Shish Kebab

Shish Kebab, also known as Shish Kabob, is a healthy, delicious, nutrient-packed meal of grilled meat and vegetables on skewers.

When summer rolls around, it’s time to whip out the grill and get grilling! Shish kebabs are a wonderful summer delicacy, great for dinner or a barbeque hangout with friends and family.

I am always on the hunt for awesome grilling recipes because the Grill Master (aka my husband) is always up for the challenge to grill and I am always up to eating whatever he prepares because he does such a great job. This is one flavorful recipe we never tire of. It is also a great way to sneak in a bunch of vegetables for your family especially if you have kids like mine. I like to make my shish kebabs on the grill but it can also be made in the oven and I will give instructions for that as well. These shish kebabs are very low carb as I stayed away from sugar, honey or other sweet condiments sometimes used. But I promise you, you really don’t need to add anything to make it any more delicious, it just is that good.

What is a Kebab?

The term ‘shish kebab’ is a Turkish word and the word ‘shish’ means ‘skewer’. Kebabs usually refer to meat or vegetables served on a stick. You can use metal skewers or wooden bamboo skewers to prepare this. If you do this often, it might be better to buy metal skewers as this can be reused. It is also safer as the wooden bamboo skewers are prone to burning. To prevent this, it has to be soaked for 30 minutes beforehand or even better, overnight. I got my metal skewers from Amazon and it comes with a foldable, grill rack set and also bonus bamboo skewers.

What are the best vegetables for shish kebabs?

Vegetables that go great with shish kebabs include bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, baby eggplants, zucchinis and yellow squash. For this recipe, I used onions, yellow, red, orange and green bell peppers. Something about the mix of bright colors on the vegetable skewers just brings out the summer spirit!

Best beef for kebabs

Traditionally, you can use beef, lamb, chicken, goat, mushrooms or seafood like shrimps. To select the type of beef to use, you can choose any tender cut like flat iron, ribeye or tenderloin, if your budget allows, but my beef of choice is top sirloin. It is a great choice since it is quite tender and budget friendly and I like to save money since we make it often and gobble it up so quickly.

Kebab marinade

To prepare the marinade, I mixed the olive oil, coconut aminos, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, lemon pepper, thyme and rosemary together. The recipe calls for one teaspoon of cayenne pepper but if you can handle it, you can add more. Feel free to modify the spices as needed and put in your favorites. This recipe is hard to mess up taste-wise if you just put the regular spices you use for cooking.

What is Coconut Aminos?

Coconut aminos is the perfect keto replacement for soy sauce. It is made from coconut sap  and is rich and savory in flavor. The flavor is a mild compared to soy sauce and it doesn’t taste like coconut despite the name. It can also directly replace soy sauce in any recipe. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute with soy sauce but use sparingly. But I have come to love the milder flavor of coconut aminos and it really gives a delightful taste to this recipe.

Instructions

Cut the steak into approximate cube sizes. Then cut the bell peppers and onions into cubes of approximate size (it won’t be perfect but that’s ok). Pour the marinade in and mix together. If you have the time, you can marinate for an hour or even overnight. If you’re going to do this, marinate the steak only and add the vegetables when you are ready to grill. But this recipe is meant to be quick and easy. The first time I made it, I did not marinate overnight because I was short on time. And yet, it turned out good. I mean, finger licking good. Since then, I have become a fan of the “quick and easy, ready in 30 minutes” method.

Put the cubed steak and veggies alternatively on the skewer. I like to do one steak cube, then two veggies in alternate colors. But that’s just me and my ocd. Do it any way you see fit because you will be so busy gobbling it up to admire the beauty of the arrangement on the skewers!

Preheat the grill to 375F. Here’s a tip, if you forgot to clean your grill after the last time you used it in the spring (or last summer?), here are some great instructions on how to properly clean your grill and keep it maintained year round.

How long you grill the shish kebab depends on how rare or well done you like it. It should be grilled for at least 10 minutes, turning every 3 minutes to prevent burning. During the last two minutes, lightly brush some oil on the kebabs and generously sprinkle some crushed pepper on both sides. This really gives a great spicy kick to it.

How  to cook kebabs in the oven

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the skewers on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes and lightly brushing with olive oil each time. During the last 5 minutes, sprinkle crushed pepper on both sides.

How do you grill kebabs without burning vegetables?

Cook on medium heat, and not high heat. The steak obviously can take more heat than the vegetables. Make sure you space out the steak and vegetables and leave a bit of space in between them to ensure the heat circulation is even. Also do not put different types of meats on the skewer. Chicken and steak do not cook at the same rate. So if you want to grill some chicken or even shrimps, do it separately.

This is a great dish you’ll want to make over and over again. Shish kebabs are great to eat as is, or go perfectly with a cauliflower rice dish or roasted veggies, like my roasted turmeric cauliflower recipe.  You can also try it with this delicious spicy mayo for a unique, spicier flavor.

Just for fun, can you say ‘keto kebabs’ ten times really fast?

Print Recipe

4.86 from 7 votes

Shish Kebab

Shish kebab (kabob) is a summer favorite which is so healthy and easy to make. This recipe is quick and ready in 30 minutes!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: shish kebab

Servings: 5

Calories: 467kcal

Ingredients

• 2 lbs top sirloin steak
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup coconut aminos can substitute with soy sauce
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp lemon pepper
• ½ tsp thyme
• ½ tsp rosemary
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• ½ onion

Instructions

• Cut steak into medium sized cubes.
• Cut bell peppers and onions into approximate square sizes.
• Prepare marinade by combining the olive oil, coconut aminos, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, lemon pepper, thyme and rosemary together.
• In a large bowl combine the steak, bell peppers, onions and marinade and mix thoroughly.
• Add steak and vegetables onto skewers in any pattern you choose.

To Grill

• Preheat grill to 375.
• Grill for 10 mins, rotating every 3 minutes, depending on how rare or done you like it.
• During the last two minutes, lightly brush some oil on the shish kebabs and generously sprinkle some crushed pepper on both sides.

To Bake in Oven

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Place the skewers on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes and lightly brushing with olive oil each time. 
• During the last 5 minutes, sprinkle crushed pepper on both sides. 

Notes

7g net carbs.

Nutrition Facts

Shish Kebab

Amount Per Serving (5 servings)

Calories 467 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 28g 43%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Cholesterol 107mg 36%

Sodium 842mg 35%

Potassium 874mg 25%

Total Carbohydrates 9g 3%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 3g

Protein 41g 82%

Vitamin A 40%

Vitamin C 151.1%

Calcium 4.7%

Iron 19.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?

Mention @lowcarbafrica or tag #lowcarbafrica on instagram and please leave a comment or rating below. Thank you!

Helpful Resources:

Best Type of Beef for Making Shish Kebabs

Cuts of Beef for Every Budget

How to grill killer kebabs