Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
A tender rich kebob with a refreshing dip. Perfect on its own or as part of a Mediterranean Plate.

Gyro Plates are one of my favorite meals, but we rarely go out for them, as I usually can’t eat the seasoning that is used to make the lamb. With that said, I wanted to try a few takes on the gyro plate and came up with a great appetizer…that can be made into a full plate. These lamb koftas using ground lamb, which can be found at a grocery store, and is much more budget friendly compared to a leg of lamb. I did some research on ingredients and then just started playing around with flavors that I enjoy. These lamb koftas were quick and easy and include most ingredients that you are already have in the pantry. When it comes to the sauce, is it really a Greek plate if there isn’t some sort of Tzatziki Sauce? I decided to use fresh basil to amp it up, not only making it fructose friendly, but just simply delicious. The perfect pairing for the kofta.

Serve it with:

• Greek Salad
• Pita Bread
• Hummus
• Greek Lemon Rice
• Basil Tzatziki Sauce

What you need:

• Mixing Bowl
• Wood or Metal Skewers
• Tray or Baking Sheet
• Ground Lamb
• Cumin
• Smoked Paprika
• Oregano
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Lemon Zest

The Kofta

Kofta kebobs are a quick and easy dish. First things first, if you are using wooden skewers, get them soaking in water. The lamb grills up quick, so you really only need to soak the skewers for about 10-20 minutes. While the skewers are soaking, add the ground lamb into a mixing bowl, along with the cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper and lemon zest (zest is the outside yellow layer from the lemon, which you can get by using a microplane or box grater). Using your hands, mix the lamb well, ensuring that you get all of the seasoning incorporated.

Separate the lamb into 6 sections and form a patty with each. Take your skewer and place it in the center of the patty and form the patty around the skewer into an oval “meatball” at the top of the skewer. Repeat with each of the patties.

Side Note: If you don’t have a lemon on hand or the ability to zest it, you can substitute 1 tsp Sumac.

Side Note: If you don’t like lamb or can’t find it, substitute with 90/10 ground beef.

Turn your grill to medium-high heat. When the temperature hits 400, you are ready to grill. Spray the grill grates with non-stick spray and add your skewers. Grill for a total of 5-8 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes. I like my lamb medium, so I take it off around the 6-7 minute mark.