Souvlaki

Souvlaki

30 min
We will take you to the streets of Greece with our recipe for souvlaki. Souvlaki means ‘meat on skewers’ or ‘little skewers’, and that is exactly what you are getting: small pieces of grilled meat that have been coated with a garlic and lemon marinade and threaded on wooden skewers. In Greece, it is often made with pork or lamb; two tasty and traditional Greek types of meat that soak up spices and marinade very well. If you love to barbecue, you will love this traditional Greek dish.
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Instructions

  • Mix diced meat with melted butter, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  • Divide the meat onto 10 wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for approx. 20 minutes.
  • Grill the skewers on all sides with the tomatoes for about 8 minutes.
Enjoy!
Tips

Remember to soak the wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes. This will help prevent the skewers from burning while they are sitting on the grill. We recommend choosing thick ones that are more robust and do not break easily. Alternatively, you can use metal skewers.

Tips

Thread the meat pieces loosely on the skewers, so the meat is grilled evenly in between the pieces. Also, make sure that the pieces are somewhat similar in size for the meat to get done at the same time. Do not leave the skewers on the grill for too long, or you will end up with dry meat.

Questions about souvlaki

Use our take on an authentic souvlaki recipe to make a delicious meal bursting with flavours from garlic, lemon juice, and oregano. Read below and find out everything you need to know to make this popular Greek classic.

What is souvlaki?
Souvlaki means 'little skewers' or 'meat on skewers' and is a popular Greek fast food consisting of grilled pieces of meat prepared on skewers. It is commonly made with chicken and pork but can also be made from beef or lamb. The meat is typically marinated with lemon juice, herbs, and seasoning. For this recipe, the meat is coated with butter, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, pepper, and salt.
How to make souvlaki?
To make this popular Greek dish, mix diced meat with the marinade ingredients: melted butter, finely grated lemon zest, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Place the meat onto 10 wooden skewers that have been soaked in water earlier. Finally, grill the souvlaki skewers on all sides, along with the halved tomatoes, for about 8 minutes until they are done and ready.
What is the difference between gyros and souvlaki?
The main difference between gyros and souvlaki is how the meat is prepared. Souvlaki is made with small pieces of meat grilled on small skewers, while gyros are made with stacked meat that has been cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Souvlaki is typically served with warm pita bread or on top of a salad, whereas gyros is a popular meal option enjoyed with pita and tzatziki. 
How long will souvlaki keep?
Souvlaki will keep for about 3-4 days when stored in the fridge. Place the meat in a tightly closed container before refrigerating it. You may want to remove the skewers first to make it easier for the meat to fit the container. When you are in the mood for some juicy grilled skewers, you can reheat the meat in the microwave or a hot pan.

Ingredients

Melted butter
3 tbsp
Diced lamb or pork
600 g
Finely grated lemon zest (unsprayed)
1 tbsp
Crushed garlic clove
1
Fresh oregano leaves
1 tsp
Coarse salt
1 tsp
Freshly ground pepper
Wooden skewers
10
Tomatoes in halves
500 g
Other recipes
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Greek souvlaki with grilled tomatoes

Souvlaki is the Greek answer to Middle Eastern kebab. Coated with a tasty marinade and stuck on skewers, these grilled beauties are a popular fast food in Greece. Fortunately, you do not have to travel all the way to Greece to get a taste of these juicy meat sticks. With our easy recipe, you can enjoy them at home anytime you like and share them with your loved ones. We serve our skewers with grilled tomatoes on the side as a savoury and light addition to the intense marinated meat. So, fire up the grill and get started!

Delicious souvlaki marinade with garlic and lemon

The marinade is what truly makes this dish mouth-watering and delicious. Made from melted butter, lemon zest, crushed garlic, oregano leaves, salt, and pepper, this marinade offers the perfect balance of Greek flavours. The succulent flavouring is tossed and mixed with either lamb or pork, allowing each piece of meat to soak up all those wonderful aromas from the marinade. It gives the tender meat a lovely pungent taste with a hint of citrus that will tickle your tastebuds.

Explore some more Greek-inspired recipes, for example, a classic Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber and black olives, warm and soft homemade pita bread, or a sweetened iced frappe for dessert.

Different and delicious meat for skewers

In most parts of Greece, the skewers are traditionally made from pork, although chicken, lamb and beef also have become quite popular in different regions. Regardless of which meat is used, it still gets an aromatic marinade before the skewers land on the grill. We will leave it up to you what meat to go with. Change it up or mix it and find out which one is your favourite. But be aware that the cooking may vary depending on the meat used.

Pork souvlaki

Enjoy traditional souvlaki with pork on skewers. They are delicious, juicy, and loaded with flavour since pork is wonderful at soaking up all the spices and herbs from the marinade. Many pork souvlaki recipes use pork tenderloin or pork neck though the latter is a bit tougher than the tenderloin cut. The pork souvlaki marinade gives the meat a tender caramelised coat that is impossible to resist and will melt in your mouth.

Lamb souvlaki

For this lamb souvlaki recipe, we suggest using lamb shoulder or lamb leg as the meat is tender and has a bit of fat on it. Mix the lamb with the lemon and garlic marinade and thread it onto the wooden skewers. Enjoy the lamb sticks grilled to perfection with a caramelised, slightly crunchy coat. You are in for a real treat! This dish is guaranteed to win you over.

Add your own touch

Add your own personal touch and experiment with the marinade. Use our basic marinade recipe and add mint and maybe 1-2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. You may want to add 1-2 dollops of honey to balance the acidity of the lemon juice and vinegar and add to the caramelised surface from the marinade after grilling.

If you have time, let the marinated meat sit for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. It will allow the aromas to infuse the meat with even more flavour. If you are looking for a fresh taste with a subtle kick, you can add fresh parsley and a sprinkle of chilli flakes to the mixture. You can also thread small onions on the skewers between each piece of meat.

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