Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki is the perfect summer meal! Pork tenderloin is marinated in a Mediterranean marinade and then grilled and paired with pita, tzatziki and a Greek salad. Your guests will love this and it makes the perfect summer meal!
When Mike and I traveled to Greece last year we fell in love with the food.
It is so fresh, flavorful and something you never get sick of. Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki was a dish we ate a few times while in Greece. It was everywhere, from street corner vendors to nicer sit down restaurants.
There is something about the grilled pork with the creamy, cool tzatziki sauce and the fresh Greek salad that just makes your taste buds sing. After arriving home from Greece I started making more and more dishes from our trip.
This Pork Souvlaki recipe was one of those and is now on rotation at my house. If you like a chicken version try my Chicken Souvlaki.
It is the perfect main dish for warmer months. It is an easy meal that isn’t lacking flavor and makes meal time easy. It uses a pork tenderloin that is marinated in a Mediterranean marinade and then grilled to create a juicy, flavorful piece of meat.
In the warmer months I also love making these Pork Burgers, and these Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops. You also might like this Easy Pork Chili, Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin or this Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin.
You might be wondering “What is Pork Souvlaki?”
Souvlaki is a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer.
In Greece they often make Pork Souvlaki but I have also had Chicken Souvlaki and sometimes it is made using lamb. We like to serve our Pork Souvlaki on pita bread with tzatziki and a variety of other Greek toppings like kalamata olives, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes and feta.
What is the Difference Between Pork Gyros and Pork Souvlaki?
I ate a lot of gyros and souvlaki in Greece! I love them both equally. Gyros are made by thinly slicing meat that is grilled on a vertical rotisserie.
You often see pork or chicken used but can also be made from beef or lamb. Gyros are often served in warm pita bread as a wrap but I have also seen it served on a platter with roasted vegetables, Greek potatoes or fries and tzatziki.
Souvlaki is grilled pieces of meat, like chicken or pork, served on skewers. It is often served on a pita or on a platter with tzatziki, vegetables and potatoes.
Recipe Ingredients
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the full recipe card below.
- Pork Tenderloin: The Mediterranean marinade helps tenderize the pork tenderloin. It creates a juicy piece of meat when grilled and then paired with pita, tzatziki and a Greek salad.
- Marinade: I love a simple marinade and this one is just that! The marinade helps infuse flavor into the pork tenderloin. It combines the bright greek flavors of lemon, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, oregano and thyme. You can use dried spices or fresh oregano and fresh thyme if you have it.
- Tzatziki: The tzatziki is the perfect sauce to drizzle over your grilled pork on the pita. It adds a cool, refreshing flavor to the meal. It uses Greek yogurt {or plain yogurt} garlic, white wine vinegar, fresh dill and grated cucumber.
- Greek Salad: A Greek meal isn’t complete unless it has a fresh traditional greek salad to pair it with. I like to add the salad on top of the pork.
How Do You Make Pork Souvlaki?
Step 1. Prepare the Pork: Start by trimming the silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Then cut the pork tenderloin into cubes.
Step 2. Create the Marinade: Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Place pork tenderloin cubes in a large Ziploc bag or large bowl and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag or close the container and toss to coat the pork with the marinade. Refrigerate the pork for two hours.
Before grilling soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes unless you are using a metal skewer.
When you are ready to grill the marinated pork heat the grill to medium high heat. Remove the pork from the fridge and remove the pork from the container or bag and discard the souvlaki marinade.
Step 3. Thread the Pork: Set out a large platter or wooden cutting board. Thread the pieces of pork onto the wood or metal skewers.
Step 4. Tzatziki: Make your tzatziki and the Greek salad and set aside.
Step 5. Grill Pork: When the grill is ready grill the pork until browned on all sides, turning every couple of minutes. The pork should be cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees F which should take about 10 minutes.
Step 6. Serve: Remove from the grill and let the pork rest for 3 minutes. Serve the pork skewers with pita, greek salad and tzatziki.
What Should I Pair With Pork Souvlaki?
I love to make this Pork Souvlaki recipe and pair it with the tzatziki and the Greek salad on a pita. There are other side dishes and salads that work great with the pork as well.
- Hummus: Hummus is always a nice addition to grilled meats. Try this classic version, this roasted red pepper version or even a spicy version.
- Salad: Simple side salads are a nice addition to a meal involving pork. I especially like this Cauliflower Tabbouleh, Greek Tabbouleh or this Persian Tomato Cucumber Salad.
- Potatoes: Potatoes are another option to pair with this pork dish. I especially like Spicy Lebanese Potatoes, Cilantro Lemon Potatoes or Smashed Potatoes.
What is Pork Tenderloin?
Pork tenderloin, also known as pork fillet, is a lean muscle runs along the spine of the pig. It isn’t used for walking or major movement, so it is a very tender cut.
Tenderloin is lean, delicately flavored meat. It is the most tender cut of pork if you are quick-cooking it.
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are not cut from the same part of the animal— pork tenderloin is thin and small, while a pork loin is wide enough that you can cut steak-like pieces from it. Pork tenderloin is best quickly cooked over high heat, while pork loin lends itself well to slow-roasting.
A pork tenderloin should be trimmed of its tough silverskin before cooking for best results. Tenderloin works well with marinades and works nicely when cooked quickly on the grill, roasted, seared or cooked in stir-fries. You want to be sure not to overcook the meat!
More Pork Recipes
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Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and excess fat, cut into 1″ cubes
For the Marinade:
- 2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground
For the Tzatziki:
- 1 1/2 cups Greek Yogurt , {I like full fat but you can use low fat or no-fat}
- 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cucumber, grated (I used about 1 small}
For the Greek Salad:
- 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved. Quarter the tomatoes if they are larger
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, cut in half
- 1/4 cup mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Place pork tenderloin cubes in a large Ziploc bag or glass Tupperware container and pour in the marinade.
- Seal the bag or close the container and toss to coat the pork with the marinade. Refrigerate the pork for two hours.
- Before grilling soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes unless you are using metal skewers.
- When you are ready to grill the pork heat the grill to medium high heat. Remove the pork from the fridge and remove the pork from the container or bag and discard the marinade.
- Set out a large platter or wooden cutting board. Thread the pork onto the wood or metal skewers.
- While the grill is heating make the Tzatziki sauce by combining the Greek yogurt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dill, cucumber, salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Put in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To make the Greek salad combine the cucumber, tomato, olives, mint, parsley, oregano and feta cheese in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a mason jar or salad dressing container combine the lemon juice and olive oil and then pour on the salad and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- When the grill is ready grill the pork until browned on all sides, turning every couple of minutes. The pork should be cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees F which should take about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and let the pork rest for 3 minutes. Serve the pork skewers with pita, Greek salad and tzatziki.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
I need to make this!! Could you cook the pork tenderloin in the air fryer?
I have a recipe for that: https://www.acedarspoon.com/air-fryer-pork-tenderloin/
That looks delicious. Thanks for the recipe!