives a more classic Greek-style tzatziki.
sweet paprika → Aleppo pepper or a pinch of cayenne. Adds gentle heat; use half the amount of cayenne.