Turkish Beef and Pistachio Kebabs (Fıstıklı Kebab)

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb ground beef (Keep very cold before processing; ground lamb may be substituted.)
• 0.5 cup shelled pistachios (Preferably unsalted; coarsely chopped or pulsed.)
• 0.5 yellow onion (Coarsely chopped for the food processor.)
• 2 cloves garlic (Peeled.)
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil (For the kebabs and sheet pan.)
• 3 tomatoes (Diced; about 450 g total.)
• 1 English cucumber (Diced.)
• 0.5 red onion (Thinly sliced.)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (Chopped.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (For the salad.)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (For the salad dressing.)
• 0.5 cup tahini (For the sauce.)
• 0.25 cup water (Whisk into the tahini sauce as needed.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (For the tahini sauce.)
• 1 clove garlic (Finely grated or minced for the tahini sauce.)
• kosher salt (To taste, for salad and tahini sauce.)
• 4 warm pita or flatbread (Optional, for serving.)

Steps

1. 1

   Position an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it.

2. 2

   Make the salad by combining the diced tomatoes, cucumber, sliced red onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Toss thoroughly and let stand while preparing the kebabs so the flavors mingle.

3. 3

   Make the tahini sauce by whisking the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the water until smooth and pourable; add a little more water if needed. Set aside.

4. 4

   Place the pistachios, chopped yellow onion, garlic, salt, cumin, paprika, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the pistachios are finely chopped and the onion and garlic are broken down, scraping the bowl if necessary.

5. 5

   Add the cold ground beef to the food processor. Process for a full 1 minute, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until the mixture is cohesive, sticky, and slightly springy. Keeping the meat cold helps prevent it from becoming soft and greasy.

6. 6

   Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet. With damp hands or an oiled spatula, press and shape it into an even rectangle about 1 inch thick. Score the surface into four portions or eight smaller kebab pieces, without cutting all the way through.

7. 7

   Brush or drizzle the surface with the olive oil. Broil until browned on top and the kebabs reach at least 160°F / 71°C in the center, about 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Flip or carefully turn the scored kebab portions if practical, then broil for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the second side is browned and the meat is cooked through. Avoid overcooking, since the kebabs should remain moist and pleasantly bouncy.

9. 9

   Let the kebabs rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Cut along the scores and transfer to a serving platter.

10. 10

    Serve the kebabs with the tomato-cucumber-onion salad and tahini sauce. Offer warm pita or another flatbread alongside if desired.

Notes

The source page is member-gated and does not expose its ingredient list or complete directions in the supplied excerpt; quantities and method details above are therefore reconstructed estimates based on the described sheet-pan adaptation. Ground lamb can be used in place of beef. The salad and tahini sauce can stand while the kebabs are prepared; their flavors improve as they mingle. Use cold meat and process it for the full minute so the kebabs hold together.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• kebabs
• Turkish
• Middle Eastern
• broiled
• sheet-pan
• ground beef
• high-protein