Doner Kebab

Yumna Jawad

Updated Dec 05, 2025

5 from 18 votes

Try this viral TikTok doner kebab recipe made in the oven. Roll the seasoned meat in parchment paper, bake until tender, then slice thin for easy weeknight dinners.

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Comments
71

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Beef doner kebab meat with roasted tomato and onions on a sheet pan for serving with pita, pickles and tahini sauce nearby.
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Homemade Doner Kebab

Have you tried the viral doner kebab that’s going around TikTok? It’s a hack for making the popular Turkish street food in the oven using ground beef, onion, garlic, greek yogurt and spices. The key is mixing everything together really well, then rolling it tightly in parchment paper and baking it in the oven. It creates thin slices of beef without using a spinning spit. This method was shared by Meze Mike and I just think it’s so cool!

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Doner Kebab Ingredients

Ingredients for homemade doner kebab recipe: ground beef, onion, garlic, yogurt, spices plus red onion and tomatoes.
  • Ground beef: I like using 85% lean because it has enough fat to keep the meat tender without being greasy. You can use 90% lean if that’s what you have, but the texture will be a little firmer. You can sub with ground turkey or ground chicken.
  • Onion: Grate the onion instead of dicing it. The grated texture helps it blend right into the meat, and the extra moisture helps keep everything juicy.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic works best. If you’re out, ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder will work (since 1 clove = ¼ teaspoon).
  • Greek yogurt: This helps tenderize the meat and adds a little tang. Use whole-milk yogurt if you have it, but low-fat works too.
  • Seasoning: You’ll need cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. These are classic spices for Turkish-style meat. You can adjust the cumin and coriander depending on how warm you want the flavor.

How to Make Doner Kebab

Ground beef, grated onion, garlic, yogurt, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper before mixing.
Step 1: Combine the ground beef, grated onion, garlic, yogurt, and spices in a large bowl. Keep mixing until it looks uniform and everything sticks together. This helps the meat hold its shape after baking.
After ground beef mixture is well combined and divided into four equal portions in the bowl.
Step 2: Divide the mixture in fourth right in the bowl. It doesn’t have to be exact.
One portion of doner meat on parchment with another parchment on top and hand pressing down on the mixture.
Step 3: Place one portion in the center of a sheet of parchment about 12×16. Place another parchment paper the same size on top and use your hands or a rolling pin to roll the beef mixture into a thin rectangle, the shape of the parchment paper.
Doner ground beef mixture after shaping into a thin even rectangle on parchment paper.
Step 4: Once the ground beef mixture reaches the edges of the parchment paper, you can remove the top parchment paper or leave it on top.
Hands rolling the thin parchment covered sheet of ground beef mixture into a tight log for baking.
Step 5: Starting from the long side, fold the parchment over the meat and roll it tightly until it forms a flat, compact log.
Four logs of homemade doner kebab meat mixture on a sheet pan with chunks of red onion and tomatoes before baking.
Step 6: Repeat with the three portions of meat.
Place the parchment-wrapped logs onto the prepared baking sheet. Add the onions and tomatoes on the side and bake.
Cooked doner kebab meat after cooked and broken into pieces on a sheet pan with roasted onions and tomatoes before broiling.
Step 7: Let the logs cool just enough to handle. Unroll, break the meat apart into small chunks or thin slices, and return it to the baking sheet.
Broiled doner kebab meat on a sheet pan with onions and tomatoes.
Step 8: Broil for 2-3 minutes, just until lightly golden with crisp edges. And then serve!
Beef doner kebab recipe.

Doner Kebab

Author: Yumna Jawad
5 from 18 votes
Try this viral TikTok doner kebab recipe made in the oven. Roll the seasoned meat in parchment paper, bake until tender, then slice thin for easy weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings8 servings

Video

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion grated
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons coriander
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large red onion sliced into wedges
  • 2 Roma tomatoes sliced into wedges

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Add the ground beef, grated onion, garlic, yogurt, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
  • Divide the mixture in the bowl into four equal portions.
  • Place one portion in the center of a sheet of parchment about 12×16. Place another parchment paper the same size on top and use your hands or a rolling pin to roll the beef mixture into a thin rectangle, the shape of the parchment paper..
  • Starting from the long side, fold the parchment over the meat and roll it tightly until it forms a flat, compact log. Repeat with the three portions of meat.
  • Place the parchment-wrapped logs onto the prepared baking sheet. Add the onions and tomatoes on the side. Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Let the logs cool just enough to handle. Unroll, break the meat apart into small chunks or thin slices, and return it to the baking sheet.
  • Broil for 2-3 minutes, just until lightly golden with crisp edges.
  • Serve in warm pita with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and tahini sauce.

Equipment

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25pounds, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 371mg, Potassium: 404mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 142IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?
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Recipe Tips

  1. Mix really well. Take a minute to mix the beef thoroughly. The more the meat binds together, the better the slices will hold up after baking.
  2. Grate the onion finely. If the onion pieces are too large, the meat mixture won’t hold as tightly. Grating helps the texture and flavor mix evenly.
  3. Roll the parchment tightly. Press out any air pockets and make the log as compact as possible. This is what gives you those clean slices.
  4. Watch the broiler closely. The meat can go from lightly crisp to too dark quickly. Keep an eye on it and pull it once the edges just start to brown.

Serving Ideas

FAQs

How do I store and reheat the doner meat?

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or the oven until warmed through, or give it a quick warm-up in the microwave.

Can I freeze baked doner meat?

Yes. Slice the baked meat, lay the pieces flat on a sheet pan, freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag. They’ll keep up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a skillet or in the oven.

Why did my doner fall apart when slicing?

It’s usually from under-mixing or not rolling tightly. The meat needs to be well combined, and the parchment should be wrapped snugly before baking.

Doner kebab stuffed pita with tomatoes, onions and tahini sauce on a plate.

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Comments

  1. Sean says:

    really interested in trying this, would i need to change the recipe if I replace ground beef with pork?

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      I haven’t tried it because I don’t eat pork, but it should work! It may brown and crisp up a little faster than ground beef, so just keep an eye on it during the last 2–3 minutes.

      Reply
  2. Nicole says:

    Have you tried with a combo of half lamb half beef? 🙂

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hi! I haven’t tried half lamb and half beef, but some commenters have! Lamb can sometimes have a little more fat, which can slightly affect the flavor and juiciness. But if you like the taste of lamb, you should really enjoy the combo!

      Reply
  3. Abbie says:

    I made this tonight and it was amazing. The meat was so juicy and full of flavor, I paired mine with tzatziki sauce and it’s going to be a new staple. I just wish this recipe was available on Pinterest so I never lose it !!

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hi! I’m so happy you thought it was amazing! There are two ways to save the recipe on Pinterest: Scroll down and tap the Pinterest flag that appears on the left side of the page (above the Facebook flag), or tap the Pinterest logo on any recipe photo. Let me know if you still can’t find it!

      Reply
  4. Laura says:

    This is such a great technique and the meat was so delicious!

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      I’m so glad the recipe worked for you and that you enjoyed it, Laura!

      Reply

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