Shish kebab is a simple and favorite way to grill meat and vegetables on skewers. The skewers make the meat easy to turn and the pieces all have a wonderful char grill flavor.

Shish Kebabs, or skewers of meat cooked on an open flame is one of the most delicious and traditional ways to cook, Middle Eastern-style, on the grill. Kebabs are wonderful for many ingredients, from lamb shish kebab to chicken shish kebab and of course, veggie shish kebab. This shish kebab recipe is for beef and veggies that get mouthwatering flavor from the best marinade you can make, before sizzling on a hot grill.

Shish Kebab Vs Shish Kebob: What’s the Difference?

In practice, there is no difference between shish kebab and shish kebob other than the spelling and the region of the Middle East. Kebab is more typical in Arabic speaking areas, inlcuding Lebanon. Kebob is tyipcal in Armenia and elsewhere. Bottom line: pronounce both the same way. You won’t be wrong with either spelling when you make this shish kabob recipe! 

Shish Kebab Ingredients

For the marinade

Extra virgin olive oil. Use mild, balanced EVOO like my favorite Lebanese extra virgin olive oil.

Lemon juice. Fresh is best, squeezed from lemons.

Garlic cloves. These are part of the marinade, so they need to be grated or minced. A couple of teaspoons garlic powder can sub in here.

Salt and black pepper

Worcestershire sauce. The mouthwatering umami flavor that is so good with beef. A fine substitute is soy sauce.

Pomegranate molasses. My special touch here that lends sweet-tart flavor to the marinade and takes flavor waaaayy up a notch!

For the skewers

Use 8 flat metal skewers with 3-5 pieces of meat per skewer. 

Lean beef. The meat is cut into smaller pieces, 1-2 inch cubes. Look for tender meat. For a splurge, beef tenderloin is divine here. Other cuts of meat that work well are top sirloin and strip. I avoid stew meat for shish kabob meat because that requires a longer cook time to tenderize.

Red onion. Love the color and flavor here but sweet onion works just fine too.

Bell peppers. Choose any color, green peppers, red, yellow, or orange. Or a mix! These add grilled vegetables to the meal.

How to Make Shish Kebabs

Step 1. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine all of the shish kabob marinade ingredients. Set aside.

Step 2. Cut the beef into 1- to 2-inch cubes. Cut the onion and peppers into 2-inch pieces. Add the cubes of meat and vegetables to the marinade in the bowl and turn the pieces to fully coat them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Step 3. When you’re ready to grill, coat the grill grates lightly with oil and heat the gas grill to medium-high heat. A charcoal grill is of course wonderful and should be heated to medium high. 

Step 4. Thread each flat skewer with the meat, onion, and peppers; discard the marinade.

Step 5. Place the kebabs on the hot grill, turning them halfway through cooking, about 12 minutes total. Remove the skewers from the grill. Before serving, push the meat and vegetables off the skewers onto a platter and drizzle with olive oil.

Quick Tips

For best results, avoid wooden skewers and bamboo skewers for your beef kabobs. These must be soaked to avoid burning them on the grill, and they are also typically smaller and not as sturdy as metal skewers. Many grocery stores carry metal skewers seasonally, but it’s worth it to invest in a set in advance so you have them at the ready whenever you want to make kebabs.

Take care not to overcook the meat. Cooking times will vary depending on the heat of your grill and the size of the meat cubes. Keep a close eye on the meat and use an instant read thermometer to reach your desired doneness. I go for medium-rare meat with an internal temperature of 135°F.

Be sure to coat the grill with oil before cooking the beef shish kebabs. You can use a spray bottle or spray can of oil, or brush the grates. Otherwise, they tend to stick to the grill and are more difficult to turn. A grill pan is also a good option.

Make-ahead Instructions

To prep ahead for your shish kebab dinner, marinade the meat, then remove from the marinade and make the skewers. Keep the skewers for up to one day, covered and refrigerated, before grilling.

Serving Suggestions

I always, always remove the meat and vegetables from the skewers before serving. Arrange everything on a platter to serve. This makes it much easier for everyone so that they don’t have to deal with pushing the meat and vegetables off the skewer themselves on the plate. That can be messy and awkward! 

This ultimate summer meal begs for sides such as Lebanese rice, a crisp salad such as Lebanese Salad, Fattoush, Tabbouleh, or a Greek salad. You have grilled vegetables right off the skewer, so that creates part of the meal and a side dish in and of itself. Sauce up the plate with a cool Creamy Yogurt Cucumber Salad or tzatziki sauce.

Storage

Leftover beef shish kabobs are delicious topping a salad or a bowl of hummus. Keep meat and veggie leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.