What is the secret to juicy, succulent grilled lamb kabobs? A special Mediterranean marinade that flavors and tenderizes the meat, plus a bit of grilling technique for the juiciest ever kebabs! Don’t miss my tips and video below.
When BBQ season hits, you know we’re all about kabobs over here! Just add a salad, your favorite dip, or a little mezze, and dinner is served!
Of all the skewered foods I’ve shared so far–shrimp, steak, salmon, pork, chicken, and more– I was shocked to discover that I had not yet shared my favorite lamb kabobs recipe. Let me tell you, you are in for a treat! And you’ll want to use the bold marinade with onions, garlic, and trio of warm spices all the time!
Let’s get right to discussing all things lamb skewers…
What cut of lamb is best for kabobs?
First, best lamb cuts that are ideal for shish kebab? When it comes to kabobs, you want to select meat that is tender but also on the leaner side–a little bit of fat, but not too much (you can trim excess fat). I typically use boneless leg of lamb, but here are three cuts of lamb that will work well for grilled kabobs:
- Lamb tenderloin
Also known as lamb loin fillet comes from the underside of the shortloin. This is a superior, very tender cut with delicate flavor and virtually no fat or connective tissue. If you can find it, and you do not mind paying the price, the loin is great for quick grilling and ideal for kebabs. - Boneless Leg of Lamb
This is what I use in my recipe. The BRT or boneless leg is a versatile cut and readily available in most grocery stores. It has a rich flavor and a little bit of fat but not too much. You can buy the whole boneless leg and trim the outer fat layer with a thin knife, from there, cut it up into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes for kabobs. (Side note, but it is worth mentioning here, butterflied grilled lamb leg is also a great thing to try). - Lamb shoulder
This part of the animal works hard, so the meat is full of flavor, but it does take a while longer to become tender. If you end up using lamb shoulder, it may be easiest to ask your butcher to trim and cut into cubes for you to make things easier. Also, when using lamb shoulders for kabobs, allow time for marinating. In my recipe below, I suggested 2 hours, but you can go even longer with lamb shoulder (4 to 8 hours), just cover and keep it in the fridge.
Lamb kabob marinade
When marinating lamb, don’t be shy to find flavors that will compliment its rich and bold flavor. But it is equally important to use a marinade that will also help tenderize the meat while imparting flavor. This is especially true if you are using lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb as opposed to lamb loin fillet, which, as I just shared, is more tender.
Here is what I use to make the lamb kabob marinade:
- Onions. Pureed onions are the magic ingredient in this marinade, they will work to tenderize the meat and enhance its flavor.
- Fresh garlic
- Spices. Allspice, nutmeg, and cardamom, a trio of warm spices that give the lamb skewers a bold Middle Eastern flavor.
- Fresh parsley
- Quality extra virgin olive oil, which has the unique ability to help pull the fat-soluble flavors out of some ingredients like garlic and onions and help transfer them into the meat.
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon. Not too much acid here, but a bit of acid adds zing and also aids in tenderizing the lamb.
How to cook lamb kabobs?
For those of us who are visual, here is how this recipe goes (complete recipe with ingredient list below):
- Trim and cut the lamb
Trim any excess fat off the boneless leg of lamb and cut the meat into 1 to 1 1/2-inch skewers. Put the cubed meat in a bowl and season well with kosher salt and black pepper. - Marinate
To make the marinate, combine onion, garlic, spices, fresh parsley, olive oil, lemon juice in a food processor. Blitz until everything is well-incorporated and you have a thick onion marinade. Pour the marinade over the meat. Toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for a couple hours (if you don’t have time, even 30 minutes of marinating time at room temp will help)
- Skewer the meat
If you’re using bamboo skewers, they need to soak in water for at least 1 hour. Simply thread the meat through the skewers, leaving a little bit of breathing room between the meat pieces (this will help them cook evenly) - Grill
Grill the meat skewers over high heat turning every couple minutes for about 7 to 9 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your lamb (on my grill, 7 minutes produced medium-rare kabobs)
What to serve with them
For the ultimate kabob dinner, first, a dip is a must! I love lamb kabobs with tzatziki, hummus, white bean hummus that’s been sprinkled with some dukkah, or even a little toum. Plus, of course, a few warm pita or your favorite flatbread.
Add at least one or two fresh salads such as Mediterranean tomato salad, Greek salad, panzanella, or watermelon salad. You can stop here, or complete the party with sides like oven fries, stuffed zucchini boats, or even eggplant pizza bites. The possibilities are endless!
Related recipes to try
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Lamb Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb boneless leg of lamb
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the Marinade
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Cut the lamb into 1 to 1 1/2 -inch cubes or pieces and put them in a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, combine the onion, garlic, spices, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Cover and run the processor until everything is finely chopped (you should end up with a thick onion marinade).
- Pour the onion marinade over the lamb and mix well to make sure all the lamb is well coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. (If you do not have time, leave the kabobs to marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes).
- Brush the grates of a gas grill (or an indoor griddle) with oil and heat.
- Shake excess marinade off and thread the lamb pieces on some long skewers, allowing a little room between pieces (I used 6 wooden skewers that have been soaked in water).
- Assemble the lamb kabobs in one single layer over your heated grill or griddle. Grill over high heat, turning each kabob one-quarter turn every couple minutes, until the meat is browned all over, anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes, depending on how well you like your lamb cooked (7 minutes on my grill produced medium-rare kabobs).
Video
Notes
- This recipe uses boneless leg of lamb, but you can also use lamb loin or lamb shoulder meat to make it.
- Do not skip the marinating if you can help it, a couple hours in the fridge or even 30 minutes at room will help. If you’re using lamb shoulder, the meat will benefit from a longer marinating time in the fridge.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oil, spices, and more!
Delicious recipe! Can I marinate and freeze the lamb right away and if so, how long can the meet be frozen for? Also, when taken back out of the freezer once it is unthawed should it be eaten within a day or two is fine?
Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe!
Hi, Anthony. Yes, you can marinate and freeze uncooked lamb kebab pieces. To prevent it from “over-marinating,” it’s best to freeze the kebabs as soon as they’re mixed in the marinade. This way, the acidic lemon juice will stop marinating while the meat is frozen. For the best flavor and texture, use the frozen marinated lamb within 2-3 months. When you’re ready to cook, thaw the kebabs in the refrigerator overnight and proceed with cooking.
Tried it last night; faithfully following the recipe (as we always do the first time with any recipe we’re trying), other than using pork instead of lamb. The results were “meh… it’s missing something”.
Looking at the high score from others, will try again later and taste test the marinade to figure out what might be missing. Maybe go off script a bit by adding a spice like ras el hanout?
We’re sure the recipe should be more appealing than it was, so we will give it another go at another time.
I used this recipe without alterations except that I know marinating red meat for less than two hours gets weak results. I marinated the boneless leg of lamb cubes for five hours and was very happy with the results. Lots of flavor but you could still taste the lamb. TIPS: If you are grilling the kebabs on an open grill be reading for flare ups with the olive oil. Soak wooden skewers in water for several hours in advance. Cut the lamb cubes large (1.5-2”) if you want pink centers at the end.
Thanks so much!
Love your recipes, and buying quality meat at the new NewYork Butcher shop in John’s Creek makes them even better. Thanks
This marinade is simply amazing! I doubled it for a 3.3lb boneless leg of lamb cubed for skewers. For those wondering about the breakdown of onion enzymes on the meat, I didn’t cook the marinated meat two hours later. I put it in a foodsaver bag and sealed it, in the fridge it stayed for 5 days. Let me tell you, this marinade is very very delicious, the skewers were grilled over hot glowing charcoal briquettes. I went out bought another lab leg next grocery visit. Season meat to your liking with salt and pepper prior to marinade is all I’ll add. Thank you Suzy this was banger for sure!
I tried this today and found it lacked flavour. I think it needs salt in the marinade and possibly black pepper. I saw an older comment that mentioned this too but didn’t read this until after we had made and eaten. Don’t think we’ll be using this again.
Hi Suzy,
I am going to be preparing a large amount of these to celebrate Holy Pascha at my Church. Would you say there is such a thing as over-marinating these, or the more the merrier? Looking forward to trying this delicious looking recipe.
Hi, Jesse! This is best marinated up to 2 hours. Enjoy!
Ended up marinating it overnight for practical reasons. I cooked them over a charcoal grill and they were absolutely delicious! Everyone at Church loved them. I’m definitely keeping this recipe.