Muhammara Kabobs
01
Remember many moons ago when I said you would hear from me on how to incorporate muhammara into kabobs? And then I forgot (even though fittingly, in that very post, I discussed my terrible memory)? Welllll. I finally remembered!
These kabobs have the standard Middle Eastern flavors of warm spices and parsley, much like these kafta kabobs, but they also incorporate muhammara, which is a red pepper-walnut spread for a little extra punch. They are incredibly easy to prepare and cook very quickly, making them really easy for a weeknight (assuming you already have the muhammara made). You can eat them as-is or dress them with some tahini, tzatziki, labneh, or anything else you wish. I love serving Lebanese and Lebanese-ish meals with fattoush on the side, and considering my husband requests fattoush at least once a month, I think he’s on board with that idea, too.
I’ve baked as well as pan-fried these, but you can also grill them if you want to brush a foot of snow off your grill. Although I haven’t tried it, I imagine broiling these would also be great.
Muhammara Kabobs
Adapted from Taste of Beirut
1 small onion, cut into chunks
1 lb. ground beef or lamb (I like a combination of the two)
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup muhammara
olive oil (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 if baking. These can also be grilled or pan-fried.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the onion until it is finely diced. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until everything is just incorporated (you may want to use your hands at the end to make sure you don’t overmix).
Shape the mixture into long pieces resembling sausages (alternatively, you can use the mixture for meatballs). Thread onto skewers if desired and bake or grill for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. You can also heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a pan and fry these.
Adding the muhammara must add such a nice punch of flavor! It’s one of my favorite dips, so I love seeing it integrated into other recipes.