Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt (Print Version)

Juicy beef patties seasoned with Middle Eastern spices, seared crispy and served with cool cucumber yogurt sauce.

# What You 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 kosher salt
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
11 - 1 tbsp olive oil (for pan-frying)

→ Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

12 - 7 oz Greek yogurt
13 - ½ cucumber, grated
14 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
15 - 1 tbsp fresh 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)

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, minced garlic, grated onion, chopped parsley, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chili flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just incorporated—avoid overworking the meat to keep the kebabs tender.
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, creating the signature smashed profile.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the kebabs in the pan and cook for 4 to 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. In a small bowl, combine the cucumber with Greek yogurt, chopped dill, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Arrange the hot kebabs on a platter with generous dollops of cucumber yogurt sauce, sliced red onion, warm flatbreads or rice, and scattered fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These kebabs cook in under fifteen minutes, which means you can pull them off even on your most chaotic weeknights.
  • The cucumber yogurt sauce is so good you will start putting it on everything from roasted vegetables to plain rice.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet, so cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy.
02 -
  • Do not skip squeezing the cucumber dry or your sauce will weep water all over the plate within minutes.
  • Letting the shaped kebabs rest in the fridge for even ten minutes helps them hold together better during cooking.
  • A pinch of sumac or zaatar rubbed into the meat before cooking transforms the flavor without any extra effort.
03 -
  • Wet your hands slightly before shaping the kebabs to prevent the meat from sticking to your palms and tearing.
  • Let the pan get fully hot before adding the kebabs because a proper sear locks in juices and creates those irresistible charred bits.

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