These Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebabs are incredibly easy to prepare, delicious, and perfect for either a weeknight or the weekend. Whether you’re hosting a backyard BBQ or just craving something deliciously easy, these kebabs are guaranteed to impress.
Pair them with my Mediterranean yellow rice, Lemon Yogurt Sauce, and bright chopped cucumber and tomato salad. Scroll down for more serving and pairing ideas!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Super simple prep: The marinade comes together in 5 minutes and uses pantry staples. Plus, the beef only needs an hour to soak up all that goodness (though overnight is even better!). The veggie options are customizable, so use what you have on hand.
- Perfect for summer: This is the kind of recipe that begs to be enjoyed outside, ideally with a cold drink in hand. Check out some of my other Grilling Recipes.
- Incredible pairings: Serve these kebabs with grilled veggies, flatbreads, and a bright salad for a complete Middle Eastern-inspired feast.
Ingredients
The key here is to pick the right kind of beef. Here’s what you’ll need to make this beef shish kabob recipe:
- Beef: I use sirloin tri-tip (or top sirloin), a tender, flavorful cut that’s perfect for skewering. It has a decent amount of marbling, which means that it’ll stay tender when cooked. You can also use rib eye or another grilling-appropriate cut of beef. If you want to splurge, beef tenderloin (filet mignon) would also work, but could dry out quickly, so make sure not to overcook it. Ask your butcher if you’re not sure what cut of meat to buy. Don’t use tougher cuts like shoulder or stewing beef. If you also like chicken, try my Greek chicken Souvlaki, Harissa Chicken Skewers, Persian Joojeh Kabob (Saffron Chicken), and Chicken Shish Tawook recipes.
- Pomegranate molasses: This is a Middle Eastern-style recipe and for that, the sweet and tangy flavor of pomegranate molasses is key. You can buy it online or at any Middle Eastern market. These days, you can also find it at most well-stocked grocery stores. Use it is other recipes like: Muhammara (Syrian Red Pepper Dip), Lebanese Fattoush, or Turkish Ezme. You can use soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce instead, but it won’t be the same.
- Vegetables: I like using fresh veggies that cook quickly. Red or white onions, red or green bell peppers, and zucchini work well. You can also use mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and/or scallions.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make this Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebabs recipe
This is a straightforward recipe, but I always recommend looking at all the photos first to get a feel for all the steps.
Step 1. Tenderize the Meat (Optional). Using a meat tenderizer, poke holes into the beef and then cut it into 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes.
Step 2. Make the Marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, dried oregano, crushed garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Step 3. Marinate the Beef. Add the chunks of beef to the marinade, toss to coat well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Step 4. Skewer. Skewer the marinated beef chunks along with chunks of zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion. Aim to keep the veggie pieces about the same size as the beef.
Step 5. Grill. Oil your charcoal grill, gas grill, or indoor grill with a little vegetable oil. Grill over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side, turning to get even char marks on all sides. The cooking time may vary depending on the grill used and cooking method. Use a meat thermometer if you have one. It’ll help you determine the internal temperature of the beef so you don’t overcook it. See chart below. For best results, I recommend Medium or Medium Well.
Step 6. Serve. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of sumac for that extra zing.
Beef Doneness Chart
- Rare: Internal Temperature: 120–125°F (49–52°C). Characteristics: Cool red center, very soft texture
- Medium Rare: Internal Temperature: 130–135°F (54–57°C). Characteristics: Warm red center, tender and juicy
- Medium: Internal Temperature: 140–145°F (60–63°C). Characteristics: Warm pink center, slightly firmer
- Medium Well: Internal Temperature: 150–155°F (66–68°C). Characteristics: Slightly pink center, firmer texture
- Well Done: Internal Temperature: 160°F (71°C). Characteristics: Little or no pink, firm and fully cooked
Pairing and Menu Ideas
As a classic Middle Eastern recipe, you would want to definitely make a Middle Eastern-inspired meal with it.
When it comes to rice, enjoy these kebabs with my Middle Eastern Vegetable Rice Pilaf, Vermicelli Rice, Saffron Rice, Mediterranean Yellow Rice or if you want to impress, Tahdig (Persian Crispy Rice).
As for a starchy side, my Mediterranean Pasta Salad, Mediterranean Lentil Salad, Batata Harra (Spicy Lebanese Potatoes) or Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.
Serve these kebabs with Lebanese garlic sauce (Toum), lemon tahini sauce, mint yogurt sauce, Mast-o Khiar (Persian cucumber yogurt dip), pickled cauliflower, giardiniera pickles, and Lebanese pita bread.
Check out my Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Appetizers to round out a complete meal. Baba ganoush or Mutabal (roasted eggplant dip) would be lovely, as would Charred Zucchini with Garlic Yogurt.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the tenderizing step. It really helps the marinade penetrate the beef.
- Soak the wooden skewers. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning. I recommend you use metal skewers as they are reusable and more traditional.
- Want extra flavor? Save a bit of the marinade (before adding the raw meat). Brush the saved leftover marinade over the kebabs while grilling.
- Don’t crowd your grill. Give the skewers a little space so that they get charred evenly.
- Use an air fryer. If you don’t have a grill pan or an outdoor grill, you can certainly use an air fryer. The timing and temperature will vary from model to model. But I would recommend starting with a high temperature (like 400°F) and about 8-12 minutes of cook time. You may want to turn the skewers over halfway.
- Invest in a meat thermometer. If you are not sure how to tell if the meat is cooked the way you like it, use an instant-read meat thermometer (affiliate link) to help you.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can marinate the beef up to 24 hours in advance. Just keep it covered in the fridge.
Store grilled kebabs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave.
Yes, you can freeze the marinated raw beef (without the vegetables) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before skewering and grilling. I don’t recommend freezing cooked beef kebabs.
Other Grilling Recipes
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Main Dishes
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Main Dishes
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Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebab (with Sides)
Equipment
- Meat Tenderizer Optional
- Grill pan, outdoor grill or BBQ
Ingredients
Beef Kebab Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Tri Tip, top sirloin steak, tenderloin or other grilling beef – See note
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 Garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon Dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 Red onion (cut into 1 ½ inch pieces)
- 1 Zucchini (cut into 1 ½ inch pieces)
- 1 Bell pepper (cut into 1 ½ inch pieces)
- Fresh parsley and sumac for garnish
Instructions
- Tenderize the Meat (Optional). Using a meat tenderizer, poke holes into 1 ½ lbs Tri Tip, top sirloin steak, tenderloin or other grilling beef and then cut it into 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes. Note: Your butcher can also tenderize it for you, or you can skip the tenderizing step.
- Make the Marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoon Olive oil, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 2 Garlic cloves (minced), 1 tablespoon Pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon Dried oregano, 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon Black pepper.
- Marinate the Beef. Add the chunks of beef to the marinade, toss to coat well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Skewer. Skewer the marinated beef chunks along with 1 Red onion (cut into 1 ½ inch pieces), 1 Zucchini (cut into 1 ½ inch pieces), and 1 Bell pepper (cut into 1 ½ inch pieces). Aim to keep the veggie pieces about the same size as the beef and alternate them on the skewer. Any leftover vegetables can be skewered and grilled alongside the beef skewers.
- Grill. Oil your charcoal grill, gas grill, or indoor grill with a little vegetable oil. Grill over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side, turning to get even char marks on all sides. The cooking time may vary depending on the grill used and cooking method. Use a meat thermometer if you have one. It’ll help you determine the internal temperature of the beef so you don’t overcook it. For best results, I recommend Medium or Medium Well.
- Serve. Add Fresh parsley and sumac for garnish and serve right away.
Notes
- Beef: I use sirloin tri-tip or top sirloin, a tender, flavorful cut that’s perfect for skewering. It has a decent amount of marbling, which means that it’ll stay tender when cooked. You can also use rib eye or another grilling-appropriate cut of beef. If you want to splurge, beef tenderloin (filet mignon) would also work, but could dry out quickly, so make sure not to overcook it. Ask your butcher if you’re not sure what cut of meat to buy. Don’t use tougher cuts like shoulder or stewing beef.
- Pomegranate molasses: This is a Middle Eastern-style recipe and for that, the sweet and tangy flavor of pomegranate molasses is key. You can buy it online or at any Middle Eastern market. These days, you can also find it at most well-stocked grocery stores. You can use soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce instead, but it won’t be the same.
- Vegetables: I like using fresh veggies that cook quickly. Red or white onions, red or green bell peppers, and zucchini work well. You can also use mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and/or scallions.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of the beef. I recommend cooking the beef to Medium (140–145°F) or Medium well (150–155°F).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I loved this marinade! I made it exactly as written out and cooked it on a cast iron since I didn’t have access to a grill.