Turkish Lamb Shish Kebabs with Peppers and Onion

Name: Turkish Lamb Shish Kebabs with Peppers and Onion
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2¼ lb (1020 g) boneless lamb leg, trimmed of excess fat and sinew, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk yogurt; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1½ tablespoons (10 g) sweet paprika; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2 g) Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 1 lemon (45 ml) lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons); 2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt; 1 teaspoon (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 large (400 g) large red or yellow onion, peeled, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks, layers separated slightly; 3 medium (540 g) bell peppers, mixed colors, seeded, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender cubes of lamb leg marinated in olive oil, garlic, paprika and yogurt, then grilled on skewers with sweet peppers and onion until charred outside and juicy within.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 4 hr 10 min
Total: 4 hr 52 min
Makes: 8 skewers (serves 6)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the kebabs
2¼ lb (1020 g) boneless lamb leg, trimmed of excess fat and sinew, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
For the marinade
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1½ tablespoons (10 g) sweet paprika
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1 lemon (45 ml) lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the skewers
2 large (400 g) large red or yellow onion, peeled, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks, layers separated slightly
3 medium (540 g) bell peppers, mixed colors, seeded, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
For basting
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large non-reactive bowl or zip-top bag (2-gallon / 7.5 L)
8 metal skewers or 12-inch (30 cm) wooden skewers
Grill or grill pan, charcoal or gas
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs
Small bowl and pastry brush

Steps

Before you start

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading.
The lamb needs at least 4 hours in the marinade (up to 24 hours) so plan ahead.
Take the skewers out of the fridge 30 minutes before grilling so the meat cooks evenly.
Cut the lamb, peppers and onion into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large non-reactive bowl, whisk the olive oil, yogurt, grated garlic, paprika, cumin, Aleppo pepper (if using), tomato paste, lemon juice, salt and black pepper into a thick, smooth paste.
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Ready when: Marinade is uniformly red-orange with no streaks of tomato paste or yogurt.
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 24 hours; the lemon juice and yogurt will make the meat mushy.
2
Coat the lamb
- Add the lamb cubes to the bowl and toss with your hands or a spoon until every piece is thoroughly coated.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to a zip-top bag and press out the air.
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Ready when: No dry patches of meat are visible.
3
Marinate the lamb
- Refrigerate the lamb for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours, turning the bag or stirring the bowl once about halfway through.
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Tip: If using wooden skewers, put them in a baking dish of water during the last 30 minutes.
4
Prep the vegetables
- Cut the onions and bell peppers into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces.
- Separate the onion chunks into stacks of 2–3 layers so they stay together on the skewer.
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Ready when: Pieces are roughly the same size as the lamb cubes.
5
Thread the skewers
- Remove the lamb from the fridge.
- Thread about 5 lamb cubes per skewer (8 skewers), alternating with onion and pepper pieces.
- Leave a tiny gap between pieces, not tightly packed, so heat circulates.
- Let the skewers sit at room temperature for 30 minutes (this counts as part of the wait time below).
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Ready when: Meat and vegetables sit snugly but not crushed together.
Tip: Pushing meat tightly together leaves the sides raw while the outside burns.
6
Heat the grill
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high, about 450°F (230°C).
- Clean the grates with a brush and oil them lightly with a folded paper towel dipped in oil.
- Stir the melted butter, if using, for basting.
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Ready when: You can hold your hand 5 inches above the grates for only 3–4 seconds.
7
Grill the kebabs
- Place the skewers on the grill.
- Cook 10–12 minutes total, turning every 2–3 minutes to brown all four sides, and brushing with melted butter during the last 3 minutes if using.
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Ready when: Lamb is deeply browned with charred edges and reads 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare to 145°F (63°C) for medium in the center; vegetables are tender with charred spots.
Tip: If flare-ups occur, move the skewers to a cooler part of the grill briefly.
8
Rest and serve
- Transfer the skewers to a platter and tent loosely with foil.
- Rest 5 minutes so the juices redistribute, then serve with flatbread, rice, or a salad.
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Ready when: Meat feels springy and juices no longer run when pressed.

Good to know

Tips

Trim silverskin and thick fat, as it toughens and causes flare-ups.
Use two parallel skewers or flat skewers to stop the cubes from spinning when you turn them.
Don't overcook: lamb leg is lean and turns dry past 150°F (65°C).
Cook the vegetables on separate skewers if you like them more tender than the meat.

Make ahead

"Marinate the lamb up to 24 hours ahead. Skewers can be threaded up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: cooked lamb up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, or briefly in a hot skillet, until warmed through."

Substitutions

boneless lamb leg → boneless lamb shoulder. More marbled and flavorful; cut slightly larger and cook a few minutes longer.
plain whole-milk yogurt → extra olive oil plus 1 tablespoon more lemon juice. For dairy-free; marinade will be thinner.
Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes → hot paprika. Use 1 teaspoon for similar mild heat.
large red or yellow onion → zucchini or cherry tomatoes. Add tomatoes closer to the end of cooking since they cook quickly.