Juiciest Grilled Lamb Kabobs Recipe

What is the secret to juicy, succulent grilled lamb kabobs? A special Mediterranean marinade that flavors and tenderizes the meat, plus a bit of grilling technique for the juiciest ever kebabs!

When BBQ season hits, you know we’re all about kabobs over here! Just add a salad, your favorite dip, or a little mezze, and dinner is served!

Of all the skewered foods I’ve shared so far—shrimp, steak, salmon, pork, chicken, and more—I was shocked to discover that I had not yet shared my favorite lamb kabobs recipe. Let me tell you, you are in for a treat! And you’ll want to use my bold marinade with onions, garlic, and trio of warm spices!

Let’s get right to discussing all things lamb skewers…

Best Cut of Lamb for Kabobs?

First, best lamb cuts that are ideal for shish kebab? When it comes to kabobs, you want to select meat that is tender but also on the leaner side—a little bit of fat, but not too much (you can trim excess fat). Excess fat can cause flare-ups on the grill that can give the meat a burnt flavor. I typically use boneless leg of lamb, but here are three cuts of lamb that will work well for grilled kabobs:

• Lamb tenderloin
  • Also known as the lamb loin fillet, it comes from the underside of the shortloin. This is a superior, very tender cut with delicate flavor and virtually no fat or connective tissue. If you can find it, and you don’t mind paying the price, the loin is great for quick grilling and ideal for kebabs.
• Boneless Leg of Lamb
  • This is what I use in my recipe. The BRT, or boneless leg, is a versatile cut and readily available in most grocery stores. It has a rich flavor and a little bit of fat, but not too much. You can buy the whole boneless leg and trim the outer fat layer with a thin knife; from there, cut it up into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes for kabobs. (Side note, but it is worth mentioning here, butterflied grilled lamb leg is also a great thing to try.)
• Lamb shoulder
  • This part of the animal works hard, so the meat is full of flavor, but it does take a while longer to become tender. If you end up using lamb shoulder, it may be easiest to ask your butcher to trim and cut it into cubes for you to make things easier. Also, when using lamb shoulders for kabobs, allow time for marinating. In my recipe below, I suggested 2 hours, but you can go even longer with lamb shoulder (4 to 8 hours), just cover and keep it in the fridge.

Lamb Kabob Marinade

When marinating lamb, don’t be afraid to use flavors that complement its rich flavor. But it is equally important to use a marinade that also tenderizes the meat while imparting flavor. This is especially true if you use lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb as opposed to lamb loin fillet, which, as I just shared, is more tender.

Here is what I use to make the lamb kabob marinade:

• Onions. Pureed onions are the magic ingredient in this marinade; they will work to tenderize the meat and enhance its flavor.
• Fresh garlic has an almost spicy kick that works well with the other elements of this marinade.
• Spices. Allspice, nutmeg, and cardamom are a trio of warm spices that give the lamb skewers a Middle Eastern flavor fitting of lamb.
• Fresh parsley brings the herbal, grassy element.
• Quality extra virgin olive oil, which has the unique ability to help pull the fat-soluble flavors out of some ingredients like garlic and onions, and help transfer them into the meat.
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon. Not too much acid here, but a bit of acid adds zing and also aids in tenderizing the lamb.

How to Make Lamb Kabobs?

For those of us who are visual, here is how this recipe goes:

• Trim and cut the lamb: Trim any excess fat off the boneless leg of lamb and cut the meat into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Put the cubed meat in a bowl and season well with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Marinate: To make the marinade, combine onion, garlic, spices, fresh parsley, olive oil, lemon juice in a food processor. Blitz until everything is well-incorporated and you have a thick onion marinade. Pour the marinade over the meat. Toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. If you don’t have time, even 30 minutes of marinating time at room temp will help.
• Skewer the meat: If you’re using bamboo skewers, they need to soak in water for at least 1 hour. If using metal skewers don’t worry about soaking. Simply thread the meat through the skewers, leaving a little bit of breathing room between the meat pieces (this will help them cook evenly).
• Grill: Grill the meat skewers over high heat, turning every couple of minutes for about 7 to 9 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your lamb. On my grill, 7 minutes produced medium-rare kabobs.

What to Serve with Lamb Kabobs

For the ultimate kabob dinner, first, a dip is a must! I love lamb kabobs with tzatziki, hummus, white-bean hummus sprinkled with dukkah, or a little toum. Plus, of course, a few warm pita or your favorite flatbread.

Add at least one or two fresh salads such as Mediterranean tomato salad, Greek salad, panzanella, or watermelon salad. You can stop here, or complete the party with sides like oven fries, stuffed zucchini boats, or even eggplant pizza bites. The possibilities are endless!

More Lamb Recipes to Love

Lamb recipes are kind of my thing, so here are just a handful of recipes I’ve shared on the site, each with a different cut of lamb so you can experiment and find your favorite. I hope you love them as much as I do.

• Best Greek Lamb Burgers
• Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Ribs
• Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
• Lamb Meatballs
• Greek Style Boneless Leg of Lamb (Slow Cooker)
• Roast Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herb Crust
• Saffron and Citrus Marinated Lamb Lollipops