# Persian Koobideh Kebab

> Koobideh falls off the skewer for three reasons: too little fat, too short a knead, or warm meat. You need **at least 20% fat**, 10 minutes of kneading until the meat turns tacky and clings to your hand, and an hour of chilling before skewering.

**Persian Cuisine · 102 min · 5 servings · 380 kcal per serving**

Koobideh is the most famous Persian kebab, named from 'koobidan' — to pound. Minced meat seasoned with grated onion alone, with no bread and few spices. That simplicity means technique is everything.

## Ingredients


### Meat
- 1 kg — minced lamb (20% fat)
- 2 — large onions
- 1.5 tsp — salt
- 1 tsp — black pepper
- 0.5 tsp — turmeric
- 0.25 tsp — dissolved saffron (optional)

### To serve
- 4 — tomatoes for grilling
- 3 tbsp — butter
- 1 tsp — sumac
- 5 — lavash or flatbreads

## Method

1. **The onion — where people go wrong** — Grate the onion fine and **squeeze it in muslin until its water is completely gone**. That water is the number one cause of kebab falling off.
2. **Knead** — Mix the meat with the squeezed onion, salt, pepper and turmeric, and knead by hand for **a full 10 minutes** until the meat turns tacky, clings to your palm and pulls like chewing gum.
3. **Chill** — Cover the meat and refrigerate it for **at least an hour**. Cold meat grips the skewer; warm meat falls.
4. **Skewer** — Wet your hands with cold water, take a ball of meat, wrap it around a **wide flat skewer**, and press with your fingers in succession to make the characteristic ridges.
5. **Grill** — Over a strong charcoal fire, start grilling **without the meat touching the grate** (the skewer rests on the sides). Turn after a minute and a half, and cook 5 to 7 minutes in total with constant turning.
6. **The tomatoes** — Grill the tomatoes on a separate skewer alongside until their skins char.
7. **Serve** — Spread lavash on a tray, slide the skewers off using a piece of bread, add the butter and tomatoes, and dust with sumac. Serve with rice or bread.

## Tips

- Squeeze the onion water out completely — the first cause of kebab falling off.
- 20% fat minimum. Lean meat can never hold together.
- Knead 10 minutes until it turns tacky — that unwinds the protein that binds the mixture.
- A wide flat skewer, not a thin round one — thin ones spin and the meat drops.

## FAQ

### My kebab fell off — why?
Usually one of three: the onion water was not squeezed out, the knead was too short, or the meat was warm. All three must be right together.

### Can I do it without charcoal?
Yes, on a very hot cast-iron griddle, or in the oven under the grill on a rack. There will be no smoke, but the result is acceptable.

### Can I use beef?
Yes, but you must increase the fat — beef is leaner than lamb. Ask your butcher to mince it at 20% fat.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/persian-cuisine/persian-koobideh-kebab
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-30