Kefta

Kefta is a flavorful mixture of ground meat, usually beef or lamb (or both), seasoned with a healthy dose of spices and fresh herbs. One of Morocco's most popular street foods, kefta can be shaped into patties, meatballs or shaped around skewers to make kefta kabobs before it's grilled or broiled.

Kefta is most commonly made with ground beef or lamb. We use a combination of both in our kefta recipe. Finding lean ground lamb can be difficult, so adding 90 percent lean or leaner ground beef can help cut down on saturated fat and calories as well as help balance the flavor.

One thing that sets kefta apart from a standard meatball is the bold combination of flavors. We marinate the ground meat in lemon juice to give the meatballs some acidity. From there, a combination of onion, garlic and green olives is added to the mix along with cilantro, parsley and plenty of cumin for a flavorful punch. You can experiment with your own combination of herbs and spices as well. Fresh mint, cinnamon, paprika and cayenne pepper are all good options to add in. We like the briny flavor of green olives, but you can leave them out if you prefer. We recommend chopping additions like onion, garlic and olives together in a food processor to ensure the flavor is spread throughout while also helping the kefta stick together when they're shaped.

Kefta can be shaped into patties, balls or around a skewer for kefta kabobs. Kefta is commonly grilled, but if you don't have a grill, you can easily broil them in the oven as we do here. Our kefta is shaped into patties to make broiling easier. If your kefta is shaped into balls or wrapped around skewers, they may take longer to cook on the grill or under the broiler. Kefta should be cooked until it's brown in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees F.

We like to serve our kefta with a side of harissa. You can enjoy these patties on their own or slip them inside pita bread for a delicious sandwich.

Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer