Air Fryer Kebab Koobideh

You don’t need skewers and a grill to enjoy kabob koobideh. Now you can make air fryer ground beef kebabs with minimal mess and fuss.

One of my family’s favorite meals is Persian kabab koobideh, but we don’t always have the time to skewer it and grill it. During the week, when we crave koobideh I usually pan fry the meat patties because I’m not a big fan of baking it in the oven.

Pan frying, though, can make a big mess. The fat splatters and gets the stove top all greasy and then you are left with a disgusting pan to wash afterwards. This doesn’t normally stop me from making it, but I was open to trying another option.

Why you must try this recipe

During the holidays, middle child gave me an air fryer. I recently made another family favorite, turkey kotlet in the air fryer, instead of pan frying it and liked how it turned out. I especially loved that it didn’t leave me a big mess to clean up or used oil to dispose of.

So I decided to try making koobideh kabob in the air fryer, too. I was thrilled to find out that it was super easy to do and quick to cook up. And the mess? It was all left inside the air fryer and I was able to wash it and clean up in the fraction of the time.

Persian ground beef kabob is incredibly flavorful, so don’t let the small ingredient list deceive you. You do need a food processor. Now you could grate the onions by hand, yes you should grate the onions.

There should not be chunks of onions in your mixture. That’s not what Persian ground beef kabob is. The grated onions melt and become one with the meat. The onions, meat and salt are all combined in the food processor.

Sounds like overkill? Well, the final texture is what makes koobideh different from a hamburger. By processing everything, your final kabab is light and fluffy and not a dense burger. And it is so crazy good!!

This makes an easy weeknight meal and gives you all the feels of a Persian dinner. And no crazy mess to clean up!

Ingredients you need

• Onions: You will use regular brown onions. One medium onion for every pound of meat.
• Ground beef: Use 85% lean ground beef. This is especially important if you are going to skewer and grill the kabob. The extra fat also adds tremendous flavor. You can also use ground lamb or a combination of beef and lamb.
• Salt: Traditionally, Persian koobideh is only seasoned with salt. For additional flavor, you can black pepper, garlic powder and parsley.

Step-by-step directions

1. Peel and quarter the onions and place in the bowl a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until puréed and smooth.

2. Pour onion purée through a strainer placed over a bowl and drain the juice. Kabob will not hold its shape if mixture has too much water. Reserve the onion juice.

3. Using the food processor again, add alternating layers of ground beef, strained onions and salt. Do not over stuff the food processor bowl. The mixture needs room to move and mix so you might have to break this into batches.

4. Process until combined, pausing to scrape down the sides. The mixture will get fluffy and light in color. Transfer mixture into a large mixing bowl. If you have more meat and onions to mix, continue doing this.

5. Once all of the kabob mix is processed and transferred, begin kneading it like bread dough, dipping your hands into the onion water to keep the meat from sticking to your fingers.

The more you knead the kabob mix, the lighter the kabob. Texture should be airy, not a solid mass like in a hamburger. Kabob mix shouldn’t be sticking to your hands especially with them wet with onion water.

Allow kabob to marinate in a refrigerator in a covered bowl for 2-4 hours.

6. Grab a tennis ball size amount of meat mixture and form it into a flat sausage shaped kebab and place on a baking sheet.

7. Place kebabs in one layer in the air fryer and cook at 375ºF for 10 minutes, flipping them over at the halfway mark.

8. If you are unsure if the kababs are done, insert a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of is 145ºF.

Recipe tips and FAQs

We like to serve kabob with some delicious basmati rice, but you can also serve it with flab bread, like lavash. Other side dishes we serve kabob include:

• Mast o khiar (Persian yogurt with cucumbers)
• Shirazi salad
• Torshi (pickled vegetables)
• Sabzi khordan (a platter of fresh herbs)

Many Persians like to add a raw egg yolk in the middle of the rice. You mix the yolk in with the rice for a creamier texture.

Continue to Content

Yield: serves 6

Air Fryer Kebab Koobideh

Print

You don’t need skewers and a grill to enjoy kabob koobideh. Now you can make air fryer ground beef kebabs with minimal mess and fuss.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized onions
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 lb 85% lean ground beef

Instructions

1. Peel and quarter the onions and place in the bowl a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until puréed and smooth.
2. Pour onion purée through a strainer placed over a bowl and drain the juice. Kabob will not hold its shape if mixture has too much water. Reserve the onion juice.
3. Using the food processor again, add alternating layers of ground beef, strained onions and salt. Do not over stuff the food processor bowl. The mixture needs room to move and mix so you might have to break this into batches.
4. Process until combined, pausing to scrape down the sides. The mixture will get fluffy and light in color. Transfer mixture into a large mixing bowl. If you have more meat and onions to mix, continue doing this.
5. Once all of the kabob mix is processed and transferred, begin kneading it like bread dough, dipping your hands into the onion water to keep the meat from sticking to your fingers. The more you knead the kabob mix, the lighter the kabob. Texture should be airy, not a solid mass like in a hamburger. Kabob mix shouldn’t be sticking to your hands especially with them wet with onion water.
6. Allow kabob to marinate in a refrigerator in a covered bowl for 2-4 hours.
7. Grab a tennis ball size amount of meat mixture and form it into a flat sausage shaped kebab and place on a baking sheet.
8. Place kebabs in one layer in the air fryer and cook at 375ºF for 10 minutes, flipping them over at the halfway mark.
9. If you are unsure if the kababs are done, insert a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of is 145ºF.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Serve with basmati rice or lavash bread. Other side dishes include mast o khiar (Persian yogurt with cucumbers), Shirazi salad, homemade torshi (pickled vegetables), a platter of fresh herbs, or sabzi khordan. Many Persians like to add a raw egg yolk in the middle of the rice. You mix the yolk in with the rice for a creamier texture.

This can also be made with a mixture of beef and lamb. But for practicality purposes, we primarily use ground beef.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 840mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 42g

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