Adana kebap
(Kıyma kebabı)
Adana kebap is a popular skewered meat dish named after one of the most famous kebab cities in the country, Adana. This kebab is made with ground lamb and tail fat that are kneaded together with garlic, onion, paprika, and hot red pepper flakes, giving it a deep red color and a spicy flavor.
The whole concoction is typically placed around large and flat metal skewers, then grilled. Once it's done, the grilled meat is traditionally served on a platter over flatbreads, peppers, and tomatoes, or stuffed into pita bread along with a salad consisting of parsley and red onions.
Before the pita is rolled, the meat is usually topped with roasted chilies, salt, cumin, and sumac. It is recommended to pair Adana kebap with ayran – a slightly salty, yogurt-based beverage or şalgam, a non-alcoholic fermented beverage made from vegetables and red carrots.
Pairing tips
Ayran
Ayran or doogh is a savory yogurt-based drink that is mainly associated with Iran and Türkiye, but it is enjoyed throughout the Middle East, and ... Read more
Şalgam
Şalgam is a popular vegetable-based street from the Mediterranean region of Türkiye, most popular in the cities of Adana, Mersin, and Osmaniye. In Turkish,... Read more
Serve with
Pita bread
Pita bread is a type of flatbread believed to have originated in the Middle East around 2500 BCE, making it one of the oldest types of bread in the world.... Read more
Recipe variations
Adana Kebabı
READY IN 42minA classic Adana kebab is made from a young male lamb’s meat that has been naturally grown and fed. Ideally, 75% of the meat should come from the lamb’s shoulder and 25% from the ribs. Traditionally, Adana kebabs are served with grilled tomatoes and peppers and onion salad with sumac on the side. This recipe is adapted from the official Türkiye Culture Portal website.
Urfa Kebabı
READY IN 2h 55minUrfa kebabs are known as the non-spicy variant of the Adana kebab. Both dishes are prepared in largely the same way, but Urfa kebabs are often seasoned only with salt and served with grilled tomatoes and green peppers, onions, fresh parsley, and lemon. This recipe is adapted from the official Türkiye Culture Portal website.
Oven-Baked Beytî Kebabı
READY IN 1h 5minMuch like dürüm Adana kebabs, beytî kebabs are also wrapped in lavash, but they are cut into finger-sized slices, topped with tomato sauce, yogurt, and sautéed peppers and tomatoes.
Sumac and Cumin Adana Kebabı
READY IN 42minIn addition to Urfa pepper flakes, this Adana kebab is seasoned with cumin and sumac. Since it is a recreation of the Adana kebab recipe for those outside Türkiye, this recipe excludes the use of tail fat, which is often hard to come by. The recipe is courtesy of J. Kenji López-Alt, food writer, cook, and New York Times best-selling author.
Adana kebap Authentic recipe
A classic Adana kebab is made from a young male lamb’s meat that has been naturally grown and fed. Ideally, 75% of the meat should come from the lamb’s shoulder and 25% from the ribs. Traditionally, Adana kebabs are served with grilled tomatoes and peppers and onion salad with sumac on the side. This recipe is adapted from the official Türkiye Culture Portal website.
WHERE TO EAT The best Adana kebap in the world (according to food experts)
"Every morning the chefs at this popular ocakbaşı (grill house) prepare fresh, top-quality meat – spicy chicken wings and Adana kebaps, flavoursome ribs, pungent liver kebaps and well-marinated lamb şış kebaps (roast skewered meat) – to be grilled over handsome copper-hooded barbecues that night."
"Always crammed with locals, this humble kebab house is the best place to tuck into an Adana kebap."
"I liked Adana Kebab very much. It was the best kebab I have ever eaten - full of meat and the consistency of the spices was great."
"Order the spicy Adana kebab, the house specialty, lamb minced with a liberal amount of tail fat. Cut the grease with roasted garlic bathed in tangy pomegranate molasses."
"Come here for one of the best Adana kebabs in the city and leave with a smile on your face and a belly full of delicious meat."
"What to eat and where in Adana: Adana Kebap - One of the best is Hasan Usta."
"Standouts include Adana kebab, made of minced meat mixed with red pepper flakes, and the chicken kebab and wings, both marinated in a piquant red pepper sauce."
"It is one of the best-known places in town to eat a traditional Adana Kebab."
"Everything is excellent, but you’ll want to order the signature Adana kebab, along with a heaping plate of mezze to mop up with the lightly charred pita bread."
"The taste of Adana kebab is famous worldwide since it is made of lamb, red bell peppers and tail fat, all minced together. The best place to eat it is at the Kebapçı Cik Cik Ali! In here, you can eat the most delicious kebabs, made always of fresh ingredients! The prices are also affordable. What you need to know before ordering is that Adana kebab is a spicy one; if you don't like spicy food, you have to let your waiter know in advance."
