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    Cooking Gorgeous » Recipes » Turkish Recipes

    Adana Kebab (Adana Kofte)

    Published: May 3, 2022 · Modified: Nov 26, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Adana Kebab (a.k.a Adana Kebap or Adana Kofte) is a delicious hand-minced meat kebab mounted on a skewer and then grilled over charcoal. This delicious spicy ground lamb kebab is a staple of Turkish street food and can be found on menus around the world.

    acili ezme served with adana kebab and pita bread

    The good news is that all you need is a few ingredients and 4 metal skewers to make this easy recipe at home. The best way to serve these flavorsome and juicy kebabs is on flatbread, or with rice and a variety of salads and mezes.

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • What is Adana Kebab?
    • Ingredients You'll Need
    • How to Make Adana Kebab - Adana Kofte
    • How to Cook Adana Kebab in an Oven?
    • Top Tips From the Chef
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Adana Kebab

    Same as Kuzu Tandir Kebab - Turkish Roasted Lamb, and Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab), Adana Kebabs are tender, juicy, and perfect to serve on Greek Pita Bread or Middle Eastern Lavash Bread along with Sumac Onions - Turkish Red Onion Salad.

    This unique kebab is one of the most delicious and famous kebabs of Turkish cuisine and originated in Adana city of Turkey. It’s traditionally made with hand-minced lamb meat, tail fat, a generous amount of Urfa chili pepper, and salt.

    The best way to cook them is to grill them on charcoal but can work on an indoor grill pan or cast-iron skillet as well as in an oven. 

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • These kebabs are extremely delicious and easy to make with only a few ingredients. 
    • You can prepare this traditional Adana Kebab in advance and keep them refrigerated for up to three days. They taste even better the day after.
    • You can make Adana Kebabs in batches and keep them in the freezer for up to three months. Perfect for emergency guests!

    What is Adana Kebab?

    Adana Kebab is a Turkish kebab dish made of hand-minced lamb meat mounted on a wide iron skewer. The traditional way to cook them is to grill them on an open coal fire (mangal in Turkish). It is named after Adana, the fifth-largest city in Turkey, and was originally known as the "Kıyma Kebabı".

    These delicious kabobs are traditionally made of male lamb meat younger than one year of age, Urfa chili peppers, and tail fat hand-minced together. The animal has to be grown in its natural environment and fed with the local flora. The meat should then be cleansed of its silverskin, nerves, and internal fat. 

    Ingredients You'll Need

    Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

    Labelled picture of ingredients for Adana Kebab

    How to Pick the Lamb Meat?

    Authentically, Adana Kebabı is made from the meat of a male lamb that is younger than one year of age.

    For this recipe, I used lamb shoulder and cleaned as much of the silver skin and nerves as possible to have soft and delicious kebabs. Alternatively, you can use lamb mince with a high-fat ratio (minimum of %30). However, the taste and the texture of Adana Kebab won't be the same as a hand-chopped lamb.

    Lamb Fat

    It is essential as it is the most important key for this delicious Adana Kabob. However, finding tail fat is very difficult if you are not in Turkey. Therefore you can use regular lamb mince with a high-fat ratio in this recipe. It still comes out super tasty without being as authentic.

    • Chilli - It is the only spice used for Adana Kebap (Adana Kofte). Adjust the amount to your taste.
    • Red pepper paste - Turkish red pepper paste is a rich, delicious paste made with juicy, spicy red peppers and I use it quite often in my Turkish recipes. You can buy it from Turkish or Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon.

    How to Make Adana Kebab - Adana Kofte

    This simple recipe for Adana Kebab is very easy to make. However, you need a special knife called the "Zırh" to achieve the best results.

    This knife is used for combining lamb meat pieces with tail fat, a special technique called "zırhlama" in Turkish. This technique is the most important part of making a delicious & authentic Adana Kebab.

    hand chopped lamb meat in a glass bowl
    Hand-chopped lamb meat

    Today, however, like with most traditional recipes, there are different variations of this kebab recipe. You can use ground lamb instead of hand-chopping your meat. The taste will be different and it will lose its authenticity but it will still be delicious.

    hand chopped tail fat added to lamb meat
    Hand-chopped tail fat

    I personally don't own a "zirh knife" (yet) so I use my Japanese knife to chop the meat and tail fat. As the mixture is slightly coarse when chopped with a regular knife, I put it in my Thermomix and then blitz it for 30 seconds until it binds together.

    The result is very satisfying and very close to an authentic Adana Kebab (or Adana Kofte) recipe.

    chilli, salt and pepper paste added to lamb meat in a glass bowl

    Make the Kebab Mixture

    To make the kebab mixture, combine the chopped lamb meat with tail fat (or minced lamb), chili flakes, red pepper paste, and salt. Mix the ingredients together with your hands until you have an evenly sticky mixture.

    Adana Kebab ingredients mixed in a glass bowl
    Adana Kebab mixture

    Place the Mixture on Skewers

    Divide your lamb mixture into four equal parts. Wet your hands with water in between handling the minced meat. Mold the meat around the skewer to form a flattened kofte kebab.

    Just like when making Urfa Kebab - Turkish Ground Lamb Kebab, you can use metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for half an hour.

    4 pieces of Adana Kebabs on skewers

    Cook the Kebabs

    The best way to cook them is on charcoal. However, you can cook them on a gas BBQ, on a griddle pan, or even in the oven. It takes 15 to 20 minutes on the BBQ, 10 to 12 minutes on the griddle, and 18 to 20 minutes in a 200° C (392° F) preheated oven.

    Make sure to turn the kebabs a few times to ensure all the sides are cooked equally.

    cooking Adana kebabs on BBQ

    How to Cook Adana Kebab in an Oven?

    To cook Adana Kebabs in the oven, line a baking sheet with silicone paper and then add a wire rack over the sheet. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F) and lay the kebabs in a single layer on the wire rack. Cook them for 20 minutes, 10 minutes on each side until slightly charred.

    You can roast tomatoes and peppers underneath the rack at the same time and serve them with your kebabs.

    Top Tips From the Chef

    • A knife called "zirh" is used for combining lamb meat pieces with tail fat, a special technique called "zırhlama" in Turkish. This technique is the most important part of making a delicious & authentic Adana Kebab.
    • Ideally, use metal skewers for your Adana Kebabs. However, wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for half an hour would work too.
    • Have a bowl of water with you while handling and molding the minced meat around the skewer to form a flattened kofte kebab.
    • While cooking the Adana Kebabs, make sure to turn them a few times to ensure all the sides are cooked equally.

    Serving Suggestions

    I usually serve Adana kebabs over Turkish Pide Bread (Ramazan Pidesi) or Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread) along with some traditional accompaniments such as Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme), Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi), Mediterranean Honey Halloumi Salad, Batata Harra (Lebanese Potatoes), and some grilled peppers, onions, and tomatoes on the side.

    Another popular way to serve these spicy ground lamb kebabs is to make Adana wraps (Adana Durum in Turkish) with some sumac-onion salad on a flatbread.

    Adana wraps are usually served with a variety of sides and condiments, such as grilled vegetables, pickles, and yogurt sauce. Some people also like to add a spicy red pepper paste or squeeze a wedge of lemon over the top for an extra kick of flavor.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to store the leftovers?

    The leftovers would keep refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
    If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

    Is Adana Kebab spicy?

    Yes, traditionally these kebabs are made with plenty of Urfa chili peppers which makes them quite spicy.
    However, you can adjust the amount of chili to make it less spicy.

    Can I use ground beef instead of lamb?

    While traditional Adana Kebab is made with ground lamb, it is possible to use ground beef as a substitute.
    However, it's important to note that this will change the flavor and texture of the dish.

    Related Recipes

    For more delicious Turkish Kebab recipes why not try:

    • Lamb Shish Kebab
    • patlican kebab
      Patlican Kebabi - Eggplant Kebab
    • Turkish Sarma Lamb Beyti Kebab
    • Islim Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Adana Kebab as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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    Adana Kebab

    Ayla Clulee
    Adana Kebab (a.k.a Adana Kebap or Adana Kofte) is a delicious hand-minced meat kebab mounted on a skewer and then grilled over charcoal.
    5 from 9 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Turkish
    Servings 4 skewers
    Calories 444 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 Zirh knife
    • 1 kebab skewers
    • 1 measuring spoons

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 700 g lamb meat
    • 100 g tail fat
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
    • 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • To make the kebab mixture, combine the chopped lamb meat with tail fat (or minced lamb), chili flakes, red pepper paste, and salt.
    • Mix the ingredients together with your hands until you have an evenly sticky mixture. 
    • Divide your lamb mixture into four equal parts.
    • Wet your hands with water in between handling the minced meat and then mold the meat around the skewer to form a flattened kofte kebab.
    • The best way to cook them is on charcoal but you can cook them on a gas BBQ, on a griddle pan, or even in the oven. It takes 15 to 20 minutes on the BBQ, 10 to 12 minutes on the griddle, and 18 to 20 minutes in a 200 °C preheated oven.
    • Make sure to turn the kebabs a few times to ensure all the sides are cooked equally.

    Notes

    • The best way to cook Adana Kebab is to grill them on charcoal. However, you can cook these kebabs on an indoor grill pan or cast-iron skillet as well as in an oven. 
    • Have a bowl of water with you while handling and molding the minced meat around the skewer to form a flattened kofte kebab.
    • A special technique called "zırhlama" is the most important part of making a delicious & authentic Adana Kebab.
    • Make sure to turn the kebabs a few times to ensure all the sides are cooked equally.
    • You can use metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for half an hour.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 180gCalories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 36gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 711mgPotassium: 543mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 234IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    This post uses affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lin

      May 04, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe with exact ingredients. Oh my, charcoal grill is truly the only way to cook these.

      Reply
    2. Sharon

      May 08, 2022 at 5:13 am

      5 stars
      Mixed all the ingredients, refrigerated overnight, and grilled them the next day using flat metal skewers. They were very easy to shape and grill and tasted fantastic. Will definitely make again. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        May 16, 2022 at 7:17 am

        Hi, Sharon! It is my pleasure. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
        Best wishes
        Ayla x

        Reply
    3. Erika

      June 02, 2022 at 5:45 am

      5 stars
      I was so pleased with the way they came out, so tasty and everyone loved them. Thank you so much for the great recipe, and I'm making them again for guests this weekend. x

      Reply
    4. Sara

      June 08, 2022 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious and even enjoyed by my fussy husband! Thank you.

      Reply
    5. Kareem

      June 11, 2022 at 7:14 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for family dinner and everyone loved it! I will definitely be making this again !

      Reply
    5 from 9 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Welcome to Cooking Gorgeous, where delicious easy-to-follow recipes and culinary inspiration await you! My name is Ayla Clulee, a passionate and professional Cordon Bleu-trained chef, recipe developer, and food content creator with decades of experience. I am based in the UK, and I'm thrilled to have you here.

    The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy.

    More about me →

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