Beef Koobideh-Style Kebab Plate with Saffron Rice

Serves 4 · Prep: 30 minutes · Cook: 35 minutes · Rest: 20 minutes · Total: 1 hour 25 minutes

Two browned beef kebabs over white and saffron basmati rice with charred tomato, pepper, salad, and red onion

Two long beef kebabs, fluffy saffron rice, and a tomato soft enough to drag through both: this is a plate that rewards a little mixing as you eat. The cold yogurt-dressed iceberg and cucumber give you something crisp between bites, with cabbage, onion, and sumac adding a sharp edge.

The kebabs need a little attention before they meet the heat. Squeezing the grated onion dry and kneading the beef until tacky helps them hold together, so give that part your time. Flat skewers are useful, but chilled, ridged logs work under the broiler, too. You can get the rice going while the beef chills.

Ingredients

Beef kebabs

1½ pounds 85/15 ground beef, cold
1 medium yellow onion, grated and squeezed very dry (about ¼ cup drained pulp)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, optional
1 tablespoon neutral oil, for the pan or grill

Saffron rice and vegetables

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
2½ cups water
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Large pinch saffron threads
2 tablespoons hot water, for the saffron
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
4 small tomatoes, halved
4 mild sweet peppers, such as mini bell peppers

Salad and serving

3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
1 tablespoon water, to loosen the dressing
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sumac, optional

Instructions

1
Mix and shape the kebabs
Squeeze the grated onion in a clean towel until almost no liquid drips out. Combine the drained onion pulp, beef, salt, pepper, and turmeric in a cold bowl. Knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into 8 portions. Shape each into a 6-inch log and press shallow ridges along it with damp fingers. Set on an oiled, foil-lined sheet pan and chill for 20 minutes. If using wide flat skewers, press each portion firmly around a skewer instead.
2
Cook the rice
Put the rinsed rice, 2½ cups water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, crush the saffron into 2 tablespoons hot water and let it steep. Fluff the rice with the butter or olive oil; mix the saffron water into about one-quarter of it, then fold that yellow rice back through the white rice without overmixing.
3
Make the salad
Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water until pourable. Toss the lettuce and cucumber with enough dressing to coat lightly. Keep the cabbage and red onion separate so they stay crisp; spoon any extra yogurt dressing on at the table.
4
Broil the kebabs and vegetables
Set a rack about 6 inches below the broiler and heat it on high. Lightly oil the kebabs. Put the tomatoes and peppers, cut side up for the tomatoes, on a second foil-lined sheet pan. Broil the kebabs for 5 to 7 minutes per side, turning carefully, until browned and 160°F (71°C) in the center. Broil the vegetables alongside or immediately afterward until blistered and softened, about 6 to 10 minutes; watch them closely. Alternatively, grill the skewered kebabs over medium-high heat, turning until browned and 160°F (71°C).
5
Build the plates
Divide the rice among 4 plates. Add 2 kebabs, a charred tomato, and a pepper to each. Arrange the yogurt-dressed salad, red cabbage, and onion alongside. Sprinkle the kebabs and rice with sumac if using, and serve with lemon wedges.

Shortcuts and substitutions

No flat skewers

Shape chilled logs on a well-oiled, foil-lined pan and broil them. Flat skewers help on a grill, but they are not required for the sheet-pan method.

Beef and lamb

Replace up to half the beef with ground lamb. Keep enough fat in the mix—very lean ground meat makes drier kebabs that are more likely to crack.

No saffron or sumac

Plain basmati rice is still good here; turmeric will color the rice but will not taste like saffron. If you have no sumac, finish with a squeeze of lemon instead.

No Greek yogurt

Use plain whole-milk yogurt and add the water only if needed. For a dairy-free plate, dress the lettuce and cucumber with olive oil and lemon rather than trying to mimic the yogurt.

Recipe notes

Keep the kebabs together

Wet onion is the usual troublemaker: squeeze it hard, knead the mixture until tacky, and chill the shaped kebabs before cooking. A thin spatula helps turn the broiled logs without breaking them.

About the photo

This is a home recipe based on what is visible in the original photo, not a claim about the exact seasoning or preparation of the photographed plate.

Food safety and leftovers

Cook ground beef to 160°F (71°C) on a thermometer. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat the kebabs until hot. Keep the dressed salad separate from the rice and meat. USDA safe temperature chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make beef koobideh-style kebabs without skewers?

Yes. Shape the meat into ridged logs, chill them for 20 minutes, and broil on a lightly oiled, foil-lined pan. Turn gently and check that the center reaches 160°F (71°C).

Why do ground-beef kebabs fall apart?

The onion may be too wet, the meat may be too lean, or the mixture may not have been kneaded long enough. Squeeze the onion dry and work the meat until it feels sticky before shaping.

What goes with beef koobideh kebabs?

This plate has basmati rice, saffron-tinted rice, charred tomato and mild pepper, a cool cucumber-lettuce salad, red cabbage, red onion, and a little sumac or lemon.

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