Armenian Spiced Meat Kebabs

Take everything you love about lahmajun – that bright, garlicky, gently spiced minced meat with sweet pepper, tomato – and skip the dough entirely. These Armenian Spiced Meat Kebabs our nod to our favorite Armenian street food – we take lahmajun topping, and press into kebab shapes, then sear on a hot griddle until charred and juicy. These kebabs have all the lahmajoun flavor, with half the effort, and no rolling out flatbread or baking until crispy!

We came up with these after making our easy lahmajoun one too many times and realizing the spiced meat mixture is the real star of the show. Pressed into little kebabs and griddled in cast iron, the same blend of lamb (or beef), red pepper paste, parsley, Aleppo pepper, and cumin gets gorgeously caramelized edges while staying tender inside. Tucked into warm lavash with sliced onion, a squeeze of lemon, and a drizzle of yogurt, it's one of the fastest, most crave-worthy weeknight dinners we make.

The whole thing comes together in one bowl, cooks in under 10 minutes on the stovetop, and tastes like something off a kebab cart in Yerevan. No grill required – a hot skillet does all the work (but you can put this on a grill, too – we like to do them on our indoor grill!)

PS: Want to discover Armenian dishes for yourself? Check out this good once-in-a-lifetime tour with Noy Travels, total bucket list trip!

Our Pro Tip

Make Ahead Magic

The flavor gets even better if you mix the meat a few hours ahead (or the night before) and let it marinate in the fridge. The spices bloom and the kebabs hold their shape beautifully.

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

What Are Lahmajun-Style Kebabs?

Lahmajun is the beloved Armenian sort of meat pizza – a paper-thin crust spread with a thin layer of intensely seasoned minced meat and baked until crisp. There is a ton of flavor packed these kebabs from onion, sweet red pepper, garlic, tomato and red pepper paste, loads of fresh parsley, and a warm spice blend built on Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, and allspice.

How to Make Armenian Spiced Meat Kebabs

For this recipe, we take that exact mixture, firm it up so it holds together, press it into oblong kebab shapes (think köfte), and griddle them in a hot cast-iron pan. You get smoky, charred edges and a juicy, deeply spiced center. Serve them wrapped in flatbread, over rice, or alongside a big chopped salad.

Armenian Spiced Kebab Ingredients

This recipe makes 6–8 kebabs (serves about 4). Here's what you'll need:

• Ground lamb or beef (1 lb): Lamb is the most traditional and brings rich flavor; an 80/20 beef or a lamb-beef blend also works beautifully. A little fat keeps the kebabs juicy.
• Onion (1 small, finely grated or minced): The aromatic base. Squeeze out excess liquid so the kebabs hold their shape.
• Red bell pepper (½, finely minced): For sweetness and that classic lahmajun color. Pat it dry.
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced): Essential — lahmajun is unapologetically garlicky.
• Tomato paste (2 tablespoons): Concentrated tomato flavor and color.
• Red pepper paste / biber salças? (1–2 tablespoons): The signature lahmajun ingredient. No luck finding it? Use extra tomato paste plus a little more paprika.
• Fresh parsley (½ cup, finely chopped): Brightness and freshness — don't skimp.
• Aleppo pepper (1–2 teaspoons): Mild, fruity heat. Substitute a mix of sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne.
• Ground cumin (1 teaspoon), sweet or smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), allspice (½ teaspoon), cardamom (a pinch): The warm spice backbone.
• Salt (1 teaspoon) and black pepper (to taste).
• Pomegranate molasses or lemon juice (1 teaspoon, optional): A touch of tang that makes the whole thing sing.
• Olive oil, for the griddle.

Method notes

Blend Herbs and Vegetables

Add herbs and vegetables to a food processor or blender and mix to finely blended.

Mix with Meat

Drain vegetable and herb mix (you do not want ANY additional liquid), and mix with ground beef or lamb.

Chill

Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour, up to overnight.

Shape

Shape meat into kebab/kofte shapes – either around a skewer, in a kebab press, or with your hands, making a long, thin log shape.

Grill

Grill 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly charred and cooked through. Thicker meat kebab shapes will result in longer cook times.

Serve and Enjoy!

Serve with tzatzikipita, green onions, cheese, lavash, or lemon baked rice.

Kitchen notes

Get the moisture right. Squeeze the grated onion and pat the minced pepper dry. Too much liquid and the kebabs won't hold their shape or char properly.

Knead until sticky. Working the meat for a few minutes develops the proteins so the kebabs bind without breadcrumbs or egg — the same trick that makes köfte hold together.

Chill before cooking. Even 30 minutes in the fridge makes the mixture far easier to shape and helps the kebabs stay intact on the hot griddle.

Keep them thin. Flat, ½-inch kebabs get more surface area on the griddle, which means more of those addictive charred edges and faster cooking.

Don't move them too soon. Let each side sear undisturbed so a crust forms before you flip — that's where the flavor lives.

Use a hot cast-iron pan. Cast iron holds high heat and gives the best sear. A flat griddle or heavy stainless skillet works too; make sure it's properly preheated.

Make the mix ahead. The flavor deepens overnight, so this is a great make-ahead dinner — mix the meat, refrigerate, and griddle when you're ready to eat.

Armenian Spiced Kebab FAQs

What's the difference between lahmajun and these kebabs?

Same spiced meat mixture, different format. Lahmajun spreads a thin layer of the meat on flatbread and bakes it crisp; these kebabs press the meat into shapes and griddle them, for a heartier, faster, dough-free version.

Where do we find red pepper paste?

Look in Hungarian, Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean grocers- or the international aisle of larger supermarkets. If you can't find it, use extra tomato paste plus a little more paprika and Aleppo pepper. We buy Hungarian pepper paste on Amazon.

What's the best meat to use?

Ground lamb is the most traditional and most flavorful. A lamb-beef blend or 80/20 ground beef both work well — avoid lean meat, which can turn dry.

Can we cook these on an outdoor grill?

Yes. Shape them a bit thicker so they don't fall through the grates, or mold the mixture around flat metal skewers. Grill over medium-high heat, turning once, until charred and cooked through.

Can we make them in the oven or air fryer?

Absolutely. Broil on a sheet pan 4–5 minutes per side, or air-fry at 400°F for about 10 minutes, until charred and cooked to temperature.

What can we substitute for Aleppo pepper?

A blend of sweet paprika with a small pinch of cayenne mimics the mild, fruity heat of Aleppo pepper nicely.

How do we store and reheat leftovers?

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in a skillet or air fryer to keep the edges crisp; the microwave works in a pinch but softens them.

Are these gluten-free?

Yes, the kebabs themselves contain no flour – serve them over rice or salad instead of flatbread to keep the whole meal gluten-free.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground lamb or beef
• 1 Onion, finely grated or minced
• 1 Red bell pepper, finely minced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Red pepper paste
• ½ cup Fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
• ½ tsp allspice
• 1 pinch cardamom
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, to taste.
• 1 tsp Pomegranate molasses or lemon juice
• 1 tsp Olive oil, for the griddle.

Method

1. Mix the meat. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, grated onion (squeezed dry), minced red pepper, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, parsley, all the spices, salt, pepper, and the pomegranate molasses or lemon juice.
2. Knead well. Using your hands, knead the mixture for 2–3 minutes until it's sticky and well combined – this helps the kebabs bind and hold together on the griddle.
3. Chill (recommended). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This firms up the mixture and lets the flavors develop.
4. Shape. With damp hands, divide the mixture into 6–8 portions and press each into a flat oblong kebab about 4 inches long and ½ inch thick. Flatter kebabs char better and cook faster.
5. Heat the griddle. Set a cast-iron skillet or flat griddle over medium-high heat and add a thin film of olive oil. Let it get good and hot.
6. Griddle. Cook the kebabs 3-4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula for full contact, until deeply charred on the outside and cooked through (160°F+ internal for beef, 160–165°F for lamb).
7. Rest and serve. Let the kebabs rest a couple of minutes, then serve in warm lavash or pita with sliced onion, parsley, lemon, and a drizzle of yogurt or tahini sauce.