Turkish Lamb & Pistachio Kebab (Antep Kebabı)

My Turkish lamb & pistachio köfte kebab is meaty, juicy and packed with flavour. It’s a much loved dish in Turkey, and it’s easy to see why, once you taste it. The great news is that it couldn’t be simpler to make at home.

On my travels in Turkey back in 2005, I sampled many (and I mean many) kebabs. One such delight was a lamb köfte (minced) kebab in a town called Gaziantep - the Antep kebab, as it is known, is somewhat of a celebration throughout Turkey it would transpire. It's not hard to see why - ground lamb is mashed with crunchy and fragrant pistachio nuts into a homogenous, sticky paste, then threaded onto skewers and charred over hot coals. The results are stupendous!

Thankfully, the authentic recipe isn't that hard to replicate at home! I love serving this dish all year 'round, and typically serve mine with either a grilled tomato half, a grilled green chilli and Sumac Onions or Shepherd Salad. In the pictures for this recipe I opted for a simple leaf salad and one of my favourites; a Turkish Spoon Salad.

The flavours are clean and hearty, and packed with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean personality. While it's not strictly Mediterranean, it lends many of the characteristics we all love, so for that reason, it's part of my Mediterranean Collection, where you'll find many recipes to pair with this delicious kebab.

What's Ahead?

What is Antep Kebabı?

Antep Kebabı is one of Türkiye’s most celebrated grilled meat dishes, originating in the southeastern city of Gaziantep (often simply called Antep). Made by moulding seasoned minced lamb onto wide metal skewers before grilling over charcoal, it’s renowned for its rich flavour and remarkable simplicity.

Unlike many minced meat kebabs, authentic Antep Kebabı relies on very few ingredients. Traditionally, hand-minced lamb is combined with lamb tail fat, salt and sometimes a little mild pepper, allowing the quality of the meat to shine. The intense heat of the charcoal grill creates a smoky, lightly charred exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender.

In restaurants across Gaziantep, Antep Kebabı is typically served with warm lavash, grilled tomatoes, green peppers, fresh parsley and tangy sumac onions. It’s a dish that perfectly captures the bold yet restrained flavours that have made Gaziantep one of the world’s great culinary destinations.

Why You'll Love it

• It's authentically delicious - my recipe keeps things simple and has no extraneous ingredients. Everything is there for a reason!
• It's easy - a mix of the ingredients is all the effort you'll put in, then it's a matter of minutes on the BBQ (or grill/oven) to produce your juicy kebabs.
• It's make-ahead friendly - mould your kebabs way in advance (and even freeze) then a few minutes on the BBQ is all you need.

Ingredients You'll Need

I kept ingredients down to what delivers the tastiest results. My recipe is a result of many trials and tribulations and I've settled on my favourite version.

• Lamb mince/ground lamb - look for around 15-20% fat content. Lamb is the essential flavour, it's not authentic with any other meat.
• Pistachios - another essential. Buy unsalted and chop them quite finely with a few larger lumps.
• Onion - gives flavour and helps tenderise the lamb
• Aleppo pepper - known as 'pul biber' in Turkey is a mild coarse chilli powder/flakes and gives an ever-so-slight lingering heat.
• Salt & Pepper - Essential for flavouring
• Parsley - not super traditional, but I like the tiny bit of fragrance it brings.

Step by Step

Making these kebabs couldn't be easier. Here's how the magic happens.

1. Grate the onion and squeeze out the excess water, then add to a bowl with all the other ingredients.
2. Using your hands, squish and mix the ingredients for at least 5 minutes until it's very well combined and has become sticky.
3. Divide the mix into 6 equal portions (around 100g each) then squish and shape each portion onto a flat metal skewer. Make a long sausage, then flatten out slightly as shown above.
4. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side on a hot bbq, baste in a little butter or oil if you like. You can cook in an oven grill/broiler or in the oven too.
   Broiler/Grill: grill the kebabs 10–12cm (4–5 inches) from the heat for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway until lightly charred and cooked through. Oven: Bake in a preheated 220°C (425°F) oven for 15–18 minutes, turning halfway, until browned and cooked through.

Pro Tips - Things I've learned

• Add fat - The lamb in the original Turkish version is quite fatty, which is not easy to replicate with commercial minced lamb (because of lean meat fanatics), but adding a little extra fat can go some way to creating similar results. I will often add a tablespoon of butter or lard to the mix. This seems to do the trick, dripping fat into the BBQ for smoky flare-ups and super-juicy results.
• Squeeze out the onion - get rid of the excess water, as this will make the mix too wet and run the risk of it sliding off the skewers.
• No binders - You don't need an egg or breadcrumbs to bind the mix - trust!
• Refrigerate - some time in the fridge is encouraged for a couple of reasons; firstly to develop flavour, and to tenderise the lamb and secondly to firm up the kebabs so that they stay on the skewers when grilling. It's for that reason we put the meat on the skewers before refrigerating. 1-2 hours at the minimum but I suggest between 4-24 hours.
• Cooking for crowds - these kebabs are ideal for cooking for large numbers. They cook quickly and can be served on the table surrounded by mezze dishes to accompany. I'll often add some chicken skewers alongside for a kebab party! Use my tried and tested Turkish chicken marinade and you can't go wrong.
• Flat metal skewers - these work best as the meat adheres better than thin wooden skewers. The meat tends to fall off those too easily.
• No skewers? Don't worry - Make sausages instead! Roll into large sausage shapes and flatten slightly refrigerate and grill as normal.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

• Traditional accompaniments - I typically serve mine with a flatbread and then a few vegetable sides. Traditionally, you'll receive it with a grilled/charred tomato and chilli pepper and maybe some sumac onions and a simple green salad.
• More serving suggestions - Over the years, I've served mine with a simple Shepherd's Salad or a Spoon Salad. On occasion I'll include a buttery rice & orzo pilaf or a yoghurt based sauce like cacik, yoghurt & garlic or creamy haydari. All of these work well.
• Fridge - leftovers are fine for 2-3 days in the fridge. They'll lose most of their juicy quality, but will still taste amazing.
• Freezer - Freeze before cooking (on the skewer). Then to cook from frozen over a lower temperature BBQ for 12-15 minutes until fully cooked through.

Ready to get cooking?

Make your grilling season a little more exciting with these amazing lamb & pistachio kebabs, they're the perfect centrepiece for your next Mediterranean or Middle Eastern feast, and they won't take you long to pull together. I've been serving happy friends and family these köfte for years and have eaten more than a few myself!

The biggest difference is the pistachios. Finely chopped and mixed through the lamb, they add subtle sweetness, a delicate crunch and a richness that makes every bite a little more interesting. Combined with simple seasonings and smoky barbecue flavour, they create a kebab that’s unlike any other Turkish lamb skewer.

Hope you enjoy as much as we have!

More Turkish recipes

If you liked this recipe, I'm sure you'll love more of my favourite Turkish offerings that will play excellently with these juicy Antep kebabs.

• Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip
• Turkish Bean Salad (Fasulye Piyaz)
• Turkish Carrot Salad
• Muhammara (Red Pepper & Walnut Dip)
• Turkish Green Beans (Zeytinyağlı Fasulye)

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