A delicious meal full of fresh spicy flavor!

Ground Beef Kebabs with pickled onions, tzatziki, and rice pilaf

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My family loves spicy ground beef kebabs served with rice pilaf, pickled onions, and tzatziki sauce. The dish is full of flavor with lots of onion and herbs. My favorite way to cook the kebabs is pan-fried in a cast-iron skillet. However, I’ll give you a couple of other cooking methods so you can choose. The pickled onions add a lot of freshness and are so simple to make. The recipe links for both the onions and my creamy tzatziki are below. You’re going to love it!

Why your family will request this dish

Spicy herb kabob
Creamy fresh tzatziki
Bright pickled onions
Light lemony rice pilaf
A delicious spicy beef kabab meal that’s light, fresh, and full of flavor!

Chickpea Rice Pilaf with ground beef kebabs

Everything you’ll need

For the Kebabs:

Ground beef and/or lamb -80-85% lean is the best meat to use
Small onions –peeled and quartered
Small bunch of cilantro –parsley would be good if you don’t care for cilantro
Garlic cloves
Ground cumin
Ground coriander –
Salt
Serrano chilies -use jalapeno peppers if that’s what you have
Olive oil -try the olive oil in our shop that comes straight from Crete!

For the Rice Pilaf:

Olive oil
Scallions -thinly sliced
Can of chickpeas -drained
Garlic cloves -grated or a teaspoon of granulated garlic powder
Basmati rice
Water or broth
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Fresh lemon juice -never from a bottle!

How to make Spicy Ground Beef Kababs with Rice Pilaf

Make the Kebabs:

Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl and season with salt, cumin, and coriander.
In a food processor that has been fitted with the blade attachment, add one of the quartered onions and pulse until very finely chopped. Be careful not to turn it into a puree.
Transfer the chopped onion to a strainer and season with a pinch of salt. This will help draw out the liquid.
Chop the other onion and add to the strainer.
After about 10 minutes, discard the liquid and add the onions to the beef mixture.
Add the garlic cloves to the food processor and pulse until minced.
Then, add the serrano chilies to the garlic and pulse until very finely chopped.
Transfer the mixture to the mixing bowl.
Add the cilantro leaves with the delicate stems to the food processor and pulse until very finely chopped.
Then, add to the beef mixture.
Add the olive oil to the beef and knead until everything is evenly incorporated. It is best to do this with kitchen gloves to avoid getting the juice from the chilies on your hands.
Cover the beef mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight for maximum flavor.

Form the kebabs:

Measure 3 oz (85g) of the meat mixture and form them into balls. Then, roll them into round patties or approximately 6-inch long kebabs and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Cook in a skillet:

Place a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add a layer of olive oil.
Once the oil is nice and hot, add 5-6 kebabs to the pan and cook them for approximately 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the kebabs to a tray that has been lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Or In the air fryer:

Preheat the air fryer to 400 °F. Brush the kebabs with olive oil and cook them for 4 minutes per side.

Or Grill them on a barbecue grill:

Brush the kebabs with olive oil and grill for 2-3 minutes per side.

Make the Rice Pilaf:

Rinse the rice 3-4 times with cold water to remove any dirt or excess starch, and then soak in cold water for 10-15 minutes.
Add the olive oil and scallions to a pot and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until soft.
Then, add the garlic to warm through.
Add the chickpeas and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the pot along with 2 cups of water, lemon juice, and two teaspoons of salt.
Mix everything together and bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for 15 minutes, and then fluff the rice.

Freezer Instructions:

Once you’ve formed your kababs, they can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to cook them, thaw in the refrigerator and then grill, pan-fry or cook in the air fryer.

Serving

The layers of textures and freshness with this meal make the perfect mix. I serve the beefy kebabs on top of the light chickpea rice with the pickled onions and creamy tzatziki on the side. You all know I love tzatziki on everything, but I can’t wait for you to try the pickled onions. They really make this dish over the top delicious, and you may end up eating them with a lot of other things. Let me know what you think! Kali Orexi!

Spicy Ground Beef Kebabs with Rice Pilaf

Yield: 18-20 kebabs