This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
Adana Kebab, a popular Turkish dish, is comprised of seasoned ground lamb that’s skewered and grilled over charcoal. It’s richly spiced, flavorful, juicy, and easier to make at home than you might think!
Before I lived in the Middle East, my only experience with lamb was at my grandparent’s house on Easter. It always made the whole house smell funny, and it came served with gelatinous dollops of bright green-colored mint jelly. Needless to say, as a kid I wasn’t really a fan.
As an adult when I lived in the Middle East, I gave lamb another try and I had a completely different experience. The lamb there was fresh, seasoned well, grilled over charcoal, and completely mouthwatering. No funky musty odor; just the smell of grilling meat. It showed me that I really do like lamb!
If you enjoy grilled meat, you will love Adana Kebab. Just a few seasonings accentuate the flavor of savory, juicy lamb and the meat’s flavor really shines through. Of course if you prefer, you can use ground beef instead.
I like to serve it with sumac onions because their tanginess cuts through the lamb’s richness, but this is optional. You can serve these grilled lamb kebabs on flatbread (if you keep sourdough starter on hand, try them with sourdough naan), or with rice and a variety of salads.
This is a healthy, easy, and delicious dish that you can also make in your oven instead of on the grill!
Authentic Turkish Adana Kebap
In Turkey where this dish is from, the Designation of Origin is very specific on how it should be prepared. It must be made from the meat of a male lamb less than one year old who was raised in his natural environment and ate the natural flora.
The silverskin, nerves, and internal fat is removed from the meat, and the meat rests for a while. After that, meat and tail fat (at a ratio of 5:1) are hand-minced using a crescent-shaped cleaver.
Once the meat is minced, it’s seasoned, skewered, and grilled over charcoal.
(You can read more about Adana Kebab on Wikipedia.)
Of course it would be very difficult for people outside of Turkey to follow these steps! At home, ground lamb works very well, and the blend of seasonings complements the juicy meat perfectly.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-quality. If you’ve ever been to a Turkish or Middle Eastern restaurant and ordered kebabs, you’re about to realize just how easy it is to make at home! It comes together in just 30 minutes, making it a weeknight-friendly dinner. And it reheats well, so it’s a good meal prep option.
- This recipe converts people who think they don’t like lamb. I’ve had a few people who told me they don’t like lamb try this and tell me they love it! With lamb, it’s really all about how you prepare it and this method is a sure winner.
- Leftovers are delicious! I have an easy method for reheating leftovers in the oven or air fryer that ensures the meat stays tender and juicy.
Adana Kebab Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Ground lamb – This type of kebab is traditionally made with lamb; however, feel free to use beef or another type of ground meat if you prefer.
- Onion – Here we add grated onion to the ground meat mixture. This not only adds depth of flavor, but also helps the meat stay moist and juicy while grilling.
- Garlic – Garlic adds savory complexity and helps balance lamb’s gamey flavor.
- Salt – To season the meat so it isn’t bland.
- Sumac – Sumac adds a tart, bright flavor similar to lemon. It helps cut through lamb’s richness, and can help reduce the musky taste and aroma that lamb can sometimes have.
- Cumin – Adds warm, earthy flavor notes that complement the meat and other spices.
- Crushed red pepper flakes, sweet paprika, and smoked paprika – We use these three spices for balanced heat, sweet, and smoky flavors. If you have Aleppo pepper (aka pul biber) in your spice cabinet, you can use a slightly heaping tablespoon of that instead for authentic flavor.
- Olive oil – To brush on the meat before grilling. This helps prevent the meat from sticking and also locks in the flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1: Make the Meat Mixture & Skewer the Meat
- Peel and grate an onion.
- Add all ingredients for the kebabs to a large bowl.
- Use your hands to combine everything, being careful not to over-mix.
- Slightly wet your hands, and shape the meat onto skewers. Brush both sides of each skewer with olive oil. PRO TIP: Keep a bowl of water next to you so you can periodically dampen your hands to help prevent the meat from sticking.
2: Grill the Skewered Meat
Grill the kebabs over medium-high heat until they’re charred on the outside and cooked to your desired level of doneness inside, rotating the skewers as necessary.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can reheat kebabs in the oven or air fryer.
To reheat kebabs in an oven, remove the kebab meat from the skewer. Wrap the meat in foil, and add a splash of water. Heat in a 400F oven until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
To reheat kebabs in an air fryer, remove the kebab meat from the skewer. Wrap the meat in foil, and add a splash of water. Heat in a 375F air fryer until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Tips For the Best Homemade Adana Kebab Recipe
- If the meat is sticking to your hands when you shape it on the skewers, dampen your hands with water. It can also help to briefly chill the meat before skewering it.
- You can use metal skewers or wooden skewers, but large metal skewers are more traditional. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes first. This will help prevent them from catching on fire on the grill. My skewers were large so I only needed 3 for all this meat; however, the amount of skewers you use doesn’t matter. Just note that if you use smaller skewers, the meat will cook faster.
Adana Kebab FAQs
Hailing from Turkey, Adana kebabı consists of lamb that’s finely minced by hand. It’s seasoned with salt, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes or urfa pepper. Many recipes also add sumac and cumin. The meat is then skewered onto wide metal skewers and grilled. (You can read more about Adana Kebab on Wikipedia.)
Yes! If you don’t have a grill, you can cook these in the oven instead. Here’s how to do it:
1. Skewer the meat as directed in the recipe.
2. Place a baking rack on top of a large baking tray. Brush the skewered meat with olive oil, and arrange the kebabs on the baking rack so they don’t touch.
3. Bake at 425F until they’re cooked to your liking, about 7 to 10 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through.
Traditionally, lamb is used to make this recipe. But of course you can use what you like! If you prefer beef instead of lamb, use 80/20 ground beef, which is 80% lean with 20% fat (look for ground chuck).
No, the sumac onions are optional with this dish. However, they are easy to make, and a delicious pairing with grilled lamb!
Sumac, which is made from dried and ground berries, is a brick-colored spice used in Middle Eastern cooking. It lends a gorgeous color, and also a tangy tart flavor similar to lemon.
Sumac onions are slightly softened and less piquant than raw onion, thanks to the addition of sumac and lemon juice. (They’re somewhat similar to pickled red onion!) They add a tangy bite that balances the richness of grilled meat really well.
What to Serve with Ground Lamb Adana Kebabs
Just about any type of rice or salad pairs well with this dish. Here are a few ideas:
- Homemade Rice a Roni
- Baked Eggplant with Tomato
- Baba Ganoush
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Grilled Peppers
- Za’atar and Mint Butter Bean Salad
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Adana Kebab Recipe (Turkish Ground Lamb Kebabs)
Email This Recipe
Get this recipe link emailed straight to your inbox!
Ingredients
Sumac Onions:
- 1 large red onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Lamb Kebab:
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 1 small-medium onion peeled and grated
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to brush on the meat before grilling
Optional Serving Suggestions:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Parsley
- Flatbread
- Grilled peppers I used yellow wax pepper
Instructions
For the Sumac Onions:
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until using (at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days).
For the Lamb Kebab:
- Mix. Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to combine, being careful not to over-mix.
- Skewer. Slightly wet your hands, and shape the meat onto skewers. Brush both sides of each skewer with olive oil.
- Cook. Preheat a grill to medium-high. Once hot, add the kebabs and grill until they’re charred on the outside and cooked to your desired level of doneness inside, rotating the skewers as necessary. (The exact cooking time will vary based on your skewer size. I used 3 large skewers and it took about 15 to 18 minutes total.)
- Serve. Serve the kebabs hot along with sumac onion and anything else you like.
Notes
- Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated without the sumac onions or optional serving suggestions.
- Net Carbs: 1 gram per serving
- Beef Instead of Lamb: If you prefer beef instead of lamb, use 80/20 ground beef, which is 80% lean with 20% fat (look for ground chuck).
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Sweet paprika, and Smoked Paprika: We use these three spices for balanced heat, sweet, and smoky flavors. If you have Aleppo pepper (aka pul biber) in your spice cabinet, you can use a slightly heaping tablespoon of that instead for authentic flavor.
- Skewers: You can use metal skewers or wooden skewers, but large metal skewers are more traditional. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes first. This will help prevent them from catching on fire on the grill. My skewers were large so I only needed 3 for all this meat; however, the amount of skewers you use doesn’t matter. Just note that if you use smaller skewers, the meat will cook faster.
- Sumac Onion Storage: Store this in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that over time the onions will soften more.
- Kebab Storage: Store leftover kebabs covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat kebabs in the oven or air fryer.
- Reheating: To reheat kebabs in an oven, remove the kebab meat from the skewer. Wrap the meat in foil, and add a splash of water. Heat in a 400F oven until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes. To reheat kebabs in an air fryer, remove the kebab meat from the skewer. Wrap the meat in foil, and add a splash of water. Heat in a 375F air fryer until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Skewer the meat as directed in the recipe.
- Place a baking rack on top of a large baking tray. Brush the skewered meat with olive oil, and arrange the kebabs on the baking rack so they don’t touch.
- Bake at 425F until they’re cooked to your liking, about 7 to 10 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Amazing! Easier than expected goes together quickly. Restaurant quality!
My family loves this recipe — I make it often since it is so easy to make and if we have homegrown onions we will use them, otherwise the red onion is perfect — I actually weigh out small meatballs and then put them on the skewer and square it off by pressing down on all 4 sides
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Amazing read! Your post instantly reminded me of a friend who shares similar thoughts. I’m sending this to him – he’ll love it as much as I did. Thanks for reigniting those insightful conversations with your clear and engaging writing. Keep sharing!