If you’re a lover of spice, you’ve got to try these fiery Adana kebabs from Turkey! Three types of chili pepper in the mixture gives them a complex heat that lingers in the best way.
A Spiced Turkish Kebab Perfect For Chili-Lovers
The southeastern Turkish city of Adana, where Adana kebabs get their name, is known for its rich, flavorful cuisine. The city’s culinary traditions reflect Mediterranean, Arab, Armenian, and Anatolian influences. Some even call it a “Mecca” for foodies and spice lovers! If that’s you, you’ve got to try the city’s namesake kebabs. They’ve got a unique spicy, smoky, and earthy flavor.
My version, which is a bit simplified, doesn’t require you to manually mince the meat or mix in chunks of lamb fat. Both are traditional, but time-consuming, and a richer meal. Instead, I use regular ground lamb, but you can also use just ground beef, or a combination of the two.
A combination of Mediterranean spices, including three different types of chili peppers, gives these kebabs their signature flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of cayenne, in particular, to make the heat a little less intense. Charred on the grill and wrapped in a flatbread, these Adana kebabs are deliciously spicy with a kiss of smoke!
Key Ingredients
- Ground meat – Traditionally, these turkish kebabs are made from hand-minced lamb, which gives them a distinctive gamey flavor, but you can use any ground meat you like. If using lean beef, chicken, or turkey, add a little more olive oil to prevent them from drying out on the grill.
- Onion– A small grated onion helps keep the kebabs moist and delivers diffuse onion flavor. Have a clean tea towel nearby in case there are tears!
- Urfa biber – These special Turkish chili flakes have a sweet sun-dried flavor, with a hint of tang and smoke, and a mild lingering spice. Their complex flavor is key for this dish!
- Ground cayenne pepper – The main source of the spicy kick in this recipe, I like the intense heat of cayenne against the raisiny flavor of the urfa biber. Use as much or little as you like.
- Smoked paprika – made by drying, smoking, and grinding sweet peppers, this Spanish paprika adds a distinctly smoky flavor.
- Sumac – A spice made from ground sumac berries, the sumac adds a mouthwatering sour flavor with tannins, similar to a red wine.
- Ground cumin gives the kebab mixture an earthy flavor that works well to ground the spice.
- Tomato paste, a key ingredient in these Turkish chicken kebabs, too, balances the spice with savory sweetness, and gives them great color.
- Extra virgin olive oil adds moisture and some key richness to the kebab mixture.
How to Make Adana Kebabs
- Make the kebab mixture. Place 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb (or beef, or a combination) in a large bowl. Finely grate 1 small yellow onion and drain it of excess juice. To the meat add the onion, 2 teaspoons urfa biber pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (if you like), 1 teaspoon sumac, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, then season with salt and black pepper (about 1 teaspoon each). Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Knead the mixture until well combined. Cover the bowl and chill for anywhere from 30 minutes or overnight.
- Get ready to grill. If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Dip a folded-up paper towel in oil and, using tongs, carefully rub the oil on the grates of an outdoor gas grill. Set the grill to medium and close the lid while it heats.
- Form the kebabs. Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal portions. Mold each portion onto and around a flat stainless-steel or wood skewer, covering the skewer all the way around it. When finished, the meat-wrapped skewers will be about 1 to 1½ inches thick. Repeat the process until you have shaped all 6 kebabs.
- Grill the kebabs. Arrange the meat skewers on the grill over direct heat. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on one side, then turn over and cook until the meat is well charred on both sides and is no longer pink inside (check this by gently pulling some meat away with a fork without fully breaking it), 10 to 12 minutes total.
- Finish and serve. Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and finish with a generous sprinkle of urfa biber and the parsley. Serve immediately with the lavash, marinated onions, and tomato slices.
How to Make Adana Kebabs Without A Grill
You can still make Adana kebebas, even if it’s not grilling weather out! Here’s how.
- Thread the meat onto soaked skewers, just as you would for grilling.
- Preheat the broiler to high, and move a rack about 6 inches from the broiler.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and add a wire rack on top, with the kebabs on top of the rack.
- Broil the kebabs, turning every minute or two and adjusting the broiler as-needed, until the kebabs have nice spots of char and are cooked through.
Pro Tips
- Make ahead: You can make the adana kebabs right before grilling, or prep it up to one day in advance, which makes this a great recipe for planning a gathering or backyard BBQ.
- Chill: Chilling the meat mixture overnight gives the spices a chance to really shine and it helps the mixture keep its shape when forming it to the kebabs.
- To help shape the kebabs: To prevent the adana kebab mixture from sicking to your hands wet them before you start shaping and forming the ground meat to the skewer.
- Skewers: Round skewers work just fine, but they might require a little extra patience. A flat skewer makes it easier to shape the kebab.
What to Serve with Adana Kebabs
When I make Adana kebabs at home, I typically serve them with a few simple additions:
- To make wraps: Lavash bread, pita, or these quick yogurt flatbreads plus sliced tomatoes and these tangy, crunchy sumac-pickled red onions.
- To make a platter: Serve the kebabs over cooked saffron rice, herbed turmeric rice or bulgur, with this a cucumber-tomato salad and cooling Turkish haydari or tzatziki.
- Add a salad: I also love the spice of these with cooling red cabbage salad, Turkish white bean salad, or crunchy fattoush. A Turkish bulgur salad would also be a nice match.
Try These Kebab Recipes Next!
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Chicken Kofta Kebabs with Harissa and Garlic-Mint Yogurt
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Sheet Pan Beef Kofta
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Kofta Kebab Recipe
Adana Kebabs
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
- 1 small yellow onion, finely grated, drained of excess juice
- 2 teaspoons urfa biber, plus more to finish
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
To Serve
- Lavash bread, pita, or flatbread of choice (optional)
- Pickled Onions (optional)
- 2 vine-ripened medium tomatoes, sliced (optional)
Instructions
-
Make the kebab mixture. Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the onion, 2 teaspoons urfa biber, the cayenne (if using), sumac, cumin, and smoked paprika, then season with salt and black pepper (about 1 teaspoon each). Add the tomato paste and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Knead the mixture until well combined. Cover the bowl and chill for anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight.
-
Get ready to grill. If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Dip a folded-up paper towel in oil and, using tongs, carefully rub the oil on the grates of an outdoor gas grill. Set the grill to medium and close the lid while it heats.
-
Form the kebabs. Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal portions. Mold each portion onto and around a flat stainless-steel or wooden skewer, covering the skewer all the way around it. When finished, the meat-wrapped skewers will be about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick. Repeat the process until you have shaped all 6 kebabs.
-
Grill the kebabs. Arrange the meat skewers on the grill over direct heat. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on one side, then turn over and cook until the meat is well-marked on both sides and is no longer pink inside (check this by gently pulling some meat away with a fork without fully breaking it), 10 to 12 minutes total.
-
Finish and serve. Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and finish with a generous sprinkle of urfa biber and the parsley. Serve immediately with the lavash, marinated onions, and tomato slices.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- How to Make Adana Kebabs Without A Grill: Thread the meat onto soaked skewers, just as you would for grilling. Preheat the broiler to high, and move a rack about 6 inches from the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and add a wire rack on top, with the kebabs on top of the rack. Broil the kebabs, turning every minute or two and adjusting the broiler as-needed, until the kebabs have nice spots of char and are cooked through.
Nutrition
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