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GET IT NOWMy Juiciest, Most Tender Shish Kabob Recipe
Shish kabobs always bring me back to sunny afternoons at the lake as a kid. I can practically close my eyes, feel the breeze through my hair, and taste the juicy, tender beef contrasted by sweet veggies. This shish kabob recipe is the grown-up version I’ve been making lately, but it’s just as much of a hit with my kids. Here’s why your whole family will love it:
- Ultra tender, flavorful steak – The cut of beef I use makes a difference, but honestly, my shish kabob marinade will make almost any cut taste amazing. It’s the perfect balance of zesty, savory, garlicky, and herby, but most importantly, it’s a pro at tenderizing the meat like no other. Plus, I’ve got a bunch of grilling tips and time chart to help you cook your kabobs perfectly every time.
- A rainbow of vegetables – Many shish kabob recipes I’ve seen use just a couple types, but I prefer a wider variety and it makes these so much more enjoyable to eat. I’m a firm believer we eat with our eyes first!
- Easy to prep ahead – The prep time for these is super quick, and you can easily do all of it the day before. The longest part is threading the skewers, which I think is fun — and even kids can help.
If you’ve enjoyed my chicken kabobs, it’s time to level up your game with beef kabobs. I love them even more. Make them with me for your next backyard cookout — or just a healthy dinner on a Tuesday! 😉
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my beef shish kabob recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Beef – My favorite cut for these is beef tenderloin for that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Since it’s large, it’s the perfect way to use up extras from another recipe… or double this one for a crowd. I’ve also had great results using chopped filet mignon or more budget-friendly sirloin steak.
- Veggies – My go-to blend of veggies to grill are bell peppers, red onion, zucchini, and cremini mushrooms. Yellow squash or eggplant would also work well.
- Olive Oil – The base of the marinade. Avocado oil works, too.
- Lemon Juice – The key ingredient to tenderize the shish kabobs. I recommend fresh lemon juice over bottled because it’s more acidic, but have had decent results with this brand of bottled. You can also use vinegar for the same tenderizing effect — my favorite types for beef are balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds subtle sweetness to balance the acidity, as well as umami flavor. I use this gluten-free brand. Reduced-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos make pretty good substitutes.
- Garlic – I prefer these shish kabobs with fresh garlic. If you use the jarred kind, the equivalent is 2 teaspoons but I find it’s less potent so add a little extra.
- Italian Seasoning – You can mix up my 5-minute homemade Italian Seasoning, or just use store-bought. If you don’t have a blend, feel free to use individual dried herbs (like dried oregano or basil) — 1 tablespoon total. You can also use fresh herbs — 3 tablespoons total.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Shish Kabobs
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Marinate the beef. Cut it into cubes and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add the beef, and toss to coat. Let it marinate for at least an hour.
- Prep the vegetables. Cut the peppers and onions into squares, and slice the zucchini into rounds. For the onion, see my picture below — I slice radially (meaning toward the center) instead of straight down, which leaves me with more even squares on each layer.
- Thread the skewers. While you preheat the grill, thread the marinated beef and veggies onto skewers. Brush any leftover marinade from the bowl over them.
- Cook shish kabobs on the grill. See my time chart below to get the doneness you like!
Grilling Time Chart
I usually cook shish kabobs for about 12 minutes for medium, but since times can vary based on how big you cut the beef, I always use a meat thermometer to be sure. I recommend this regular one (not a probe), because you’ll be flipping the skewers every few minutes. I tested every doneness level a few times, and made this chart for both times and temperatures:
| Desired Doneness | Time (Minutes) | Internal Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 10-11 Minutes | 120–125 degrees F |
| Medium Rare | 11-12 Minutes | 130–135 degrees F |
| Medium | 12-13 Minutes | 140–145 degrees F |
| Medium Well | 13-14 Minutes | 150–155 degrees F |
| Well Done | 14-15 Minutes | 160-165 degrees F |
My Recipe Tips
- Small to medium mushrooms work best. This is because the mushrooms stay on the skewers best if you don’t slice them, and large ones don’t cook quite as quickly as the beef and other veggies. I tried cutting large ones in halves or quarters, and while some of them stayed on, some cracked and fell off, which is annoying.
- Only have large mushrooms? Those are best cut in half, but they split and fall off more easily when cut, so soak them in water (or more of my shish kabob marinade!) for half an hour before skewering.
- Make sure to cut the veggies to the right sizes so they cook evenly with the meat. I do 1-1/2-inch pieces for the peppers and onions to match the beef, and slice the zucchini into 3/8-inch rounds so it cooks through without burning.
- Marinate the beef for at least 1 hour, up to 24 for more flavor. If it’s longer than 2 hours, pop it in the fridge. Just let it sit out for 30 minutes before cooking.
- I recommend metal skewers if possible. I used to always use bamboo skewers, but they have to be soaked in water in advance (to prevent catching fire), make bigger holes in the food, don’t hold heat as evenly, and the meat usually sticks to them, making it more effort to remove later. I just got this skewer set after testing several others, and absolutely love it. (I have these in my pictures on this page, too.) They’re just the right length, sharp for easier skewering, easy to flip, and reasonably priced.
- Skewer the onions 3-4 petals at a time, rather than individually. The edges don’t burn as easily this way.
- When skewering the meat, fold or roll any pieces that are floppy or thin. This way, none of your shish kabobs overcook.
- Pack your skewers tightly. This helps all the pieces stay intact when grilling and flipping.
- You may want to pick up extra vegetables. The exact number of pieces you’ll get from a given weight depends on their size, so getting a little extra ensures that you have enough for all 12 skewers. If you end up with extra, you can make vegetable kabobs with any reminder, or oftentimes I just toss the vegetables in the air fryer another day that week.
Shish Kabobs (Easy, Tender Recipe)
My juiciest, most flavorful shish kabobs ever! These are the perfect grilled rainbow of tender beef and colorful veggies in a zesty marinade.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the steak cubes dry with paper towels.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade: olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and mix with tongs.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the beef marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. If you’ll do this for longer than 2 hours, store in the refrigerator. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
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Preheat the grill over medium-high heat for at least 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, thread the marinated beef and vegetables onto bamboo or metal skewers, alternating them. Brush any remaining marinade at the bottom of the bowl over the beef and veggies.
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Place the shish kabobs on the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on how you like your beef done, turning to different sides every 3-4 minutes.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 shish kabobs
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get super tender beef, the best ways to cut the veggies, how to thread the skewers correctly, and more.
- Serving ideas: Not sure what to pair with your skewers? Check out my favorite serving ideas to round out the meal!
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. I like tossing the extra meat and veggies into a salad or wrap the next day.
- Meal prep: I prep these shish kabobs ahead all the time! You can just marinade the beef and chop the veggies in advance, or even assemble the entire skewers ahead of time (after marinating time). If you thread the skewers ahead, I recommend making a little extra marinade to brush on right before grilling.
- Reheat: I usually toss extras in my air fryer, but a hot skillet or the oven also works to reheat.
- Freeze: You can freeze the beef right in the marinade for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend freezing raw vegetables — they’d need a blanching step to avoid getting mushy.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Shish Kabobs
Serving Ideas
These shish kabobs are so flavorful that they don’t need much of anything, but if you wantg a sauce, I love serving them with tzatziki or garlic aioli. If you want to round out the meal, serve them with:
- A starchy base – Like rice (or my lighter cauliflower rice) or air fryer potatoes.
- Finger foods – Try veggies with ranch dressing or my stuffed mini peppers.
- Fresh salads – My go-tos with beef kabobs are Greek salad or cucumber tomato salad.
10 Comments
Katie Petersen
0How would you cook (and for how long), if you don’t have a grill?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Katie, You could bake them in the oven, but you’d miss out on the browning. Broiling at the end can help a bit. Otherwise I normally recommend a grill pan for grilling inside, but that’s not ideal for skewers like these since they are so long.
ALI KEBIR
0This kabob is perfect . Tender beef and a good choice of veggies. My kids and I enjoyed…
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed it, Ali! Tender beef and colorful veggies are always a win — thanks for giving it a try!
Natasha
0We loved this! I was surprised with how juicy the mushrooms were. I think the olive oil in the brushed on marinade helped to keep them from drying out. I used top sirloin to keep the cost down a bit, and it was plenty tender (though not as tender as tenderloin.) Thanks for another great recipe!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m happy you loved it, Natasha! Great tip on using sirloin and totally agree, the olive oil really helps those mushrooms stay juicy.
Sandra
0I love kabobs. I am going to try this recipe this weekend!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Sandra! Please let me know how they turn out.
Carole
0This was so easy and tender, had to cook them in the air fryer because of the rain. But they were delicious.
Wholesome Yum D
0That’s great to hear, Carole! So glad the air fryer worked out for you!