If you’re stuck in a dinner rut, make Yogurtlu Kebabs. These ground beef kebabs (pronounced yah-OOR-tloo) are one of those “why haven’t I been making this forever?” dinners.
What are Yogurtlu Kebabs?
I first had Yogurtlu Kebabs when we were living in Europe, one bite in, and I was hooked. The juicy, spiced ground beef kebabs with that cool, garlicky yogurt and the warm tomato sauce felt so simple, but totally unforgettable.
I knew I would want to make this recipe when we moved back to the US, so I started testing my own version immediately and am absolutely obsessed with the results!
Yogurtlu Kebabs are popular in Turkey and Greece, and there are lots of variations. This is the version we fell in love with. The ingredient list may seem long, but it’s mostly spices. It's a very easy meal to make; family-friendly, and so fun and unique.
This is the kind of meal that feels special – like something you’d order out – yet the steps are simple, and the ingredient list is mostly spices you probably already have.
How to make Yogurtlu Kebabs:
Make Kebab Mixture: Combine all of the kebab ingredients in a mixing bowl and gently mix, being careful to not over-mix. I like to use my meat chopper for this step. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you make the sauces.
Make Sauces: For the yogurt sauce, simply stir all ingredients together. For the tomato sauce, heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add grated tomato and cook for 3 minutes. Dump in tomato sauce, cooking for 1 minute then reduce heat to medium low and stir in the spices. Cook, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes then remove from heat.
Shape and Cook Kebabs: Divide meat mixture into 15 portions (about 67g each) and form into a sausage shape, around 4 inches long. Place on baking sheet and repeat until all are formed. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium heat and grease well with oil. Carefully add kebabs and cook, rotating every few minutes, just until cooked through.
Serve: Place a small handful of onions on the bottom of the plate then top with 3 kebabs. Pour a generous amount of yogurt sauce and tomato sauce on top. Garnish with parsley and serve with a warm pita and a side of yellow rice and tomato cucumber salad.
Yogurtlu Kebabs
Equipment
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Grill Pan , or grill
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Meat Chopper , optional to mix the ground meat mixture
Ingredients
Kebab:
- 2 lb ground beef (80/20) , or use ½ ground lamb!
- 2 Tablespoons dry minced onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tablespoon sumac* (or zest of one lemon + pinch salt)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg , beaten
Greek Tomato Sauce: (makes about 1 cup)
- 4 large , ripe roma tomatoes (1 ¼ cup grated pulp)
- 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- Pinch salt and pepper , to taste
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Yogurt sauce:
- 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- sea salt , to taste
- Juice from ½ of a lemon
- Drizzle of milk , for a thinner sauce consistency
Instructions
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Kebab Mixture: Add meat to a large mixing bowl. Add spices breadcrumbs and egg on top, then mix until combined (don’t overwork the meat). Refrigerate for 30 minutes.2 lb ground beef (80/20), 2 Tablespoons dry minced onion, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tablespoon sumac* (or zest of one lemon + pinch salt), 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs, 1 large egg
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Grate Tomato: Cut tomatoes in half and use the large holes of the box grater to grate the inside tomato flesh into a bowl (stop grating when you’re only left with the outer skin of tomato).4 large
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Tomato Sauce: In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and butter. Once melted add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add grated tomato and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the spices. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.½ Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons butter, 5 cloves garlic, ¼ cup tomato sauce, 2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 sprigs fresh oregano, Pinch salt and pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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Yogurt Sauce: Mix all of the yogurt sauce ingredients together.1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt, 2 cloves garlic, sea salt, Juice from ½ of a lemon, Drizzle of milk
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Shape Kebabs: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide meat mixture into 15 portions (about 67g each) and form each into a sausage shape, around 4 inches long. Transfer to baking sheet.
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Grill: Heat a grill or grill pan on the stove to medium heat. Grease the pan well with oil, then add kebabs and cook, rotating every few minutes, just until cooked through.
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Serve: Place a a little handful of onions at the bottom of each serving dish. Top with 3 kebabs. Add a generous amount of yogurt sauce on top, then a big spoonful of tomato sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve with a warm pita on the side.
Video
Notes
- Yellow Rice, or couscous
- Warm pita (a must for scooping)
- Simple cucumber salad
- Extra parsley and lemon wedges for the table
Nutrition
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