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Beef Souvlaki uses a simple Greek inspired marinade that adds so much flavor and helps tenderize the beef. Add your favorite vegetables and grill to perfection. This meal pairs really nicely with a big fresh summer salad and tzatziki sauce.
Grilling season is one of my favorite times of year. We enjoy grilling and steak is one of our favorite cuts to use. This Beef Souvlaki is one of my go-to recipes in the warmer months. The greek marinade is one of my favorites that I use often. When Mike and I traveled to Greece souvlaki quickly became our favorite. I love the light flavors of the marinade and the grilled meat always pairs so nicely with a big greek salad, tzatziki and lemon potatoes.
It mixes together lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, thyme and paprika. The marinade helps tenderize the beef and also works great on vegetables if you want to add those to the skewers. I used sirloin steak {from top to tip} for the skewers. I find that it is a great cut for the grill and gets nice a tender. love pairing this Beef Souvlaki with tzatziki sauce and a big summer salad like tabbouleh or fattoush. You also could serve this with a creamy dill sauce or a tahini yogurt sauce. If you like kabobs you need to also try my Beef Kafta Kabobs or these Mediterranean Beef Kabobs.
Why You Will Love This Beef Souvlaki
• Protein Packed: Beef is a versatile food that can be found in many cuisines all over the world. It is packed with protein. This beef souvlaki uses a Greek inspired marinade to make the most tender and flavorful beef. For a chicken version try my Chicken Souvlaki.
• Perfect for Grilling Season: I love grilling beef! The dry-heat cooking creates the most tender meat. Try cuts like strip, ribeye, tenderloin and t-bone steaks, which are all great on the grill. A few of my other popular grilled beef recipes are these Greek Beef Kabobs, Balsamic Marinated Steak or this Grilled Flank Steak with Dry Rub.
• A Complete Meal: I added vegetables to the beef souvlaki to create more a complete meal. You could easily serve it alongside brown rice or quinoa. I love grilled vegetables and the sweetness that grilling brings out of them.
Recipe Ingredients
Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Beef – For today’s recipe I used sirloin steak {from top to tip} and cut it into approximately 1 inch beef cubes. Other good beef choices for kabobs are Flat Iron or Strip Steak and even Tenderloin. Don’t hesitate to ask for help! Chat with your butcher or meat counter clerk. Their job is to recommend cuts and tell you how to get the most out of them.
- Vegetables– I added fresh vegetables to the beef souvlaki skewers. You don’t have to do that but I like to cook it all-together. I used red onion, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and red bell peppers.
- Tzatziki – I love serving this type of meal with a tzatziki sauce. When I make it I use Greek yogurt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, white vinegar, fresh dill and grated cucumber.
- Fresh Herbs – I like to add fresh herbs when plating the souvlaki. You can add fresh parsley, fresh dill or fresh mint.
Recipe Ingredients For the Marinade:
- Lemon Juice – This is such a simple marinade! The lemon juice helps add a sweetness to the beef and also tenderizes it. Don’t marinade overnight as it can break down the beef too much from the acidity. I suggest a 2 hour maximum marinade time. You can also add lemon zest for extra flavor in this greek souvlaki marinade.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil for that robust flavor that it adds.
- Red Wine Vinegar –The vinegar helps to cut the lemon juice and creates such a wonderful flavor to the marinade.
- Spices – The mixture of spices I used are dried oregano, dried thyme and paprika. I have also seen souvlaki use chopped dried bay leaves and cumin.
Ways to Modify Greek Beef Souvlaki
- Fresh Herbs – Add fresh herbs into the marinade. You could add fresh parsley, fresh dill or fresh mint. They all brighten the marinade and make it even more flavorful.
- Citrus – I added lemon juice to the marinade but lime juice can also work.
- Vegetables – The vegetables on the beef souvlaki is not necessary but it is an addition I like to make when grilling the skewers. Some other vegetables that would be nice to add are mushrooms, green bell pepper, poblanos, summer squash or sweet onion.
- Cut of Beef – When making kabobs or skewers on the grill the best cuts of beef to use are sirloin, Flat Iron or Strip Steak and even Tenderloin. These cuts will get the most tender and juicy on the grill.
How to Make Beef Souvlaki Kebabs
Step 1: Create the marinade: Add all of the marinade ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 2: Marinade the beef: Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes and put them in a large ziplock bag, large glass bowl or Tupperware container and pour in 3/4 of the marinade. Seal the bag or close the airtight container and toss to coat the beef with the marinade. Refrigerate the beef for 45 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Step 3. Marinade the vegetables: In another bag or large container add the vegetables and pour the remaining marinade and toss to combine. Seal and refrigerate with the beef.
Step 4. Soak the skewers: Before grilling soak wooden skewers or bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes unless you are using metal skewers. When you are ready to grill the beef remove and set out while you heat the grill. Heat the grill to medium high heat. Remove the beef from the fridge and take the beef from the container or bag and discard the marinade.
Step 5. Thread the beef and vegetables: Set out a large platter or wooden cutting board. Thread a piece of beef onto the wood or metal skewers followed by red bell pepper, red onions, tomatoes and zucchini and repeat until the ingredients are gone.
Step 6. Create the tzatziki sauce: While the grill is heating make the Tzatziki sauce by combining Greek yogurt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, white vinegar, fresh dill, cucumber, salt and pepper and mix well. Put in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Brush the grates of the grill with oil to prevent the beef souvlaki from sticking.
Step 7. Grill the beef souvlaki: Add the beef to the grill and cook for about 8-10 minutes, turning once. The beef is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F for medium rare or 140 degrees F for medium.
Step 8. Serve with tzatziki and salad: Remove from the grill. Serve the beef skewers with warm pita bread, a greek salad and tzatziki or over a plate of hummus.
Storage Tips
Store the leftover kabobs with veggies in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. To reheat you can microwave or slowly reheat in the oven.
More Beef Recipes
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Beef Souvlaki
Ingredients
- 1 1/2- 2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into chunks to 1 inch
- 1/2 of a bell pepper, seeds removed, cut into chunks to 3/4 inch
- 1/2 of a small red onion, cut into chunks to 3/4 inch
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 large zucchini, cut into rounds
For the souvlaki marinade:
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano , {or 2 tablespoons fresh}
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, {or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme}
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the tzatziki:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2% or whole milk yogurt works best
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 cups grated cucumber, about 1 small cucumber, squeeze out the excess juice from the cucumber
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the marinade ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes and put them in a large ziplock bag, large glass bowl or tupperware container and pour in 3/4 of the marinade. Seal the bag or close the container and toss to coat the beef with the marinade. Refrigerate the beef for 45 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- In another bag or large container add the vegetables and pour the remaining marinade and toss to combine. Seal and refrigerate with the beef.
- Before grilling soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes unless you are using metal skewers.
- When you are ready to grill the beef remove and set out while you heat the grill.
- Heat the grill to medium high heat. Remove the beef from the fridge and take the beef from the container or bag and discard the marinade.
- Set out a large platter or wooden cutting board. Thread a piece of beef onto the wood or metal skewers followed by red bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes and zucchini and repeat until the ingredients are gone.
- While the grill is heating make the Tzatziki sauce by combining Greek yogurt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, white vinegar, fresh dill, cucumber, salt and pepper and mix well. Put in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Brush the grates of the grill with oil to prevent the beef souvlaki from sticking.
- Add the beef to the grill and cook for about 8-10 minutes, turning once. The beef is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F for medium rare or 140 degrees F for medium.
- Remove from the grill. Serve the beef skewers with pita, tabbouleh and tzatziki.
Notes
- You can add lemon zest for more citrus flavor.
- Marinate the beef for 45 minutes or up to 2 hours. I wouldn’t marinade for more than 2 hours because it can start to break down the chicken.
- You can make this and not add vegetables and just do skewers of the beef. I like to cut the beef a bit smaller when I do that.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
