How to add shortcuts for installed apps in Kali Linux main menu?

A Packtpub tutorial illustrates the process.

Highlight a menu category, click on [New Item] at upper right, and a Launcher Properties dialog Box appears. Give the app a name.

Next, in the Command field, enter the full path to the installed app, or click on Browse and navigate until you find it.

If you want to, enter a brief phrase in the Comment field which will appear when you hover over that item as a Tool Tip.

Then, in the upper left corner of Launcher Properties, click in the box and add or change the icon for the app.

Click [OK].

For details on the menu program itself, see this Linux.com article or browse this archived guide.

Kali 2022+

To edit the main menu in the the newer versions of Kali, you need to install a designated tool, called alacarte:

apt-get install alacarte

Alacarte is a menu editor for GNOME using the freedesktop.org menu specification.

How to add a new item

Open the tool called main menu:

This tool lets you easily edit the menu. To add a new item, add the new item button, highlighted in the screenshot.

Source: official repo (on gnome.org)