20 Kabob Recipes For Everyone Who Loves Food on a Stick
Everyone loves a kabob!
Victor Protasio
Kabobs (sometimes referred to as kebabs, kebaps, or simply skewers) typically consist of cut up or ground meat, sometimes paired with vegetables and various other accompaniments. They are often cooked on a skewer over a fire, though you can also grill them or prepare them in an oven. While kabobs originated in the Middle East, they are now prepared and enjoyed just about everywhere in the world. With that in mind, we’ve put together a roundup of kabob recipes from many cultures, from Middle Eastern beef koftas to all-American Steak-and-Potato Skewers With Orange Salsa. Ready for an array of mouthwatering kabob dishes? Scroll down!
Related: 20 Pork Shoulder Recipes That Will Make Your Mouth Water
Steak-and-Potato Skewers With Orange Salsa
There's nothing better than a meal on a stick, especially if it only takes 30 minutes to cook. With this dinner recipe, you grill spiced steak and cooked potato skewers alongside bell peppers and onions. The whole easy-to-eat meal is tied together via a spicy orange salsa that you'll want to drizzle on just about everything.
Everything Salmon Skewers With Sriracha Aïoli
Victor Protasio
Grab your everything bagel seasoning for this recipe, which features chunks of salmon seasoned with the stuff, alongside slivers of crisp bok choy and punchy scallions. The fish and veggies are grilled on a skewer, and served with white rice and a homemade spicy mayo. Believe it or not, this easy meal is ready in just 30 minutes.
Grilled Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Skewers
Cured meat and melon (in this case, cantaloupe) are an excellent duo, especially when they're paired together on a stick. Whip up these skewers as a treat to yourself after a long summer day, or have them in the fridge ready to grill mid-way through an outdoor summer party. In addition to being satiated, you'll get fiber, vitamin C, and more nutrients from the delicious summer fruit.
Beef Koftas with Toasted Couscous
Koftas are spiced football-shaped meatballs found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. In this recipe, the meatballs are flavored with grated onion, fresh herbs, and a fragrant shawarma spice blend, ensuring that they are anything but bland. To complete the meal, the koftas are served with a fresh couscous salad that includes juicy tomatoes and punchy scallions. Add tahini to the mix if you want something to dip the meat skewers in.
Chicken Skewers With Almond Couscous and Kale
This 40-minute chicken dinner is perfect for an outdoor gathering, and it just so happens to include skewers. In this balanced recipe, juicy, marinated chicken is cooked on skewers and served with couscous studded with toasted almond slivers, as well as plenty of gently grilled kale. Yum!
Caprese Skewers With Balsamic Glaze
These Caprese skewers call for just five minutes of your time, and don’t even require you to turn on the stove or the oven. Instead, you’ll pair juicy ripe tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and basil and call it a day. To jazz up these skewers, feel free to top em’ with balsamic vinegar, homemade pesto, or an even simpler combination of olive oil and flaky sea salt.
Grilled Steaks With Potato Skewers
Meat and potatoes get the grill treatment in this summertime recipe, which pairs grilled tender strip steaks with potato-and-shallot-filled skewers. The whole meal, which comes together in under an hour, is tied together with a tangy tarragon mayonnaise you’ll want to whip up over and over again. If you find yourself with any leftovers, toss the steak and veggies with some lettuce for a simple salad.
Chicken Kebabs With Tomato Salad
One of our favorite things about this summer meal is that it stars some of the season’s tastiest ingredients. First, you’ve got chunks of chicken breast seasoned with garlic and thyme and lined up on skewers. Then, a fresh bunch of cherry tomatoes are tossed in a dressing spiked with orange zest, while gently charred sweet corn rounds out the dish.
Mexican Fajita Kebabs
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Fajitas aren’t traditionally served on a stick, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be. As this recipe proves, fajitas shine when they’re on a skewer, particularly when the meat is seasoned with cumin, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice, and paired with bell pepper and onion pieces, as well as fresh cilantro. Serve over rice with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for the full fajita experience.
Related: 20 Scrumptious Quesadillas That Are Calling Your Name
Joojeh Kabob (Yogurt Saffron Chicken Kebabs)
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Joojeh kabob is a traditional Persian chicken kabob that consists of chicken chunks first marinated in saffron, and then marinated in yogurt, onions, and lime juice in order to tenderize the meat. Thanks to the long marination period, the resulting chicken is tender, brightly colored, and packed with flavor. Serve with fluffy, long-grain rice for the perfect Persian feast!
Sweet and Spicy Apricot-Glazed Pork and Pineapple Kebabs
Pork and pineapple make a beautiful pair, which is part of why this kebab recipe works so well. Here, you’ll start by brining the pork and creating a dry rub for the meat that includes paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and more. Then, it’s all about the sweet and spicy glaze made with apricot preserves, honey, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, and chipotle chiles. Alternate pieces of pork and pineapple for a picture-perfect kebab.
Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs
Pineapple strikes again! Here, the hearty fruit is paired with marinated chicken and bell pepper pieces for a colorful kabob that even kids will love. The secret here is to place the chicken next to the pineapple, which will keep the poultry moist and flavorful.
Moroccan Grilled Fish Kebabs
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
If you have a hankering for a fish kebab, pick a firm fish to cook with, such as salmon or swordfish. For this recipe, hearty white fish is marinated with lemon juice, cilantro, paprika, salt, turmeric, pepper, chili powder, garlic, and more. It’s then threaded onto skewers and grilled for about 10 minutes, resulting in a flavorful, healthy meal.
Khorovats (Armenian Shish Kebabs)
Serious Eats / Andrew Janjigian
If you’re unfamiliar with this Armenian dish, it basically consists of grilled skewers of lamb or beef marinated in onion, red wine, and tomato paste. When you’re ready to present these flavor-packed, meaty kebabs, go ahead and line the serving bowl with pita. This helps soak up the moisture shed by the meat as it rests, preventing it from getting soggy. Plus, it makes the pita extra delicious!
South African Lamb Sosaties (Kebabs)
If you’ve ever been to a South African braai (barbecue) this dish was likely on the menu. It’s made with lamb meat that has been marinated in plain yogurt, curry powder, sugar and vegetable oil, as well as dried apricot and onion pieces. Everything is threaded onto a skewer for a sweet and savory barbecue dish that’s bound to be a hit.
Shrimp and Pineapple Kebabs
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Proving it’s an ace kebab ingredient, pineapple is now joined by shrimp. The two titular ingredients are marinated in pineapple juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, green onions, and garlic, yielding healthy, flavorful kebabs that everyone will love. Serve with coconut rice or lighter cauliflower rice for a complete meal.
Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Chicken kabobs marinated in a sweet and sour marinade made with honey and soy sauce are as delicious as they sound. To give these kabobs more color and nutrients, alternate between chunks of marinated chicken and onion and bell pepper pieces. Pro tip: Fresh mushrooms and cherry tomatoes also make for stellar kabob ingredients.
Greek Style Lamb Kabobs
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Lamb kabobs are a classic Greek meal for a reason. For the best results, marinate the lamb overnight in a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. While the lamb is moist and flavorful in its own right, it gets plenty of extra flavor from a homemade tzatziki sauce, which also goes well with the cherry tomatoes and onion pieces.
Related: 15 Lamb Recipes That Are Anything But Intimidating
Lime-Ginger Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Sauce
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for these kabobs, and be sure to marinate the meat in a mixture of mayonnaise and lime zest so it tenderizes. The real star here is the homemade peanut sauce, which we promise is not to be missed. You’ll want to slather it on everything!
Chicken Kabobs for Kids
The Spruce / Loren Runion
Kabobs aren’t always kid-approved, but we promise your little ones will enjoy this recipe. The chicken is joined by red onion and red bell pepper pieces, and everything is marinated in a mixture of pineapple juice, soy sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. The marinade is plenty flavorful, yet familiar enough that children will (probably) like it. If you’re skeptical about the red pepper flakes, simply leave them out.
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