Skip to main content
Epicurious

Turkish Kebabs

4.8

(13)

Image may contain Food and Bbq
Photo by Kristin Perers

Grilled meats or kebabs are a mainstay of the Muslim world, from Turkey to Iran to India and Pakistan to Muslim China to Indonesia (where kebabs are known as satay), and each country has its own way of preparing the meat or fish and marinating it for grilling. One of the earliest references to kebabs is found in an eleventh-century Turkish dictionary, which describes men as having "competed against each other in skewering meat." It was the Turks who disseminated kebabs all over the Middle East and North Africa during the Ottoman Empire. The recipe below is for classic Turkish meat kebabs, with a marinade that includes tomato paste and a mix of spices for an intense flavor.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

For the marinade:

3 cloves of garlic, minced to a fine paste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper

For the kebabs:

1 3/4 pounds (800 g) boneless lamb leg, trimmed of most of the fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
24 cherry tomatoes
Flatbread, for serving

Preparation

  1. To make the marinade:

    Step 1

    Mix together the garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, spices, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.

  2. To prepare the kebabs:

    Step 2

    Add the meat to the marinade and toss. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.

    Step 3

    Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill, switch on the gas if you have an outdoor gas grill, or preheat the broiler to high.

    Step 4

    Thread the meat onto 7 long skewers and the tomatoes onto an eighth one. Grill over high heat or broil 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the meat and tomatoes are done to your liking. Slip the meat and tomatoes off the skewers onto flatbread and serve immediately.

Image may contain: Food, Meal, Dish, and Text
From Feast: Food of the Islamic World © 2018 by Anissa Helou. Published by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.
TagsSkewerTurkishMiddle EasternLeg of LambLambMeatCherry TomatoTomatoVegetableMainDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeGrillingRamadanHarper CollinsCookbooks

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Spice-Grilled Pork Chops
A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.
Smoky Tofu Shakshuka
This vegan version of the classic North African scramble uses soft silken tofu instead of eggs without any sacrifice of flavor.
Berberger Pasta
This comforting cheeseburger-inspired pasta from Kiano Moju is bolstered by berbere spice.
Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.
Slow-Smoked Chicken
An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.
Chickpeas in Coconut Sauce
Scoop up these warmly spiced chickpeas with any flatbread or spoon them onto rice.
Ta’ameya (Fava Bean Fritters)
Serve these as you would falafel: in a pita, on top of a salad, or as a snack with a dip.
XO Sauce
Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.