The Best Kebab Recipes: Our Favorite Grilled Foods on a Stick

By Frances Kim
Armando Rafael
We love grilling kebabs for their ease and versatility. The different ingredient combinations offer loads of tasty possibilities, which is especially helpful when feeding a crowd. The recipes here feature bold flavors from all over the world.
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Ryan Liebe

There isn't just one way to create a kebab. Kebabs can contain multiple cuts of beef and pork, simply chicken, or just shrimp or cubed salmon. Some of the best kebabs are free of meat entirely: Our roasted okra and thyme skewers attest to that. Whichever kebab you choose, the skewers are cooked under a broiler or charred to perfection on a hot grill. There are a few tips and tricks you should know before you fire up the grill.

 

While we prefer to use metal skewers, as these can be washed and reused and are more durable than wooden options. There are other skewer options beyond metal, wood, and bamboo: Our swordfish, potato, and onion skewers are roasted on a stick of rosemary, which adds extra flavor and a wonderful aroma. In addition to selecting complementary proteins and vegetables, swapping out a traditional skewer for an herb stem could bring a new level of delicious complexity to a kebab.

 

Some of our kebab recipes include elements that are broken up on separate skewers, like this Saffron Chicken Kebabs recipe where chicken is cooked on some skewers and onion and tomato wedges are cooked on others. This is because vegetables cook much faster than it takes to thoroughly cook a piece of meat or poultry. Some of the quickest cooking kebabs are meat-free: Fish cooks fast like in these delicious Spicy Grilled Shrimp (yes, shrimp always cooks quickly!) or these swordfish skewers.

 

There are plenty of options in this gallery. Use these beloved recipes to guide you towards perfection on a stick.

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Lamb Kebabs with Herbed Yogurt

The Ingalls
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Ground lamb is spiced with cumin, coriander, and aleppo pepper for these flavorful lamb kebabs that are paired with a dill-parsley yogurt as a bright, refreshing accompaniment.

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Cashew-Chicken Kebabs

Armando Rafael
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A Thai-style cashew-curry sauce serves as both the marinade and dip for these chicken thigh skewers. Round out the meal with rice noodles, shaved cucumber and carrots, shredded iceberg lettuce, and chopped cashew.

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Swordfish, Potato, and Onion Skewers with Golden-Raisin Agrodolce

Bryan Gardner
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Here's our spin on Italian spiedini, which cleverly use rosemary branches as skewers. The agrodolce can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. Gently rewarm before serving.

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Grilled Kofta Kebabs

Lennart Weibull
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The term kofta refers to a mixture of seasoned ground meat, which is often formed into ovals, skewered, and grilled. We used lamb and turkey for these beauties and served them with Lebanese tomato sauce and chopped-chile relish.

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Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Skewers

RYANE LIEBE
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A quick turn on the grill turns chicken thighs, zucchini, cipollini onions, and cremini mushrooms into a balanced, satisfying supper. Lemon zest and juice and fresh parsley tie all the flavors together.

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Charred Okra and Fresh Thyme

Yuki Sugiura
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Smoky, flame-kissed okra flavored with fresh thyme, hot paprika, and flaky sea salt makes a lovely side dish. Skewering the veggie from stem to tip keeps it from falling between the grates of the grill.

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Chorizo, Parsnip, and Olive Bites

Bryan Gardner
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Parsnips are roasted until golden and tender, tossed with chorizo and Castelvetrano olives, and threaded onto skewers for easy eating in this party-ready appetizer.

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Spicy Grilled Shrimp

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Sambal oelek, also known as Asian chili paste, and fish sauce give plump, beautifully charred shrimp lots of heat and umami notes.

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Corn and Cotija Cheese Skewers

Sang An
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Take summer corn to new heights by scorching it and topping with mayo, Cotija cheese, and smoked Spanish paprika. Try our other summer hors d'oeuvre combos—shrimp and avocado, watermelon and feta, and ham, cheese, and pickle—or better yet, serve all four!

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Chicken Souvlaki

Johnny Miller
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Run-of-the-mill chicken breasts become something special when marinated in lemon juice, garlic, and fresh oregano and grilled with plum tomatoes and red onions. Serve with charred pitas and our cucumber-heavy yogurt sauce (more cukes mean more crunch and fewer calories!).

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Grilled Fish Kebabs with Shaved Zucchini

Marcus Nilsson
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Let the flavors of fresh swordfish, tangy cherry tomatoes, and sweet red onion shine through by keeping seasoning simple—all you need is olive oil, salt, and pepper. Dish it up with a summery zucchini-and-corn salad.

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Padron Peppers Skewered with Chorizo

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Blistered Padron peppers and smoky hot chorizo make an easy, delicious appetizer. Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt to bring out the flavors.

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Grilled Beef Skewers with Zucchini and Mint

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Serve grilled sirloin and zucchini over scallion-studded rice for a quick well-rounded meal. Top with fresh mint, red chile flakes, and lime wedges to complete the dish.

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Red Onion, Pork, and Pineapple with Sriracha-Pineapple Marinade

Andrew Purcell
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Give grilled pork a sweet-and-spicy twist by bathing it in pineapple juice and Sriracha. The marinade also makes a great sauce for the accompanying red onion and pineapple skewers.

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Mushrooms, Red Peppers, and Beef with Balsamic-Rosemary Marinade

Andrew Purcell
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Make the affordable cut of top blade beef taste luxurious by sousing it in balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary before grilling. Charred button mushrooms and red bell peppers brushed with the marinade complement the juicy meat perfectly.

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Beef Satay with Peanut-Ginger Ramen

Andrew Purcell
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Give packaged ramen noodles a major upgrade by tossing them in a creamy peanut-ginger sauce and topping with grilled flank-steak skewers and thin slices of cucumber.

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Grilled Shrimp with Chimichurri

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Say hello to flavor with our tangy chimichurri sauce. It boasts five different herbs—basil, chives, parsley, dill, and mint—and makes grilled shrimp, peppers, and cherry tomatoes exciting enough for company.

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Tabbouleh and Lamb Kebabs

Johnny Miller
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Make the tabbouleh up to three days in advance, so all you have to do come dinnertime is grill the coriander-spiked lamb and set out the pitas and Greek yogurt.

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Mojo Pork Kebabs

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Marinate pork tenderloin in our take on Cuban mojo sauce—we amp up the classic garlic, olive oil, and orange juice combo with red-pepper flakes and lime juice. Orange chunks and cucumber rounds provide a refreshing counterpoint.

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Spiced Steak Kebabs

John Kernick
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Combine coriander- and cumin-flavored sirloin with red bell pepper, red onion, and button mushrooms on the grill for a delectable weeknight meal. The skewers also make killer leftovers.

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Shrimp-and-Pineapple Skewers

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Give grilled shrimp a tropical twist by pairing it with pineapple. A marinade of honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar gives the kebabs a salty-sweet snap.

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Turkey Kebabs with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce

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The wrap of our dreams stuffs whole-wheat pitas with charred turkey breast, pineapple, and red onion skewers and drizzles the whole shebang with a silky smooth tomatillo-buttermilk-avocado sauce.

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Chicken Kebabs in Lettuce Cups

Johnny Miller
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Red onion and fresh mint pull double duty in this recipe—they're used to flavor the chicken meatball skewers and serve as a salad for the lettuce wraps.

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Garlic-Chipotle Beef Kebabs

Petrina Tinslay
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These ground beef patties pack a serious punch thanks to the Latin-inspired flavors of chiles in adobo and fresh cilantro.

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Pork and Snap Pea Kebabs with Ginger-Hoisin Glaze

Petrina Tinslay
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Charred pork tenderloin, scallions, and snap peas are even more tempting when brushed with a sweet, tangy hoisin-ginger glaze.

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Shrimp-Boil Kebabs

Petrina Tinslay
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Everything we love about a shrimp boil—shrimp, potatoes, fresh corn, andouille, hot sauce, and Old Bay seasoning—is combined into one sensational skewer.

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Flank Steak Kebabs with Peanut Sauce

Petrina Tinslay
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The luscious coconut milk-peanut sauce that accompanies these beef-and-veggie kebabs is a game-changer.

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Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey and Tomato Kebabs

Petrina Tinslay
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Merge juicy turkey breast with the flavors of a classic summer salad—Caprese style. The secret ingredient? Store-bought Italian dressing, which is brushed on the skewers during grilling.

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