Make these beef Seekh kabobs a part of your weekly dinner rotation. The spiced Pakistani grilled beef skewers are perfect for meal prep with fluffy basmati rice and a bright green salad like kachumber salad, similar to Halal chicken over rice.
What are Seekh Kabobs?
Seekh means skewers, and kabob refers to meat cooked over a fire. Beef Seekh kebabs are grilled meat skewers traditionally seasoned with aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Serve them with cucumber raita, mint chutney, and naan or roti.
History of the Beef Seekh Kabob
Seekh kabobs trace their origins back to Turkey, where they are known as shish kebabs. Shish means sword in English– a reference to the skewer the meat cooks on, and kabob refers to anything roasted over open flame. And well, the rest is history.
Though the flavors and ingredients have transformed over time (depending on the region), it remains a popular meal all over South Asia. Form the kabobs using spiced minced meat or ground meat, usually lamb, beef, or chicken, into a cylindrical shape on skewers and cook them on an outdoor grill to perfection.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Whole Spices: Toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds, and grind them into a fine powder to deeply flavor the ground beef Seekh kabobs.
- Aromatics: Combine white or red onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies (jalapeño or serrano peppers), and fresh cilantro leaves. You can leave them as it is or puree them with the spices before kneading them into the meat mixture.
- Ground Beef: Higher fat content in the ground beef can cause the meat to pull away from the skewers and fall into the flame. I use 80/20 ground beef. You can also use ground lamb, ground chicken, or a combination of ground beef and lamb, which all taste amazing! If you love beef, try one of these easy ground beef recipes!
- Ground Spices: Season the kabob mixture with a variety of spices such as garam masala, salt, Kashmiri chili powder (or red chili powder for more heat), and red pepper flakes for the best flavor.
- Ghee: Ghee has a warm, nutty flavor and prevents the kabobs from sticking to the grill. You can also use olive oil.
Additions and Substitutions
- Try a different protein. Replace the ground beef with a different type of meat like ground lamb or chicken, turkey, elk, or bison.
- Reduce the prep work. Use coriander powder, cumin powder, and ground fennel instead of toasting and grinding the whole spices.
- Experiment with mix-ins. Include herbs like fresh mint leaves or parsley in the ground kabob mixture, or sprinkle a small amount of chat masala over the beef Seekh kabobs before serving them.
- Add flour to the kabobs. Some family recipes call for chickpea flour or eggs as a binding agent for the kabobs.
Tools You’ll Need
If you plan to bake the kabobs, you’ll need a wooden skewer or thin metal skewers and a rimmed baking sheet. To grill the beef Seekh kabobs, you need a gas or charcoal grill, thin skewers, and something to transport the kabobs back and forth.
I prefer to knead the ground beef mixture with stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. It’s a complete game-changer! All you need to do is add the meat and a splash of water. Process on medium speed until the mixture starts sticking to the bowl. You don’t need a stand mixer to knead the ground beef, but it gives the kabobs a perfect sticky texture to secure the meat to the skewers.
How to Make Beef Seekh Kabob
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Prepare the Kabobs
Step 1: Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds. Toast for 5 minutes and transfer the dry spices to a spice grinder.
Process them into a fine powder and set it aside.
Step 2:
Option 1 – Finely dice the vegetables and add them to a large mixing bowl.
Option 2 – Add the onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and cilantro to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Step 3: Place the ground beef in a mesh strainer and use clean hands to press out any excess moisture. Transfer the meat to the mixing bowl.
Step 4: Combine the toasted spices, onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro, garam masala, kosher salt, Kashmiri chili powder, red pepper flakes, and ghee with the ground beef. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preparation Tip
Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to knead the ground beef mixture for the best results.
Step 5: Remove the ground beef mixture from the refrigerator. Hold a metal skewer with one hand and form a palm-size amount of beef onto the skewer using your other hand.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients until all the skewers are loaded.
Preparation Tip
Dip your hand in ice water when forming the meat onto the skewer. Be sure the ground beef wraps around the entire skewer with no spaces or cracks.
Bake the Kabobs
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450℉ (232℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Set the skewers on it and bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the kabobs every 10 minutes for even cooking.
Step 2: Slide the kabobs off the skewers and onto a serving plate. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving with raita and fresh bread.
Grill the Kabobs
Step 1: Remove the grates from your grill and set them aside. Adjust the burners to high heat for 10 minutes to preheat before adding the kabobs.
Step 2: Set the skewers on the grill over high heat. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Then, flip the kabobs and cook on high heat for another 6 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Knead the ground meat. Knead the ground meat using clean hands or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. In The Food Lab, J. Kenji López-Alt explains that kneading helps the meat bind to skewers more effectively by breaking down muscle proteins.
- Use cold water. Leave a large bowl of cold water next to the kabob mixture. Dip your hand into the water before forming the kabobs to keep the mixture cool and prevent the meat from sticking to your hand.
- Form the kabobs. Attach the meat to thin kabob skewers using the same amount of meat for each kebab to ensure the kebabs cook at the same rate.
- Transport the kebabs. After forming the ground beef onto the skewers, line them onto a baking sheet for easy transportation to the grill, or pop them straight into the oven.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: Paratha, Naan, Roti, Spinach Protein Wraps, Pita Bread, Lavash
- Rice: Chicken Yakhni Pulao, Biryani, Basmati Rice, Saffron Rice
- Salad: Kachumber Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Biwaz, Malfouf Salad
- Sauce: Raita, Green Chutney, Serrano Crema, Toum, Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- Fixings: Lemon Wedges, Green Chilies, Onion Slices
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover kabobs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the kabobs cool, and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Beef Seekh kabobs freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the meat in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to Reheat Beef Seekh Kababs: Warm the leftovers in the microwave or on a skillet over medium heat.
More Indian Recipes:
Beef Seekh Kabob
- 1½ tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ½ tablespoon fennel seeds
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 – inch knob of ginger, minced
- 2 green peppers, stems and seeds removed, and finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds. Toast for 5 minutes and transfer the dry spices to a spice grinder. Process them into a fine powder and set it aside.
- Option 1: Finely dice the vegetables and add them to a mixing bowl. Option 2: Add the onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and cilantro to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
- Place the ground beef in a mesh strainer and use clean hands to press out any excess moisture. Transfer the meat to the mixing bowl.
- Combine the toasted spices, onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro, garam masala, kosher salt, Kashmiri chili powder, red pepper flakes, and ghee with the ground beef. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.Tip: Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to knead the ground beef mixture for the best results.
- Remove the ground beef mixture from the refrigerator. Hold a metal skewer with one hand and form a palm-size amount of beef onto the skewer using your other hand. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until all the skewers are loaded. Tip: Dip your hand in ice water when forming the meat onto the skewer. Be sure the ground beef wraps around the entire skewer with no spaces or cracks.
Bake the Kabobs:
- Preheat the oven to 450℉ (232℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set the skewers on it and bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the kabobs every 10 minutes for even cooking.
- Slide the kabobs off the skewers and onto a serving plate. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving with raita and fresh bread.
Grill the Kabobs:
- Remove the grates from your grill and set them aside. Adjust the burners to high heat for 10 minutes to preheat before adding the kabobs.
- Set the skewers on the grill over high heat. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Then, flip the kabobs and cook on high heat for another 6 minutes.
- Knead the ground meat. Knead the ground meat using clean hands or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. In The Food Lab, J. Kenji López-Alt explains that kneading helps the meat bind to skewers more effectively by breaking down muscle proteins.
- Use cold water. Leave a large bowl of cold water next to the kabob mixture. Dip your hand into the water before forming the kabobs to keep the mixture cool and prevent the meat from sticking to your hand.
- Form the kabobs. Attach the meat to thin kabob skewers using the same amount of meat for each kebab to ensure the kebabs cook at the same rate.
- Transport the kebabs. After forming the ground beef onto the skewers, line them onto a baking sheet for easy transportation to the grill, or pop them straight into the oven.