Lamb Shish Kebab

This Lamb Shish Kebab recipe is made with tender pieces of lamb marinated in onion juice, milk, olive oil, tomato paste, Turkish red pepper paste, and a few simple spices.

Jump to:

• What Makes This Lamb Shish Kebab Recipe Good
• What Is Lamb Shish Kebab?
• Best Cut of Lamb for Shish Kabobs
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Lamb Shish Kebab
• How to Cook Lamb Shish Kebab in the Oven
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• What to Serve with Turkish Lamb Shish Kebab
• Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Lamb Shish Kebab

I like to marinate the lamb overnight if I have time, as it makes the meat softer and much tastier. Once they are ready, I thread the pieces onto skewers and cook them until they are lightly charred on the outside and still juicy inside. Charcoal gives the best flavor, but you can still make lovely lamb shish on a griddle pan or in the oven.

I cook the vegetables on separate skewers because they don’t need the same cooking time as the lamb. This way, I can take them off the heat when they are ready and keep the lamb cooking until it is nicely browned and juicy.

Lovely comment from a reader:

“This is the best recipe I have ever found for lamb shish kebabs. Utterly amazing.”

I also have a video in the recipe card if you’d like to see the marinating, threading, and cooking steps before you start.

What Makes This Lamb Shish Kebab Recipe Good

• The marinade is simple, but it makes a big difference. I use onion juice, milk, olive oil, tomato paste, Turkish red pepper paste, and a few spices to give the lamb a lovely Turkish flavor without hiding the taste of the meat.

• I like to marinate the lamb overnight when I can. It gives the meat time to soften and take in the flavor properly. If you are short on time, 6 hours will still work.

• You can cook the lamb skewers on the BBQ, on a hot griddle pan, under the grill, in an air fryer, or in the oven. Charcoal gives the best flavor, but I still make them indoors when the weather is not on my side.

• I cook the vegetables on separate skewers because they cook differently from the lamb. It gives me better control, and everything comes off the heat at the right time.

• This is a great recipe to prepare ahead, especially for BBQs, family dinners, or Turkish-style meals. You can marinate the lamb the day before and cook it when you are ready.

What Is Lamb Shish Kebab?

Lamb shish kebab is made with cubes of lamb threaded onto skewers and cooked over high heat. In Turkish, “şiş” means skewer, and kebap refers to grilled or roasted meat.

In Turkey, lamb shish is usually quite simple. The focus is on good-quality meat, a balanced marinade, and cooking the lamb over a hot grill or charcoal. Vegetables are often grilled on separate skewers and served alongside the meat, rather than squeezed between the lamb pieces.

This recipe is based on the Turkish way of making lamb shish kebab, using lamb pieces rather than ground meat. It is different from Adana Kebab (Adana Kofte), which is made with minced lamb, and different from Doner Kebab, which is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and sliced thinly.

Best Cut of Lamb for Shish Kabobs

The best cuts for lamb shish kebab are lamb shoulder, leg, loin, or neck fillet. You want meat that has enough fat to stay juicy, but not so much that the kebabs feel greasy.

Lamb shoulder has a good balance of meat and fat and gives very tasty kebabs. Lamb leg is lean, but it still works well if you marinate it properly and avoid overcooking it. Neck fillet is also a great option because it has plenty of flavor and stays tender when cooked quickly over high heat.

Try to cut the lamb yourself if you can. Pre-cut lamb cubes from the supermarket can be too small, and smaller pieces dry out faster on the grill. Aim for pieces around 1½ to 2 inches, or 4 to 5 cm.

Leave a little fat on the lamb. Trim away large hard pieces, but don’t remove every bit of fat. A little fat helps the meat stay juicy and adds flavor as it cooks.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Lamb Kebab Marinade

• Lamb - Use lamb shoulder, leg, loin, or neck fillet, cut into 1½ to 2-inch cubes. Try to keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.

• Olive oil - I use my favorite cooking olive oil instead of extra virgin olive oil for the marinade. It adds flavor to the meat and keeps it moist.

• Onion - The onion is grated and squeezed, and only the juice goes into the marinade. This gives flavor and helps tenderize the lamb without leaving small onion pieces that can burn on the grill.

• Milk - use milk instead of yogurt for this lamb shish marinade. Yogurt is lovely in some marinades, but it can catch and burn quickly over high heat. Milk gives a gentler marinade and works well for Turkish-style lamb skewers. Use whole milk or 2% milk. In the UK, full-fat or semi-skimmed milk both work.

• Tomato paste - Tomato paste adds a deep savory flavor and helps give the lamb a lovely color as it grills.

• Red pepper paste - Turkish red pepper paste, also called biber salçası, gives the kebabs a richer flavor. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. If you don’t have it, use the same amount of tomato paste instead.

• Spices - I use flaked chili, freshly ground black pepper, and salt. You can adjust the chili depending on how spicy you like your kebabs.

• Vegetables - Red onion, bell pepper, Turkish green chilies, and tomatoes all work well with lamb shish kebab. Cook them on separate skewers so they don’t overcook before the lamb is ready.

How to Make Lamb Shish Kebab

Prepare the Meat

Cut the lamb into 1½ to 2 inch pieces. Try to keep them close in size so they cook at the same speed.

Trim away large pieces of hard fat or sinew, but leave a little fat on the meat. This helps the kebabs stay juicy.

Make the Marinade

Peel and finely grate the onion, or blitz it in a food processor.

Place the grated onion in a clean kitchen cloth or fine sieve and squeeze out the juice. You only need the onion juice for the marinade.

Add the onion juice to a large bowl with the milk, olive oil, tomato paste, red pepper paste, flaked chili, black pepper, and salt. Mix everything until smooth.

Add the lamb cubes and stir until all the pieces are well coated.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight for the best flavor. You can marinate the lamb for up to 2 days.

Prepare the Vegetables

Cut the red onion and bell pepper into pieces similar in size to the lamb.

If using Turkish green chilies, slice them into large pieces.

Cut regular tomatoes into wedges, or leave cherry tomatoes whole.

Thread the Skewers

Thread the lamb pieces onto metal skewers or soaked wooden skewers. The lamb pieces should sit close together but not be packed too tightly. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for half an hour before threading to avoid them burning.

Thread the vegetables onto separate skewers. This helps everything cook properly because the vegetables need less time than the lamb.

Flat metal skewers are best because they hold the lamb in place and stop it from spinning when you turn the kebabs.

Cook the Lamb Shish Kebabs on the BBQ or Grill

Heat the BBQ, grill, or griddle pan until very hot. Lightly oil the grill if needed, then place the lamb skewers on the heat.

Cook the lamb skewers for 14 to 18 minutes, turning them every few minutes, until the outside is nicely browned and the lamb is cooked to your liking. Smaller pieces will cook quicker, so keep an eye on them. If you use a meat thermometer, 145°F / 63°C is a good guide for medium lamb.

Cook the vegetable skewers separately for 8 to 12 minutes, turning often, until softened and lightly charred.

Let the lamb rest for a few minutes before serving.

How to Cook Lamb Shish Kebab in the Oven

You can cook lamb shish kebabs in the oven if you don’t have a BBQ or grill.

Preheat the oven to 390°F / 200°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Place the lamb skewers on the tray, leaving a little space between them.

Cook for 15 to 17 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the lamb is browned and cooked to your liking.

For better color, place the skewers under the broiler for the last 1 to 2 minutes. Keep an eye on them because they can catch quickly.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Use lamb with a little fat. Very lean lamb can dry out quickly on the grill.

• Cut the lamb into even pieces so they cook at the same speed.

• Use onion juice, not grated onion, in the marinade. Small onion pieces can burn over high heat.

• Marinate the lamb for at least 6 hours. Overnight gives the best flavor.

• Bring the lamb out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Very cold meat does not cook as evenly.

• Don’t pack the skewers too tightly. The lamb pieces should touch lightly, but they still need enough space for heat to move around them.

• Cook the vegetables separately from the lamb. They need less time and will overcook if they are threaded between the meat.

• Use high heat. Lamb shish kebab should brown quickly on the outside and stay juicy inside.

What to Serve with Turkish Lamb Shish Kebab

Shish kabob is lovely with warm Pita Bread, Turkish Bulgur Pilaf, or Turkish Rice. For sauces and dips, serve it with Yoghurt Dip (Haydari), Toum - Lebanese Garlic Sauce, or Hummus.

For salads, try Tomato and Walnut Salad (Gavurdagi Salatasi), Mediterranean Honey Halloumi Salad, Turkish Pickled Red Cabbage, or Greek Cucumber Salad.

For a more filling meal, serve the Turkish lamb kebabs with Lebanese Spicy Potatoes - Batata Harra or Crispy Sauté Potatoes with Garlic.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing

Store leftover lamb shish kebab in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat, in the oven, or in the air fryer until hot. Try not to overheat the lamb, as it can dry out.

You can freeze the cooked lamb for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely first, then place it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.

I don’t recommend freezing the grilled vegetables because they turn soft after thawing.

You can also freeze the marinated raw lamb. Place the lamb and marinade in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before threading and cooking.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious lamb recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these juicy grilled Lamb Shish Kabobs as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂