Moroccan-Inspired Lamb Kebabs
on Jul 25, 2021, Updated May 14, 2025
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Moroccan seasonings match up beautifully with lamb, and a drizzle of herby Chermoula sauce makes these memorable.
The flavors of Morocco match up beautifully with lamb (also see Slow-Cooked Moroccan Leg of Lamb), and these kabobs are no exception. The lamb kebabs are plenty flavorful on their own, but the accompanying condiment, Chermoula, turns them from a nice dinner into a feast.
You can cook the kebabs on a grill pan or a live fire grill. In the summer, serve these lamb kebabs with rice and grilled vegetables. In cooler weather, think about starting the meal with Moroccan Carrot Cauliflower Soup.
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Moroccan Lamb Kebabs: Moroccan seasonings match up beautifully with lamb, and a drizzle of herby sauce makes these memorable.
Ingredients
The Moroccan marinade features harissa (which, of course, is a combination of a generous amount of flavorful ingredients in and of itself; see below), as well as fresh cilantro, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne, plus some neutrally flavored oil to pull it together.
For the Lamb Kebabs
- Harissa paste – For a bit of a kick; read more about it below.
- Vegetable oil
- Fresh cilantro and parsley – For bright herbaceous flavors.
- Garlic
- Paprika and cumin – Add color and savoriness.
- Cayenne pepper – Adds a bit of heat.
- Boneless lamb leg or shoulder – Cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes; see tip below for choosing the best lamb.
For the Chermoula Sauce
- Cumin, coriander, and paprika – These spices offer warm, earthy, and smoky flavors.
- Parsley and cilantro – For freshness.
- Jalapeño pepper – Cored, seeded, and minced.
- Garlic – For a bit of spiciness.
- Salt – To taste.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – To help disperse all of the flavors.
- Fresh lemon juice – For some bright and acidic notes.
Ingredient FAQs
Buy leg or shoulder meat and cube it yourself, or perhaps a lamb steak. These are the best cuts of lamb for cubing and skewering, and you can also buy them precut if you like. Butcher counters will have the freshest meat, always, so try to purchase your lamb there, and check with the butcher to make sure you are getting the right cut of lamb for quick cooking kebabs.
I often cut lamb for kebabs into 1 1/2-inch cubes. They will shrink a bit while cooking, but still be generous in size. This way, you can get nicely browned cubes without worrying about the middle losing its pink juiciness while the outside of the lamb chunks caramelize.
Harissa is a spicy North African paste made from chilis, coriander, cumin, garlic, lemon, and sometimes other spices as well. You might also find harissa in the form of a dry spice blend, but here you want the paste or sauce (you can also make harissa yourself if you are so inclined!).
I always have a jar on hand, and it’s a great condiment to keep around to perk up soups, stews, and so forth. It’s really a great shortcut ingredient to add a lot of bang for the buck to all kinds of dishes.
Chermoula is a classic North African condiment. It’s often served with fish dishes, but goes beautifully with lamb, especially these lamb kababs made with this Moroccan-inspired marinade. The toasted spices and the fresh herbs make chermoula sauce a little bit of a flavor explosion in your mouth — once you start playing with this sauce, you’ll be looking for other ways to use it!
How to Make Moroccan-Inspired Lamb Kebabs
- Make the marinade: Place the harissa paste, vegetable oil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl or container and stir to combine. Add the lamb cubes and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.
- Prepare the skewers: Soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes. You can also use metal skewers, which do not need soaking.
- Make the Chermoula: Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin and coriander and stir in the frying pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl or container and cool. Stir in the parsley, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, salt, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Prepare the skewers: Thread the skewers with the lamb.
- Cook: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (you can also cook these on a grill over medium-high heat). Cook the lamb kebabs for about 8 minutes total for medium rare, turning them every few minutes to get nice grill pan marks on most sides of the meat.
- Serve: Serve hot or at room temperature with the cilantro, lemon wedges, and chermoula.
Tips and Storage
This recipe calls for cooking the lamb on its own rather than in combination with vegetables on the skewers. You can make separate vegetable kebabs and let everyone pick and choose what they like. But cooking the meat separately allows you to keep your focus on getting the lamb cooked just the way you like it, without worrying about the vegetables being too undercooked or overcooked with the lamb timing.
The cooked lamb can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Chermola sauce will last, sealed, in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Try it with anything grilled, like Grilled Top Sirloin, Grilled Filet Mignon, Grilled Cauliflower Steaks, or Grilled Salmon. Or, stir it into dishes, such as couscous or soups, the way you might use pesto. Dollop this herby sauce on sliced tomatoes, or use it in a sandwich.
What to Serve With Moroccan-Inspired Lamb Kebabs
More Lamb Recipes
- Slow-Cooked Moroccan Leg of Lamb
- Instant Pot Mediterranean Lamb Stew
- Loin Lamb Chops and Onions with Herb Salad
- Grilled Lamb Rib Chops
- Lamb Satay
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Moroccan-Inspired Lamb Kebabs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon (big pinch) cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder (cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes)
For the Chermoula
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 jalapeño pepper (cored, seeded, and minced)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
For Garnish (Optional)
- Fresh cilantro sprigs
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place the harissa paste, vegetable oil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl or container and stir to combine. Add the lamb cubes and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.
- Soak about 20 6-inch wooden skewers, or 10 12-inch skewers, in water to cover for 30 minutes. You can also use metal skewers, which do not need soaking.
- Meanwhile, make the Chermoula: Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin and coriander and stir in the frying pan for 1 to 2 minutes, until you smell the spices toasting a bit. Transfer to a small bowl or container and cool. Stir in the parsley, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, salt, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Thread the skewers with the lamb. Discard the remaining marinade.
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (you can also cook these on a grill over medium-high heat). Cook the kebabs for about 8 minutes total for medium-rare, turning them every few minutes to get nice grill pan marks on most sides of the meat.
- Serve hot or at room temperature with the cilantro, lemon wedges, and chermoula.
