This Shish Kebob recipe features perfectly-tender morsels of marinated beef paired with a colourful array of crisp vegetables. Here you will find a step-by-step guide to effortlessly create fast and versatile grilled shish kebobs that will leave your family and guests raving.
Excuse the two negatives, but food on a stick will never not be fun and charming. Sure, a steak can be somewhat exciting but a platter of colourful shish kebobs never gets old and never fails to delight.
In this shish kebob recipe, soy sauce, Worcestershire, onions, vinegar, garlic and spices make a simple but powerful marinade for lean cubes of beef sirloin. The marinade will impart its flavor in as little as 30 minutes but for even more tender succulent meat, 2 hours or up to overnight is recommended.
- What Is Shish Kebab?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Recipe Ingredient Notes
- What Is The Best Cut Of Meat For Shish Kebob
- How To Make Shish Kebobs
- Can I Cook The Kebobs Indoors?
- Tips
- Best Skewers To Use For Shish Kebobs
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Suggestions
- Similar Recipes You Will Love
- Shish Kebob Recipe
Once threaded with your choice of vegetables, the kebobs will take only 8 minutes to char beautifully on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside. Delicious, wholesome, and simultaneously filling, these marinated beef shish kabobs are perfect to impress your cookout crowd.
Best of all, these kebobs couldn’t be easier to throw together so you can relax and enjoy the party, too.
What Is Shish Kebab?
The origin of the term shish kebab (sometimes spelled shish kabob) can be traced back to Turkey. In English, “shish” translates to “skewer,” while “kebab” broadly refers to a dish comprising of meat, or other ingredients threaded onto a stick.
Although shish kebab has its roots in Turkey, it has become a popular culinary choice across the Middle East. Kebobs can include beef, lamb, seafood, chicken, and even goat, but they are always cooked on skewers.
While vegetables are frequently included on the skewer, it’s noteworthy that in the Middle East, shish kebab often focuses primarily on the meat component.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- An almost full meal on a stick – Gotta love a meal that provides your protein and veggies all in one stick. Just add an easy salad, rice, or some couscous and you’re good to go.
- Tender meat – There is nothing worse than spending good money on meat, then have it turn out dry and chewy. The simple marinade not only adds loads of flavour to the steak kebobs, but also helps tenderize the meat so you end up with tender succulent pieces of beef every time.
- Divine flavors – Well seasoned meat, fresh veggies, and a fabulous marinade ensure that even with a short marinate, the kebobs will have absolutely delicious flavor.
- Make ahead – To make things go very quickly, you can marinate the meat pieces a few hours ahead or even the day before. This makes it a breeze to cook the kebobs on a weeknight or when entertaining guests.
- Versatile – This shish kebob recipe is easy to make your own by using different meat proteins, vegetables or spices.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
With few ingredients and an effortless preparation, these shish kebobs will become a grilling staple.
For the kabobs:
- Beef – Sure, beef tenderloin would be delicious here but I like to use top sirloin which makes for tender and juicy kebobs without the expensive price tag. If you wish to use tenderloin, don’t marinate the meat longer than 15 minutes. Tenderloin is more delicate and could become mushy very quickly. See section below for more tips on which cut of meat to use.
- Vegetables – The beef cubes will not take very long to cook on the grill so it is best to use quick-cooking vegetables. Bell peppers and red onions are a classic for skewers because they sweeten and caramelize pretty quickly on the grill. Last minute, I found some mushrooms in my fridge and skewered those up too. Zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced into coins, would also be great. I often load up extra skewers of vegetables because everyone loves extra grilled veggies, and they make great leftovers for piling into sandwiches.
For the marinade:
No bland shish kebobs here! This easy but super flavorful marinade has been my go-to for decades and the kebobs are always delicious. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Grated garlic – Grated garlic adds more flavor to the marinade and will not burn on the grill. If you don’t have a way to grate it, minced is fine.
- Soy sauce (low-sodium)
- Worcestershire sauce – Optional. I don’t always add it but it does add more complex flavors to the marinade.
- Dried oregano (or Italian seasoning)
- Salt and pepper
- Onion slices – This is optional but I have always added sliced onions to the marinating beef. It gives the kabobs an extra boost of oniony flavor that I really enjoy.
What Is The Best Cut Of Meat For Shish Kebob
Like everything else, the price of meat has gone through the roof. Shish kebobs are great for serving a crowd because the addition of vegetables on the skewers allows for using a lot less meat per person.
Unquestionably, beef tenderloin is the most tender cut of meat for shish kebobs. If preparing this dish for a crowd, however, using tenderloin will cost you a small fortune. Ribeye is tender and super tasty but will also be very expensive.
For these shish kebobs, I don’t feel it is necessary to use a super expensive cut of meat. Leave those for a special treat when you are serving just a few people. Instead, I recommend using a top sirloin steak or roast. Though not as meltingly tender as beef tenderloin, the marinade helps tenderize it resulting in a very tasty, never dry piece of meat.
I would avoid steaks like flank or skirt, which would be too tough in a shish kebob.
How To Make Shish Kebobs
For the best beef kabobs, , you will want to marinate the cubes of meat for at least 2 to 4 hours. But even with a short stint of 30 minutes in the marinade, these kabobs will be delicious. Here are the very easy steps to make them:
Prepare the marinade. In a large bowl, mix the marinade ingredients.
Marinate the meat. Add the beef cubes to the marinade and use your hands or a spatula to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 to 4 hours. You can do up to a 24 hour marinade, but not longer.
Clean and oil the grill grates. If your grill is not well-oiled the meat and veggies will stick. 15 minutes before threading the meat and veggies onto skewers, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. You will want to oil the grates right before grilling the skewers.
Prepare the skewers. Leaving the small pieces of onion in the marinade behind, thread the beef cubes, peppers, onions and any other veggies you may be using, onto skewers. Alternate the meat with the veggies, using any combination you like, until you run out of meat. Any remaining veggies can be skewered on their own. Season the skewers with a little more salt and pepper.
Grill. Generously oil the hot grill and place the shish kabobs directly on the grates. Cover the grill and cook for 4 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the kabobs and cook for another 4 minutes, undisturbed. Transfer kabobs to a platter and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Can I Cook The Kebobs Indoors?
Grilling does great things to these shish kebobs by adding char and smoky flavours. But if you don’t have a grill, or prefer to cook them indoors you have a few options:
On a griddle or grill pan. Heat a griddle or grill pan on the stovetop over medium heat; brush lightly with oil. Arrange the kebobs in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes a side. Use tongs to turn kebobs over, and cook for a further 4 minutes, or until beef and veggies are cooked to your liking.
In the oven. Place a rack 5-6 inches under the broiler; preheat broiler on high. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and broil for about 3-4 minutes on one side. Use tongs to turn kebobs over, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until beef and veggies are cooked to your liking.
Tips
- Don’t cut the beef too small. Don’t cut the beef into pieces that are smaller than 2-inch cubes or they will cook long before the veggies have had a chance to cook.
- Marinate the beef. For maximum flavor and tender beef, make sure to marinate the pieces of meat for ideally 2 to 4 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can get away with 30 minutes.
- Cook any extra veggies separately. It probably goes without saying that if you have any extra veggies, be sure to skewer them up and grill them as well. I even add more veggies like zucchini and brush them with a little narinade—so good!
- Clean and oil the grates. Particularly if grilling lean meat and tender veggies, it’s best to always give the grate a good brushing. Once the grates are clean and heated, dab some paper towels in oil and brush all over the grates. Be extra generous with the oil.
- Skewer the meat while still cold from the fridge. This goes against most recommendations, but hear me out. We are trying to keep the meat from overcooking while giving the veggies enough time to cook. Colder meat take a little longer to cook.
- Don’t flip the skewers on the grill more than once. A very hot grill and not moving the skewers around are both key to getting a good char. This will also prevent them from sticking to the grates.
Best Skewers To Use For Shish Kebobs
I have pretty much given up on wooden skewers for grilling. No matter how long I soak them they seem to burn to a crisp. Thin, round metal skewers are not ideal either because the food will just twirl around as it grills making it hard to maneuver.
To keep the meat and veggies in place when turning the kebabs on the grill, I like to use wide flat metal skewers. Two thin, round skewers will also work and if you use wooden ones, make sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes. Using two skewers will also make it easier to flip the kebobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you prefer to cook the meat and veggies separately, place the skewered vegetables on the grill 3-4 minutes before adding the meat skewers.
As written, the internal temperature of the beef in this recipe will likely be close to 145ºF, which is medium. This recipe calls for beef cubes that are 2-inches in size and they should not take longer than 8 minutes total on a hot grill. However, the total cooking time will vary depending on how hot your grill runs and the size of your beef cubes. But you really do not want to overcook the beef or it will be dry and tough. In fact, if you prefer your beef on the rare side, you will want to cook the kabobs for just 3 minutes a side.
Serving Suggestions
Shish kebobs are a fast way to put a meal on the table. These beef shish kebobs already include a load of veggies so all you need as a side is a hearty salad, rice, couscous or lightly grilled flatbread. Here are some of our favorite sides to serve with these shish kabobs:
- I love to serve these shish kebobs on a bed of hot rice. Fabulous with this Pilaf, this Coconut rice or this One-Pot Rice and Beans dish.
- Bean salads are always a hit at any cookout and are a wonderful side for the kebobs. Try this Cowboy caviar or this 5 bean salad.
- Italian salad, this Panzzanella salad or this simple Mango salad would be perfect alongside the kebobs for a summery meal.
- Potato salads or these Parmesan Potatoes are always a huge hit.
- This quinoa salad (recipe can be found on my instagram reels) is utterly delicious and sits well at room temperature for hours.
- Corn on the cob or this corn salad.
- This refreshing cucumber salad is another great side to serve with your beef kebobs.
Storage Suggestions
The bad news is that you likely won’t have a lot of leftovers. The good news is if you do, leftover shish kebobs are wonderful for days.
- To store: Remove the meat and veggies from the skewers. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Place the meat and veggies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the the refrigerator overnight before using.
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Shish Kebob Recipe
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (*optional-see notes)
For the kabobs
- 3 pounds top sirloin, cubed (about 2-inches in size)
- 1 large red onion, cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 small green bell peppers, cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 large bell peppers (any color), cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning (or oregano), salt and pepper. Add the onion slices, if using.
- Add the cubed beef to the marinade and use your hands or a spatula to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 to 4 hours. You can do up to a 24 hour marinade, but not longer.
- 15 minutes before threading the meat and veggies onto skewers, preheat the grill to high heat. You will want to oil the grates right before grilling the skewers.
- Leaving the small pieces of onion in the marinade behind, thread the beef cubes, peppers, onions and any other veggies you may be using, onto skewers. Alternate the meat with the veggies, using any combination you like, until you run out of meat. Any remaining veggies can be skewered on their own. Season the skewers with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Generously oil the hot grill and place the shish kabobs directly on the grates. Cover the grill and cook for 4 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the kabobs and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, undisturbed. Transfer kabobs to a platter and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don’t cut the beef too small. Don’t cut the beef into pieces that are smaller than 2-inch cubes or they will cook long before the veggies have had a chance to cook.
- Marinate the beef. For maximum flavor and tender beef, make sure to marinate the pieces of meat for ideally 2 to 4 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can get away with 30 minutes.
- Cook any extra veggies separately. It probably goes without saying that if you have any extra veggies, be sure to skewer them up and grill them as well. I even add more veggies like zucchini and brush them with a little narinade—so good!
- Clean and oil the grates. Particularly if grilling lean meat and tender veggies, it’s best to always give the grate a good brushing. Once the grates are clean and heated, dab some paper towels in oil and brush all over the grates. Be extra generous with the oil.
- Skewer the meat while still cold from the fridge. This goes against most recommendations, but hear me out. We are trying to keep the meat from overcooking while giving the veggies enough time to cook. Colder meat take a little longer to cook.
- Don’t flip the skewers on the grill more than once. A very hot grill and not moving the skewers around are both key to getting a good char. This will also prevent them from sticking to the grates.
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