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

a pile of beef and vegetable skewers on a white plate


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.

An image of steak skewered on wooden skewers with zucchini, onions, peppers, mushrooms and potatoes for marinated beef shish kabobs.

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
An image of an easy beef kabob marinade for making beef shish kabobs.
An image of cubed sirloin steak chunks in the best beef kabob marinade recipe.

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.

An image of a plate of grilled marinated steak kebabs with zucchini, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers, and onions.

How to Grill Kabobs with Marinated Steak & Vegetables

  1. 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.
  2. Skewer the meat alternating with vegetables, aiming for about 4-5 pieces of steak per skewer.
  3. 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.
  4. 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!
An image of a skewered sirloin steak cubes grilled with onions, peppers, mushrooms, and potatoes for beef shish kabobs.

Best Steak Kabobs FAQs

What cut of beef is best for kabobs?

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.

How long do you marinate beef?

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.

What vegetables to put on a shish kabob?

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)

Should I Precook vegetables for kabobs?

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.

Do you season vegetables for shish kabobs?

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.

What kind of onion is best for kabobs?

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.

Do you close the grill when cooking 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.

How far in advance can you prep kabobs?

You can prep the kabobs up to 1 day in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator until ready to grill.

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Steak Shish Kabobs with AMAZING Marinade

4.81 from 332 votes
Amy Nash
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Marinated Steak Kabobs are the perfect summer meal idea for grilling season, and extra delicious when the meat is marinated for hours in the best beef kabob marinade, then skewered with potatoes, onions, peppers, and other colorful veggies!  This fantastic shish kabob marinade helps makes this an easy summer meal the whole family will love!

Ingredients
  

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

Kabobs

  • 1 ½ 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Video

Notes

Adapted from Serious Eats.

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 1120mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Reader questions and reviews

    1. 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

      1. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

    1. Sure! I just wouldn't marinate longer than 30 minutes or the acid in the marinade will start to cook the shrimp.

  3. 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.

    1. 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!

    2. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 5 stars
    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

  6. 5 stars
    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!

  7. 5 stars
    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!

  8. 5 stars
    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.

  9. 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

  10. 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.

  11. 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.

  12. 5 stars
    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.

  13. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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!

  14. 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.

    1. Thanks so much for the glowing review, Krysta! So glad you love this one! It's on repeat for us all summer long too!

  15. 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

  16. 5 stars
    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. 🙂

  17. 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.

  18. 5 stars
    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.

  19. 5 stars
    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!