With HUNDREDS of 5-star reviews, this recipe for Beef Kabobs with a simple, savory marinade is one of the most popular recipes every summer for good reason! The meat is super flavorful and juicy, you can use any vegetables you like, and there is very little prep!
I’ve used this multiple times for both beef and chicken and they always turn out so much delicious flavor. My go to recipe for marinade. All ingredients are kept in most pantries so it’s easy to make without having to buy anything new. ~ Melissa
Best Beef Shish Kabob Recipe
Tired of grilling boring chicken? I don’t blame you! These super flavorful beef kabobs are a total game changer for your backyard barbecues. Be ready to share the recipe because friends, neighbors, and family members will be clamoring to know what’s in the marinade and why the juicy bites of steak and veggies are just so dang good!
Kabobs are a meal all on their own, but if you are having a cookout, consider serving them with our favorite Broccoli Salad or a cool & classic Macaroni Salad.
What You Need to Make Kabobs
You likely already have everything you need for the marinade in your pantry and fridge already.
Beef Kabob Marinade Ingredients
To make the beef kabob marinade, just combine:
- Worcestershire sauce
- soy sauce
- olive oil
- mustard
- garlic
- brown sugar
- lemon juice
- basil
- parsley
- pepper
Vegetable Kabob Options:
When it comes to adding things besides meat onto the skewers, I like to pick anywhere from 3-5 options from the following list:
- red, green, yellow, or orange bell peppers
- red or yellow onions
- crimini or white button mushrooms
- zucchini sliced into discs
- baby red or yukon gold potatoes that have been boiled just until tender
- cherry tomatoes
- yellow squash
- pineapple chunks
What is the best meat to use for kabobs?
A good sirloin steak is my choice of meat for beef kabobs. It’s actually a tougher cut of meat that is a little less expensive that other cuts, but by cubing it into 1″ cubes, marinating it in this super flavorful beef kabob marinade, and then grilling over high heat, it actually comes out juicy and tender, despite being fairly lean to begin with. Just try to be sure your cubes of steak are all about the same size so that they cook evenly on the grill.
How long to marinate meat before grilling kabobs?
You will want to marinate the cubed meat for anywhere from 1 to 6 hours. And it’s a good idea to stick your wooden skewers in a shallow pan of water at the same time you set your meat in the fridge to marinate so they won’t burn up on the grill.
They really only need about 30 minutes, but I always forget unless I do this step while I’m prepping the meat.
How to Grill Kabobs with Marinated Steak & Vegetables
- Start by making sure the grill is clean and preheated to high heat. You can reduce the heat to medium-high once you put the kabobs on, but starting them on a super hot grill will help get a nice char on the kabobs, which is what adds that great barbecue flavor.
- Skewer the meat alternating with vegetables, aiming for about 4-5 pieces of steak per skewer.
- Use tongs to turn the skewers every 2-3 minutes until all sides have a nice char. Grill times can vary based on the temperature of the grill, temperature of the meat, the size of your chunks of steak, etc. so just keep an eye on how quickly the kabobs are cooking, but I typically grill my marinated steak kabobs for 8-10 minutes total.
- Don’t overcook the meat. In my opinion, beef kabobs are best when the meat is cooked medium-rare to medium. I like to see a little pink inside!
Best Steak Kabobs FAQs
Sirloin is typically the best choice for using when making beef kabobs. It is tender but holds together well on the skewer, and has great flavor and is less expensive than other meats.
If you plan ahead, it would be great to marinate beef for anywhere from 6 hours to 24 hours. But I’ve also found that even marinating in the fridge for 2 to 5 hours works well too.
Shish kabobs are incredibly versatile, and you can use a variety of vegetables based on what you like and what’s available to you. Feel free to mix and match any of these veggies for colorful and flavorful kabobs!
Bell peppers (red, green, yellow)
Onions (red, white, or yellow)
Cherry tomatoes
Mushrooms (button or cremini)
Zucchini
Yellow squash
Eggplant
Cherry tomatoes
Pineapple (adds a sweet flavor)
Brussels sprouts (for a unique twist)
Some veggies, like potatoes or denser root vegetables, might benefit from a quick blanch or parboil to soften them slightly before skewering. However, most vegetables can be put on the skewers raw and will cook nicely on the grill along with the other ingredients.
You can drizzle the vegetables with a little olive oil and season with salt & pepper to keep things simple. Or what I like to do is after assembling my kabobs but before grilling them, I pour the marinade that the meat was in over skewered meat and vegetables so the veggies get a splash of seasoning from the marinade.
You can use any onion you like, but just be sure it is thick enough to not split apart or fall off the kabobs. We like sweet onions and red onions best, but red onions, pearl onions, and even green onions that have been chopped into 2-inch pieces can be skewered and grilled as kabobs.
We recommend cooking your kabobs with the grill cover open. Grilling with the cover closed can create a more oven-like environment, trapping heat and potentially overcooking or charring the kabobs too quickly. However, if your grill has an adjustable cover or if you’re using indirect heat for a longer cooking time, you might partially close the cover to help regulate the temperature while still allowing some airflow.
You can prep the kabobs up to 1 day in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
More Grilling Recipes like these Shish Kabobs
- Grilled Chicken Shawarma
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Grilled Summer Vegetable Quesadillas
- Grilled Cajun Chicken Salad with Creamy Cajun Dressing
- Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Perfect Grilled Pork Chops with Sweet BBQ Pork Rub
- Grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip
- Grilled Soy Brown Sugar Salmon in Foil
Marinades & Rubs
Traditional Greek Marinade
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Sriracha Mayo Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops
Chicken & Poultry
Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
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Marinated Kabobs (Steak Kabob Recipe)
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Kabobs
- 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak or sirloin tips cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons dijon or whole-grain mustard
- 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms
- 1 red onion cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 onion layers each)
- 2 green bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade.¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Place the cubed meat into a large plastic zip-tight bag and pour all but the reserved marinade over it, then seal and squish to coat well. Place in the refrigerator for 1-6 hours to marinate. This is also a good time to place wooden skewers in water to soak.1 ½ pounds sirloin steak or sirloin tips
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until just tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 6-8 minutes. Drain well, then toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, rosemary, and mustard. Set aside.1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, 2 Tablespoons dijon or whole-grain mustard, 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Preheat grill to high heat while preparing the kabobs. Chop all vegetables into chunks that are roughly the same size as the cubed steak, keeping 3 layers of onion together in each chunk. Drizzle vegetables with the reserved marinade.8 ounces crimini mushrooms, 1 red onion, 2 green bell peppers
- Thread alternating pieces of meat, vegetables, and potatoes until the skewers are filled, aiming for 4-5 pieces of steak on each skewer.
- Place kabobs on the grill directly over the heat and reduce heat to medium-high. Grill for 8-10 minutes, flipping every 2-3 minutes, until the meat is cooked medium-rare to medium and the vegetables start to char just around the edges.
- Remove from the grill and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
your site is awesome! I have learned so much!!! Thanks u so much
Is it OK to let meat marinate for 24 hrs? Also I forgot to reserve a tablespoon of marinade for veggies. Can I use the marinade in with the meat? Thx
Yes, you’ll be okay. I would only use the marinade in with the meat before grilling, that way any bacteria will cook off on the grill.
Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.
Great post.
Followed this kabob recipe as written and it was simply delicious! Such a hit with my group. This will be my new go-to kabob marinade.
Can you put this on a shrimp scewer?
Sure! I just wouldn’t marinate longer than 30 minutes or the acid in the marinade will start to cook the shrimp.
I have been buying kabob meats (beef, chicken, lamb) pre-marinated from a local Arabic market. I want to do the marinade myself, so I am looking for a kabob marinade recipe – yours look good.
A couple of kabob cooking tips:
1 – meat goes on a skewer by itself, veggies on skewers by themselves, and maybe veggies on multiple skewers depending on their cooking times. The reason for separating the meat from the veggies is that meat cooks at a different rate than veggies, and even some veggies benefit from separated cook times. Separating them allows you to enjoy perfectly cook kabob meats and veggies.
2 – if you are using those skinny bamboo skewers like in the pictures above (I use them!), use two instead of one for each kabob. Skewer the meat or veggies with two parallel skewers about ½ inch apart. This keeps the meat or veggies from rotating on the skewer. You can grab a whole, loaded skewer with tongs and easily rotate it to cook the other side without a piece of meat or veggie refusing to flip over on the skewer.
I grew up eating kebobs & have been cooking them for my family for 19 yrs now… I’ve NEVER have to separate veggies & meat & they airways come out perfectly!
I always separate re cooking time choices. This is a great marinade. Thank you!
Those are great tips Joe! I am going to try this when I make this recipe.
I have separated my veggies from meat and my meat from shrimp as well to allow just what Joe said, everything to cook to its own temperature and time. Then pull them all off onto a serving platter and let everyone pick what they want.
I like that 2 skewers advice. I have regular wooden ones but still have the problem of the things rotating when trying to flip. Thanks for the advice and btw this marinade is so great, I now use it every time I’m grilling kebabs!
I have been looking for this recipe for ages! Very similar to the one that used to be on the back of Lea & Perrins. I think the biggest difference is that they had red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. You can also freeze the meat in the marinade. #singlegirllifehack Thanks
Put marinade on skewers while cooking
YUM! I needed a good marinade and this is it. I modified a little bit, but all of the right flavors are there. I do not put brown sugar, basil, or parsley and I use extra lemon juice. It made the meat so tender and flavorful! Do it! You won’t regret it
The best beef kabob marinade!
Loveeee this ! We make it weekly in the summer
Delicious marinade!
Added just a bit more lemon juice than the recipe called for … delicious!
This marinade is absolutely fantastic! Utter perfection! I’ve used it a few times now, the first attempt being a Mother’s Day dinner I hosted. It is a foolproof recipe that yields consistent results each time. I’ve even used it with steaks.
So happy you shared this gem – thank you!
I made a second batch of the marinade and as the kabobs were grilling, my husband basted them with that extra sauce. They were OUTSTANDING!
I wasn’t sure how this would turn out, but I made them for dinner tonight and they were wonderful! Love the little potatoes on the skewers! The meat turned out medium and juicy-perfect! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
So glad you enjoyed these!
Great receipes. Could you please send your kabob receipes with the marinade to my email. Thanks in advance. Keep up the great work. Thanks 5 stars
This was the best marinade my family has ever tasted! We made beef kabobs on the grill and used a nice cut of thick sirloin steaks from Costco. The flavor was amazing! I also marinated some large whole mushrooms that were also incredible! My adult sons loved it so much that I am putting together a small Christmas gift for them that includes this recipe and all the seasonings to make it at their homes for their families.
Have made this twice now. Really good and remarkably forgiving recipe. I accidentally left out the brown sugar and threw in honey after they started marinating. Worked fine. Everyone who has eaten them has loved them. Make extra for left overs.
I used this marinade on my steak, chicken, and even shrimp (with some added lemon for the shrimp). And the veggies, of course… but skipped the potatoes. These were THE BEST kabobs I’ve ever had! I’m making sure to save this recipe.
First time making shish kabob and it was really good. The only thing is I used the microwave potatoes and I should have let them cook the whole 9 minutes instead of 6 before putting them on the skewer. Awesome dish though thanks for the recipe!
Excellent marinade recipe, thank you!
Can I use this same recipe for chicken Kabobs?
Absolutely.
About how many Kabobs does this recipe make?
Oh man I would say 8-10? But it totally depends on how many veggies and meat you stack on the sticks and how big you cut them. It could be more it could be less! Let me know if you have any more questions!
Do you have a recipe for dipping sauce for this Kabob recipe?
Oh man these would be good with so many sauces! Some that come to mind is a good BBQ sauce like my Kansas City BBQ Sauce or a Greek Tzatziki Sauce would be so good! A Horseradish Sauce for a little kick would be good too. You could also do a chili sauce or an Asian soy sauce, a peanut sauce…Depends on what mood you are in!
Yum Yum sauce is fantastic!
Fantastic marinade. This will be my go to for kabobs.
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
I never leave recipe reviews but this one is worth it. I found this marinade about a month ago. I’m making my 4th batch of kabobs since because it IS THAT GOOD. Followed the ingredient list and free handed the measurements. It has to fail me. 5 stars all day.
Thanks so much for the glowing review, Krysta! So glad you love this one! It’s on repeat for us all summer long too!
Is it OK to let meat marinate for 24 hrs? Also I forgot to reserve a tablespoon of marinade for veggies. Can I use the marinade in with the meat? Thx
Do you think flank steak would be good with this marinade? (It’s what I have)
Yes, I think it would be great!
OMG Delicious. My new favorite marinade!
Good morning!
Can I marinate this over night?
Thanks for this incredible recipe!
Yes, you can!
This was an awesome marinade, just the right blend. Thank you!
These were DELICIOUS! The marinade was everything! I overcooked the meat by a smidge, but other than that, they were perfect! I will definitely be making these again. 🙂
Oh good! Glad you enjoyed it!
Amy, that kabob marinade is great!!! Thanks again for another great recipe!!
Skipped the basil and mustard, swapped the Worcestershire for 1/4 cup lime juice, added cumin and cayenne, and had one of the best damn kabobs of my life. I’ve heard a lot of people say Worcestershire sauce is amazing on meats, but that hasn’t been my personal experience – it must be an acquired taste. I love Thai fish sauce, but it’s nothing like that.
I’ve used this multiple times for both beef and chicken and they always turn out so much delicious flavor. My go to recipe for marinade. All ingredients are kept in most pantries so it’s easy to make without having to buy anything new.
I decided to try this recipe and it did not disappoint! It gives the meat so much flavor and really takes the kabob to the next level.
Recommend marinading the meat for as long as possible.
thank you so much for this recipe!
This marinade is so flavorful, truly delicious!
Thumbs up from the whole family for this delicious marinade.
Thumbs up is the best! I am glad you guys enjoyed this!
Wonderful flavor! This will be my go-to marinade for ‘bobs in the future. Thank you!
Can I use pork instead of the steak?
Thanks,
Patsy
Yes.
I haven’t done a kabob in years. I am saving this one! The kids were whining before dinner but they both cleaned their plates!! I loved how the meat caramelized.
Best kabob marinade recipe I have used to date. This marinade is definitely a keeper!
The kabobs are a hit
Pineapple is a great idea worked for everyone
Outstanding! Everyone loved the marinade. Thank you!!
Am I able to cook the kabobs in the oven? Bake or broil for medium – medium well meat? And at what temp? The reviews are incredible and I would like my high school cooking class to make this recipe!
Yes that should be fine. You could cook at high heat like 450 and cook for 10-15 minutes. But it also depends on how well done you like your meat and veggies. You can also broil at the end to give it a little crispy charred look and taste.