Kabab Halla (or kebab halla) is an Egyptian braised beef and onion dish, such a comfort meal! It’s really simply made with just a handful of ingredients, but the cooking process imparts maximum flavor. Definitely an interesting one to try!
I heard of this when I was researching recipes to make for my Ramadan ebook, but it seems this is popular year round. A great meal to bring people together.
If you want to try more Egyptian recipes, this Egyptian goulash, and this koshari are delicious. You also have to try macarona bechamel, a creamy layered pasta bake that’s so good.
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Ingredients
- Boneless beef cubes: You’ll want these cut into 3-4 inch pieces
- Olive oil: to brown the beef in
- Yellow onions: lots of onions in this dish as it’s one of the star ingredients in kabab halla.
- Garlic cloves: always, for flavor
- Spices and aromatics: seven spice or allspice powder, ground coriander, cumin powder, paprika powder, black pepper, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves. These give the stew that Middle Eastern warm flavor.
- Water: just enough to braise the beef and onions, without turning this into a saucy stew.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Add the beef cubes to hot oil in a pan and brown one side.
- Step 2: Turn them over and brown the other side, then remove to a plate.
- Step 3: Add the sliced yellow onions to the same pot.
- Step 4: Soften for about 5 minutes.
- Step 5: Add the garlic, spices, aromatics, and tomato paste.
- Step 6: Stir and cook for a minute.
- Step 7: Add the browned beef cubes back in.
- Step 8: Add the water then simmer, covered for 2.5-3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender, then uncover and simmer another 20-30 minutes until sauce thickens.
Hint: Don’t rush this stew, let the beef and onions really cook down until tender.
Cooking time:
Depending on the size of your beef cubes, it may take a little less time for the beef to cook through- just keep cooking until your largest beef cube is fork tender. This means if you cut into it with a fork it’ll immediately flake apart. Yum!
How to serve:
- Bread – This is very commonly eaten with pita bread on the side, or any flatbread that works for scooping.
- Rice – Alternately, my kids love having this with vermicelli rice for more of a hearty meal.
Storing Leftovers:
Leftover Egyptian braised beef will last tightly covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. This also freezes so well, for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat gently on the stovetop before enjoying.
For another freezer friendly beef dish, please check out this instant pot beef barbacoa it’s AMAZING.
Expert tips and tricks:
- Make sure you brown the beef cubes really well, this caramelizes the exterior of the meat which locks in the juices so it stays moist, and adds so much flavor to the base of the stew.
- Take your time cooking the beef, you really want it to be tender and melt in your mouth, so that when you cut into it with a fork it immediately flakes apart.
- Keep checking the liquid as the kebab halla cooks. You don’t want all the liquid in the pan to dry out, but you also don’t want the meat to be swimming in liquid- this isn’t a saucy sort of stew!
Top Tip
Season the beef generously, and once it’s cooked, taste again for seasoning. Since this has so much onions in it, it can take a lot of salt.
Recipe FAQs:
Kabab Halla translates to “meat in the pot” and is a dish where inexpensive stew meat is transformed into tender melt in your mouth meat with braised onions.
Either pita bread or any flat bread for scooping, or with vermicelli rice on the side! You can also prepare a simple green salad on the side, like this fattouche.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
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Kabab Halla
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless beef cut into large cubes (3-4 inches) 500g
- salt and pepper for seasoning the beef
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 yellow onions, sliced 500g, 1 lb
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon seven spices or allspice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 3 cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Pat beef cubes dry with a paper towel, and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot on medium high, then add the beef in a single layer and brown on all sides, 6-8 minutes. Do this in batches. Transfer the beef to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pot, and stir until they begin to soften 5 minutes. If they are sticking, add another splash of oil. Stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, the seven spices, ground coriander, cumin, paprika, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the beef to the pot along with any of its juices, then ad the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low..
- Simmer, covered for 2.5-3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender, checking every 30 minutes to make sure the braise isn't too dry, and adding a splash of water to the pan if you need. (The beef should NOT be submerged in liquid).
- Once beef is tender, uncover, increase heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until sauce thickens. Taste, and add salt if needed.
- Serve with pita bread to scoop or with rice on the side.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you brown the beef cubes really well, this caramelizes the exterior of the meat which locks in the juices so it stays moist, and adds so much flavor to the base of the stew.
- Take your time cooking the beef, you really want it to be tender and melt in your mouth, so that when you cut into it with a fork it immediately flakes apart.
- Keep checking the liquid as the kebab halla cooks. You don’t want all the liquid in the pan to dry out, but you also don’t want the meat to be swimming in liquid.
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