Mediterranean Grilled Steak Kabobs

4.7 from 9 votes
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Enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean without leaving your backyard with this easy Beef Souvlaki recipe. These marinated and grilled steak kabobs are bursting with mouthwatering savory Greek flavors. Thread the meat onto skewers with veggies and grill it for a simple and flavorful meal that doesn’t get any better!

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?

Grilling season is a great reason to make a delicious Mediterranean feast. And this recipe is a super easy centerpiece to that meal. While it does have to marinate for a few hours, you can prepare it ahead, then grill the steak kabobs in no time. 

Are souvlaki and beef kabobs the same thing?

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 vouvlaki is often served in pita bread.

With this basic recipe, you can customize your meal to be gluten free, low carb, or paleo based on how you serve the kabobs and your choice of side dishes.

Grilled Greek Beef Souvlaki on a plate with rize, zoodles, pita, and tzatziki.

What You’ll Need

This recipe starts with the beef that you are using for the steak kabobs. Let’s go through a quick summary of the ingredients, and then you can check out the recipe card for the full amounts.

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.

Marinade Ingredients

  • 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 for the Kabobs

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.

A plate of beef cubes, cut vegetables and marinade ingredients.

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.

Marinated beef and vegetables on plates and some threaded onto bamboo skewers.

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.

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.

Grilled Greek Beef Kabobs for a Mediterranean dinner with rice, hummus, and tzatziki

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.
Greek Beef Kabobs with tzatziki, pita, rice, and zoodles Greek salad

Storing Leftovers

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. Then you can make pita pockets for lunch or serve them over a salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette. You can enjoy it cold or gently reheat it in the microwave or wrapped in foil in the oven.

Grilled Greek Beef Kabobs on a dinner plate with rice, hummus, Zoodles Greek salad, and tzatziki on top of a red placemat and a blue cloth napkin with white flowers.
4.7 from 9 votes

Beef Souvlaki – Greek Steak Kabobs

Enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean without leaving your backyard with this easy Beef Souvlaki recipe. These marinated and grilled steak kabobs are bursting with mouthwatering savory Greek flavors. Thread the meat onto skewers with veggies and grill it for a simple and flavorful meal that doesn't get any better!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Marinating time 4 hours
Servings: 8 servings

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 (like this Zucchini Noodles Greek Salad) etc. for serving

For the tzatziki:

  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled and finely shredded
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the kabobs:

  • Place the beef cubes in a large plastic storage bag or shallow pan.
  • Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and pour it into a shallow pan or zip-top plastic storage bag. Or add the marinade ingredients right to the plastic bag.
  • Add the beef cubed 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 vegetables 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, hummus, pitas, rice, etc., as desired.

For the tzatziki:

  • Combine all of the ingredients 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.
Nutrition Facts
Beef Souvlaki – Greek Steak Kabobs
Amount Per Serving (1 -2 skewers)
Calories 236 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 71mg24%
Sodium 667mg28%
Potassium 497mg14%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 59IU1%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 71mg7%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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63 Comments
  1. Jo

    5 stars
    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.

  2. Brett

    going to try this recipe, and marinade my beef over night. love greek kabobs, and tzatziki sauce. making some Tabouli also.

  3. Hannah

    I made the tzatziki sauce with fresh dill. It turned out really well! Also, I don’t have spiral vegetable peeler for the zoodles, is there another way to cut them?

  4. Rona

    Questions:
    1) can I use already cut up stew meat or is it too tough?
    2) can I marinate for longer? I can’t be home 4 hours before dinner.

    Thanks! I’m hoping to make this on Friday.

  5. Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily

    That’s too funny! I’m totally and exasperatingly OCD about stuff like that as well. Though I have ‘let go’ of a lot of my ‘stuff’ since having 4 kids 😉 Honestly, I usually skip the whole skewering thing nowadays and throw everything in a big grill basked in a sort of “save my sanity sort of effort”. Pinning this to make ASAP. LOVING the flavors!

  6. I’m coming over for dinner! Everything about this meal I love! From the zucchini salad to the kabobs. I’ll even help prepare. Sound good?

  7. I spy a mortar and pestle in the background of your photo from Taverna Opa! 😉 Looks like you made some of their delicious hummus to go with your kebobs. Yum!

  8. LOL, now I’m going to be counting out my kabob components! Seriously, your beef skewers are gorgeous and my family would gobble them up!

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