Kabab Tabei (Easy Pan Kabob)

Kabab Tabei is a quick and easy Persian kabob that needs no grill or skewers. These nicely spiced pan kebabs are seared to juicy perfection. An unbeatable way to satisfy your Persian food craving.

We love to have them with some Persian Barbari Bread and sides.

Kabab Tabei - Pan Kebab

When you crave for the famous Persian kabobs but don’t want to use a grill or skewers, this easy Persian kabob comes to the rescue.

It is prepared with spiced ground meat mixture and cooked in a pan or skillet. This no-grill kebab can be literally prepared any day with easily available ingredients that most of us have at home.

Ingredients

Ground Meat, Grated Onions, Dried Mint, Grated Garlic, Spices, Salt

• Ground Meat -
  • This kabob is typically prepared with a combination of ground beef and lamb. But you can make it with any ground meat — beef, lamb, veal, goat, chicken or turkey as well. 
  • Ground meat with 10 to 15 percent fat is often used. However, 10 percent lean works fine. If using very lean meat, make sure to use sufficient oil to pan fry the kababs. And also use ingredients to add juiciness to the meat mixture, such as, grated onions or grated zucchini.
• Grated Onions - This imparts good flavor and juiciness. Onion flavor is a characteristic hallmark of Persian kabobs. 
• Spices -
  • Here I use several spices such as, paprika, sumac, advieh or kabob spice blend, ground coriander, turmeric and ground black pepper. 
  • Smoked paprika would be wonderful to use — that and sumac are important for the nice kabob flavor.
• Optional - chopped herbs, cracked red pepper

Step by Step Overview

Below is the brief process for making easy pan kebabs but full recipe is at end of post.

• Combine all ingredients and knead well.
• Heat oil in a skillet at medium high.
• Shape meat mixture into a thick round disc and transfer to skillet. Press the mixture to edge of the skillet.
• Cook it for couple minutes and using a butter knife, cut 1.5 inch wide strips. 
• Then flip the kababs and cook until dark brown. Flip them again and cook the other side until done.
• Further, you can also pan sear some tomatoes, shallot halves and peppers.

How to Make it in Oven

Shape a 10-inch flat meat patty on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and broil couple minutes until light golden brown. 

Flatten meat patty slightly and cut out 1.5 inch wide strips. Flip meat strips and broil until dark brown. Then flip the kebabs again and broil until dark brown on other side.

How to Serve Persian Kabobs

They are traditionally served with steamed saffron rice and pan seared or roasted vegetables, salads and doogh.

You can also make sandwiches and wraps with flatbreads or pita bread.

Bake some buns using this honey wheat roll dough and fill with shredded or sliced pan kebabs, sliced salad vegetables or roasted vegetables, pickles, sandwich spreads and hot sauce if you prefer.

Meal Prep and Make Ahead

Preapare the ground meat mixture a day ahead. Cooked kebabs can be reheated in a skillet or oven by spraying a little bit of water to keep them juicy. 

Storage, Freezing, Reheating 

Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers. Cooked kabobs can be frozen. Thaw and reheat as above.

Or place kebabs over rice and reheat together. The steam will heat up the kebabs without drying them out.

Nutrition Facts

Ground beef and lamb are a good source of high quality protein, B vitamins, zinc, selenium and iron. But red meats are recommended to be consumed in moderation. 

And always pair kabobs with lots of vegetables at the meal. Choose grass fed meats for better nutrition quality.

This is a low carb, gluten free, high protein, egg free, dairy free, nut free and soy free recipe. Lower the salt to make it low sodium.

Meat Recipes You May Like:

• Kabob Koobideh
• Kotlet (Meat Patties)
• Roast Lamb Shawarma

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5 from 6 votes

Kabab Tabei (Easy Persian Pan Kabob, No Grill)

Kabab Tabei is a quick and easy Persian kabob that needs no grill or skewers. These nicely spiced pan kebabs are seared to juicy perfection. An unbeatable recipe to satisfy your Persian food craving.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

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Course :Main Course

Cuisine :Persian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 216kcal

Author: Roxana Begum

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 yellow onion large
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef or lamb or combination
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic grated
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sumac
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon advieh Persian stew spice or kebab spice mix
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil or peanut oil, there will be leftover after cooking

Optional (Recommended)

• ▢ cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• ▢ shallot halves or red onion quarters
• ▢ jalapeños or anaheim peppers

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

• ▢
  Mixing Bowl
• ▢
  Cast Iron Skillet
• ▢
  Frying Spatula

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Grate onion and squeeze out the juice. You should have about ⅔ cup grated onions.
• Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead well for 5 minutes, like you would do with dough. The mixture should be smooth, moist, and easy to shape.

  Tip: You could do this in a stand mixer.
• Heat oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet at medium high.
• Shape the meat mixture into a round and flat 8-inch disc on a plate lined with parchment paper.
• Slide your palm under the parchment paper and meat disc. Then flip it onto the hot skillet and peel the parchment paper. Using a wide spatula or your fingers, gently press and spread the mixture to the edge of skillet.
• Lower the heat to medium and cook meat patty for 3 minutes. Using a butter knife cut out 1½ inch wide strips.
• Flip the strips, one by one, using two forks or a fish spatula and a fork. Flatten the strips slightly and then cook the kebabs for 4 to 5 minutes until dark brown on the side touching the skillet.
• Flip kabobs and cook the other side for another 2 minutes until dark brown. Overall, it should take about 5 minutes cooking time on each side. Once well done, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Serve easy pan kebabs with rice or flatbread or make sandwiches and wraps.

Seared Vegetables (Optional)

• Wipe off the skillet with a paper towel. Raise the heat to medium high. Place shallot halves or red onion quarters and jalapeños or Anaheim peppers. Drizzle some oil as needed, while cooking.
• After searing on one side, flip the vegetables and add cherry tomatoes. Cook tomatoes and the other vegetables on all sides until edges are dark brown.

Kebabs in Oven (Broiling Method)

• Press meat mixture into a 10-inch disc on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and broil at high for 2 to 3 minutes until light golden brown.
• Take out the baking sheet, flatten the meat patty slightly with a wide spatula. Using a sharp knife cut out 1½ inch wide strips.
• Flip the meat strips and broil at high for 4 to 5 minutes until dark golden brown. Then flip the kebabs again and broil couple minutes until dark brown on the other side.

Notes

1. Ground meat with 10 to 15 percent fat is often used. But 10 percent lean ground meat works fine. Make these gluten free and low carb seasoned kabobs with ground beef, lamb, goat, veal, chicken or turkey.
2. Skillet: You can use a skillet or pan with a lid. But cast iron skillet works pretty well, cooking the kabobs in a short time with good heat conduction, imparting a nice sear and flavor.
3. Make Ahead: Prepare the ground meat mixture a day ahead.
4. Storage, Freezing: Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers. Cooked kabobs can be frozen for couple months. Thaw and reheat as below.
5. Reheating:
   • Cooked kabab tabei can always be reheated in a skillet or oven simply by spraying a little bit of water to keep them juicy.
   • Or place kebabs over rice and reheat together. The steam will heat up the kebabs.
6. Nutrition Facts: Are for broiled kabab tabei made with 90 percent beef. When fried in pan, some fat from the meat melts into the skillet, while some oil may be absorbed. And some oil from cooked kabobs may also be absorbed by the paper towels.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5kabobs | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 659mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 3mg

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