Lamb Shish Kebab Recipe (tender and Tremendously Tasty) (2024)

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✅ 5 reasons why you'll love this recipe:

• Succulent lamb kebabs in a super tasty marinade made with yoghurt to make the lamb super tender
• Just 10 minutes of cooking time
• Freezer friendly
• Recipe includes oven, indoor grill, air fryer and barbecue instructions
• A crowd pleaser that's perfect for entertaining.

🛒 Ingredients and variations:

Marinade

The marinade has two jobs. It gets the lamb nice and tender and packs it with flavour.

• Yoghurt - you won't find this in all lamb shish recipes, but I tested a marinade with and without and can confirm that it does make the lamb much more tender. You can use full or low fat.
• Other ingredients - tomato purée, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder and salt are added to ensure that the tender lamb is packed with flavour. I like to use garlic powder for ease, but you can switch if for a couple of cloves of fresh garlic if you prefer

Kebabs

• Lamb meat - the best cuts are lamb shoulder, lamb sirloin or lamb leg. You can also use lamb neck, which tends to be cheaper and more readily available.
• Grilled peppers - go well with the lamb pieces and make sure you get some veggies in. Potential swaps include tomatoes, courgette/zucchini and aubergine/eggplant.

Optional yoghurt sauce

My cooling and fragrant yoghurt sauce pairs up nicely with the lamb kebabs, especially if you are serving with flatbread. This sauce also features in my lamb kofta wraps recipe.

To serve

I recommend serving the kebabs with lettuce, pickled chillies, cucumber and a dash of Sriracha sauce.

🧑‍🍳 Lamb shish kebabs in 4 easy steps

1. Marinade

Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander and salt in a bowl. Toss in the lamb pieces and leave to marinade in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or ideally overnight.

2. Thread the lamb onto skewers

Thread the lamb pieces onto wooden or metal skewers, with optional slices of pepper in between.

Top tip: If you are using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them first to prevent them from burning.

3. Cook & serve

Cook the lamb skewers using your indoor grill, oven, air fryer or barbecue. Then serve immediately with flatbread, yoghurt sauce and your choice of accompaniments.

Serving suggestions:

Warm flatbread or Pita bread is my go-to. Lamb shish is perfect for entertaining because people can assemble their own wraps/sandwiches and choose the fillings and sauces. I love to put lettuce, pickled chillies, yoghurt sauce, and a splash of sriracha in mine.

You can also serve the kebabs with rice or another grain like freekeh or quinoa, or enjoy them with a salad if you prefer a lighter option.

Here are a few sides to try:

• Kebab shop salad
• Kebab shop chilli sauce
• Kebab shop garlic sauce
• Red cabbage salad
• Homemade flatbread

👍 Top tips

1. Marinade the lamb for a minimum of 2-3 hours (ideally overnight) to get the lamb super tender and tasty.
2. Bring the lamb to room temperature before cooking - remove it from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.
3. Use foil - to prevent the lamb from sticking if you are baking the kebabs in the oven.
4. Check the doneness - using a meat thermometer or by cutting into one of the lamb pieces. Medium is 160ºF/71ºC and well done is 170ºF/77ºC.

🙋 FAQs

What are lamb shish kebabs?

Shish kebabs originate in the Middle East and consist of skewered grilled pieces of meat. They're traditionally made with lamb but can also be made with other meats, poultry or fish. Often you will find meat and vegetables grilled on the same skewer, although in Turkey they are grilled separately.

What's the difference between a shish kebab, doner and kofta kebab?

A shish kebab is made with grilled cubes of lamb cooked on skewers, a kofta kebab is made with ground meat and a donor kebab is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and cut into thin slices.

Which cut of lamb is best for shish kebabs?

The best cuts are boneless and with enough fat to make them tender and juicy. Lamb shoulder, leg and sirloin are all good choices.

How long should you marinate lamb for a shish kebab?

The longer the better. Overnight if you can, but at least 2 hours if not. Lamb shish is typically marinaded in yoghurt or onion juice to tenderise the meat and spices like paprika, cumin and ground coriander to add flavour.

Should I use wooden or metal skewers?

You can use either. Bamboo skewers are cheap and widely available, but you will need to soak them in water first to prevent them from burning. Kebabs wooden skewers may need to be cooked for a few minutes longer because they don't conduct heat as well as metal skewers and cook more slowly.

📦 Storage

Cooked lamb kebabs can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and eaten cold or reheated in the oven or microwave.

Considering rustling up a large batch? The good news is that they can be frozen for up to 3 months. The best way to do this is to freeze lamb in the marinade and defrost in the fridge overnight before skewering and cooking. Ensure the lamb is fully defrosted and then cook in the oven, air fryer or on the indoor grill or barbecue.

😋 Check out my other Middle Eastern-inspired recipes

Chicken Freekeh Salad

Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.

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📖 Recipe