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Fire up the grill and bring big Mediterranean-inspired flavor to your backyard with this easy Beef Souvlaki recipe! These juicy Greek beef kabobs are marinated in lemon, garlic, and herbs, then grilled to perfection with colorful veggies. It’s a simple, flavorful meal that doesn’t get any better for a summer dinner!
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Greek
- Primary Cooking Method: Grill
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Beef Souvlaki – the Best Greek Steak Kabobs!
Kabobs, kebabs, skewers – whatever you want to call them, they are so flavorful and so fun! And one of my favorites is Beef Souvlaki. Tender steak, caramelized veggies, and a spectacular marinade bursting with bright and fresh Greek flavors – what’s not to love?
Now, if you are wondering what the difference is between souvlaki and kabobs, these two dishes are essentially the same, with one small exception. They both feature skewers of grilled beef and vegetables, but beef kabobs are typically served on the skewers while souvlaki is often served in pita bread. However you choose to enjoy this dish, you are going to love it. Here’s why…
- A summertime favorite. Grilling season is a great reason to make a delicious Mediterranean feast. And this recipe is a super easy centerpiece to that meal.
- Simple prep. While it does have to marinate for a few hours, you can prepare it ahead, then grill the steak kabobs in no time.
- Meets your needs. With this basic recipe, you can customize your meal to be gluten free, dairy free, and even low carb, based on how you serve the beef souvlaki and your choice of side dishes.
What You’ll Need
Let’s go through a quick summary of the ingredients for the steak marinade and the kabobs so you can make some mouthwatering beef souvlaki easily. Then you can check out the recipe card for the full amounts.
- Beef. I use top round, cut into cubes. See below for more information on cuts you can use.
- Olive oil.
- Lemon juice. I recommend fresh lemon juice as the bottled variety can impart a bitter flavor.
- Garlic.
- Fresh oregano. You can use dried if that is what you have, but you’ll only use a teaspoon or two.
- Salt and pepper.
- Vegetables. I like to use a combination of red and green peppers, onion, and grape tomatoes. But you can really use any mixture of veggies you like! You’ll want to cut them about the same size as the beef cubes.
What is the best beef for kabobs?
Some people would say that filet mignon is the best choice for beef kabobs. When cut into small pieces and grilled, it stays tender. However, filet, along with similar options like porterhouse and ribeye, can be quite pricy.
But since these skewers are marinated for several hours, the lemon juice will break down the meat and tenderize it quite nicely. That allows you to go with a more affordable option and leaner option like beef top round.
How to Make Beef Souvlaki
Here is a quick overview. The step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Prepare the beef: Cut the beef into 1 1/4-inch cubes and place them in a shallow pan or plastic storage bag.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour over the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Chop the vegetables: While the meat marinates, cut your vegetables into pieces about the same size as the steak cubes.
- Assemble the kabobs: After the beef has marinated, thread it onto the skewers, alternating with onions and peppers. Place the tomatoes on the ends.
- Grill the skewers: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the skewers over direct heat and reduce to medium. Grill for 4-5 minutes, then flip and grill for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve as desired.
Tips For Success
- Soak the Kabob Sticks. Don’t forget, if you are using wooden or bamboo skewers, you’ll need to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to keep them from burning. Better yet, plan ahead and soak them overnight.
- Or Buy Metal Skewers. If you don’t want to worry about soaking, you can always invest in metal skewers. I actually like these flexible skewers because you can twist them into a circle and connect the ends so that nothing falls off into the grill.
- Don’t Skimp on the Marinating Time. It really helps tenderize the meat and infuse all of the deliciousness.
- Don’t Overcook The Kabobs. The small pieces of meat do cook quickly, and letting them get too well-done will make it tough and chewy.
- Switch it Up. You can also use the marinade to make Chicken Souvlaki, or even try shrimp or fish. Feel free to substitute your favorite veggies too.
Storing and Serving Leftovers
- Refrigerate – If you have any extra, slide the meat and vegetables off of the skewers and place them in an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for up to three to four days.
- Serve – You can make pita pockets for lunch with leftover beef souvlaki or serve it over a salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette. Enjoy cold or gently reheat it in the microwave or wrapped in foil in the oven.
What to serve with Greek Beef Kabobs
You’ll often find steak kabobs served over white rice alongside a Greek Salad and drizzled with Tzatziki Sauce. But you can truly customize this meal to your preferences for a Greek feast the entire family will enjoy.
- Go for a classic Beef Souvlaki by serving it in gluten free pita with hummus.
- Keep it low carb with cauliflower rice and Greek Zucchini Noodles Salad.
- If you have vegetarians at the meal, try Feta Tomato Cucumber Salad and add some falafel too.
Beef Souvlaki
Ingredients
For the kabobs:
- 2-2.5 lbs. beef top round cut into 1 ¼ inch cubes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- a mixture of peppers, onions, tomatoes, or whatever vegetable you prefer cut into chunks (I used one red pepper, one green pepper, 2 peppers, half large red onion, about 8 grape tomatoes)
- Tzatziki for dipping , if desired (use the recipe below or your favorite)
- pita, hummus, rice, Greek salad, etc. for serving
For the tzatziki:
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and finely shredded
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the kabobs:
- Cut 2-2.5 lbs. beef top round into 1 ¼ inch cubes.
- Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano,, 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and Freshly ground pepper in a shallow pan or zip-top plastic storage bag. Mix everything together.
- Add the beef cubes to the pan or plastic bag. Seal the bag, pressing out any extra air, or cover the dish and marinate the beef for 2-4 hours, turning once or twice.
- If you are using wood/bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to keep them from burning. Thread the beef cubes and a mixture of peppers, onions, tomatoes, or whatever vegetable you prefer cut into chunks onto skewers.
- Preheat your grill to medium high heat.
- Place the skewers on the grill, reduce to medium, and grill over direct medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning once.
- Serve with Tzatziki for dipping, pita, hummus, rice, Greek salad, etc. as desired.
For the tzatziki:
- Combine 1 medium cucumber, peeled and shredded, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 clove garlic,, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
- If possible, let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
Did you make this?
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Fantastic! Very easy to make, and my family (including picky eaters) loved it. Take the time to let it marinate- I let it marinate for about 3 hours.
OMG these look soooo damn good! I could got for some RIGHT NOW! I love me some Greek!
Thank you, Jack!