Make-Ahead Monday: Turn ground beef into tasty kofta kebabs

Dinner staples like meatballs, burgers, meatloaf and chili are all great dishes to make with ground beef. But now it's time to break out of that recipe rut and use ground beef to make something a little more special for dinner — kofta.

Kofta takes all the best attributes of those classic recipes and adds exciting elements like Middle Eastern spices, an aromatic onion paste and the smoky char of the grill. Chef Jet Tila is joining TODAY to share his go-to kofta recipe that can be enjoyed for meals throughout the week. He shows us how to make grilled kofta kebabs and serve them with homemade hummus in easy pita wraps.

Kofta Kebabs by Jet Tila

This is a Tila house favorite and one of the dishes Ali and I had on our first date. We also competed on Guy's Grocery Games making this dish and won best dish of that round, so don't pass this one by! A kabab is simply any meat or seafood cooked on a skewer or spit. It's a technique you need to know because of its limitless applications using a wide range of proteins.

Kofta Kebab Wraps by Jet Tila

Hummus has become so ubiquitous that we take it for granted. Most people don't think twice and buy it from the store. But homemade hummus is much more delicious than store-bought and very easy to make! We think the stuff from the supermarket has a sour flavor that comes from additives that don't need to be there. Our recipe is super creamy and smooth and has great flavor and pairs perfectly with falafel, kofta kebabs or any Mediterranean main.

If you like those make-ahead recipes, you should also try these:

Whole-Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric and Dates by Priyanka Naik

Sweet Chili Salmon Tacos with Green Apple Salsa by Jet Tila