Greek Lamb Kabobs

Name: Greek Lamb Kabobs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 390 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil; 1 red onion ((roughly chopped)); 1 clove garlic ((chopped)); Juice of 1 lemon ((about 2 tablespoons)); 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano ((or 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano)); 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme ((or ½ teaspoon dried)); ⅛ teaspoon (big pinch) cayenne pepper; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper ((to taste)); 2 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder ((cut into 1-inch cubes)); Fresh oregano sprigs; Lemon wedges; Chopped fresh parsley; Tzatziki ((recipe follows)); 1 medium (10-ounce or so) seedless cucumber ((peeled if the skin is thick)); Kosher salt; 1 cup plain Greek yogurt ((preferably whole)); 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint; ½ teaspoon finely minced garlic; Freshly ground black pepper ((to taste))

By Katie Workman

August 9, 2023

This marinade for this skewered lamb is jammed with classic flavors like lemon, oregano, and garlic that pair perfectly with flavorful, rich meat.

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Lamb kabobs (or kebabs) are a great change of pace from other meaty kebabs and are perfect on the grill. You can also broil the kebabs or make them on a grill pan indoors. The marinade for this Mediterranean skewered lamb is jammed with classic flavors like lemon, oregano, and garlic that pair perfectly with flavorful, rich meat.

Try serving Greek Lamb Kebabs with Imam Biyali (Turkish Stuffed Eggplants), Classic Greek Salad, and Greek Orzo Salad. And don’t skip the tzatziki that’s part of the recipe!

Ingredients
The Best Lamb for Kebabs
How to Grill Greek Lamb Kebabs
Lamb Kebab Cooking Tips
FAQs
What to Serve With Greek Lamb Kabobs
More Lamb Kebab Recipes
Greek Lamb Kabobs Recipe

Greek Lamb Kebabs: This marinade is jammed with classic flavors that pair perfectly with flavorful, rich lamb.
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Ingredients

Olive oil
Red onion
Garlic – Be generous, and absolutely use fresh garlic here!
Lemon – Fresh juice, please!
Oregano – You can use fresh or dried.
Thyme – Ditto, fresh or dried, work fine here.
Cayenne pepper
Boneless lamb leg or shoulder – Cut into 1-inch cubes.

For serving (optional):

Fresh oregano sprigs
Lemon wedges
Chopped fresh parsley
Tzatziki – (the recipe is below)

The Best Lamb for Kebabs

Choose leg or shoulder meat for cubing and skewering. This type of lamb cooks quickly, stays tender, and allows you to get a beautifully browned exterior on the lamb chunks, while the inside stays juicy and rosy pink.

Lamb for kebabbing can be cut into 1-inch cubes, or 1 1/2-inch cubes. As with all meat, lamb will shrink a bit while cooking, so consider how large you’d like your final pieces of meat to be. 1-inch cubes will take less time to cook, but you’ll want to cook them quickly over high heat so the inside doesn’t get too well done before the outside is caramelized.

It’s best to buy kebab meat from a butcher counter, which will probably have been cut more recently. If you choose pre-cubed meat, whether it’s packaged or from a butcher, make sure that it’s the right type for grilling or broiling or searing. Lamb meat meant for stewing is a lot tougher, from a different part of the animal, and while it will become tender during a longer, low heat cooking process, it will result in a very tough kebab. Check with the butcher if you aren’t sure; it’s important to pick the right cut.

How to Grill Greek Lamb Kebabs

Make the marinade: Add the lamb cubes and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
Soak the wooden skewers: You can also use metal skewers, which do not need soaking.
Make the Tzatziki: Grate and drain the cucumber. Squeeze the cucumbers to press out any extra liquid. Combine with the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, mint, and garlic.
Thread the skewers with the lamb: Discard the remaining marinade.
Grill the kebabs: Or cook on a grill pan indoors.
Serve: Garnish with the oregano sprigs, lemon wedges, and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with the tzatziki.

Greek Lamb Kabobs on a serving dish with tzatziki sauce.

Lamb Kebab Cooking Tips

If you keep the kebabs strictly lamb only, you can focus on the optimal cooking time and doneness for the meat. The vegetables might cook through to your liking at different times. Consider making separate vegetable kebabs or other grilled vegetables; see How to Grill Vegetables and Veggie Kebabs.
Feel free to cut this recipe in half for 1 pound of lamb meat if you have a smaller group.

FAQs

What is the difference between kebabs and souvlaki?

Sometimes the words are used interchangeably, small pieces of meat (often lamb) grilled on a skewer. In Greece and in Greek restaurants and taverns, pressed loaves of meat are grilled on upright spits and then shaved into pitas to make sandwiches or gyros. The meat might be a combination of beef and lamb or sometimes pork.

Souvlaki comes from the Greek word souvla, which means sword.

What is served with Greek lamb kebabs?

Traditionally lamb kebabs are served with garlicky tzatziki and pita bread or another type of toasted Greek bread.

What to Serve With Greek Lamb Kabobs

While you can mix and match side dishes to your heart’s content, you will certainly elevate the presentation of these kebabs by plating them with some fresh oregano sprigs and lemon wedges. A sprinkle of parsley adds freshness and eye appeal.

Greek Lamb Kabobs topped with tzatziki on a bed of greens.

Also, please heavily consider making tzatziki to serve on the side of these lamb kebabs. Tzatziki is a classic Greek condiment made with Greek yogurt, oregano, mint , garlic and lemon, and it’s a truly refreshing counterpoint to the rich meat. You can also buy tzatziki at the supermarket, and sometimes it can be found fresh at a nice prepared foods counter, or Mediterranean-inspired market.

More Lamb Kebab Recipes

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Greek Lamb Kabobs

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