Smashed Beef Kebab with Cucumber Yogurt (Printable View)
Juicy ground beef patties, pan-seared until crispy and topped with cool cucumber yogurt sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Beef Kebabs
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80% lean)
02 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
03 - 1 small onion, grated
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp ground coriander
07 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
08 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
11 - 1 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
→ Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
12 - 7 oz Greek yogurt
13 - ½ cucumber, grated
14 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
15 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ To Serve
18 - Sliced red onion
19 - Warm flatbreads or rice (optional)
20 - Fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro)
# Cooking Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, minced garlic, grated onion, parsley, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined—do not overwork the meat.
02 - Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a thick, oval patty, then gently flatten with your palm to about ¾ inch thickness for the classic smashed kebab form.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add kebabs and cook 4–5 minutes per side until deeply browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F.
04 - While the kebabs cook, squeeze excess moisture from the grated cucumber. Combine with Greek yogurt, dill, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Arrange hot kebabs on a platter with generous dollops of cucumber yogurt sauce. Garnish with sliced red onion, fresh herbs, and serve alongside warm flatbreads or rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cucumber yogurt sauce is so good you will want to eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl.
- Everything comes together in about half an hour, which makes this feel like a weeknight secret weapon.
02 -
- Overmixing the meat is the fastest way to end up with kebabs that have the texture of a rubber ball.
- Squeezing the cucumber dry is non negotiable, and I learned this after serving a sauce that puddled across the entire plate.
03 -
- Wet your hands slightly before shaping the kebabs to keep the meat from sticking to your palms.
- Press a small dimple into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent puffing up unevenly in the pan.