Grilled Lamb Kabobs
Updated May 22, 2025
These lamb kabobs are made with lamb loin or leg skewered together with onions, marinated in a Mediterranean-style sauce, and grilled medium rare.
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I Love Grilled Lamb Kabobs!
Lamb is such a popular protein in the Middle East, and growing up, it was something we always had for special meals, especially when grilling. These grilled lamb kabobs are one of those recipes that remind me of summer cookouts with my family, where the smell of the spices hits you before the food even makes it to the table. I marinate the lamb with lemon, garlic, and warm spices like cumin, paprika, and cinnamon, which gives it so much flavor. After the meat has been tenderized, it goes straight on the grill and gets cooked medium-rare. I usually serve it with a simple cucumber yogurt sauce and lots of fresh mint.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Lamb Kabob Ingredients
- Lamb: Use a boneless loin or leg of lamb and trim it of any excess fat before cutting it into cubes. These are the most tender cuts of lamb and don’t require slow cooking to be tender enough to eat.
- Onion: The cubes of lamb are threaded onto the skewers with chunks of yellow onion. You could use other vegetables like bell peppers or zucchini. You’ll also grate some of the onion to use in the marinade.
- Garlic: Mince or grate the garlic cloves for the strongest flavor.
- Lemon: Lemon juice adds freshness to the lamb, and I use both the juice and the zest. Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled.
- Olive oil: You can use another high-heat oil if you’re out.
- Spices: These lamb shish kabobs are seasoned with a mix of cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
How to Grill Lamb Kabobs
Grilled Lamb Kabob Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion ½ grated and ½ cut into chunks
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ pound boneless lamb loin or boneless leg of lamb cut into 1-inch cubes
- Cucumber Yogurt Sauce for serving
- Fresh mint for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the grated onion, garlic, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels, then add them to the bowl and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Remove lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat your outdoor gas grill to medium-high (about 400°F). Brush the grates lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
- Remove the lamb from the marinade (letting any excess drip off) and save the marinade. Thread the lamb onto 6-8 skewers, alternating onion chunks between the lamb pieces. Place them directly on the grill.
- Grill for 4 minutes on one side, brushing the skewers with the leftover marinade. Then turn over and grill for another 4 minutes for medium rare or until lightly charred.
- Transfer the lamb kabobs to a plate and serve with cucumber yogurt sauce.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the lamb into similar-sized pieces. The lamb cooks quickly, so the cubes should be roughly the same size so that they all cook evenly.
- Don’t squeeze the lamb too tightly together on a skewer. They need some room in between, or they won’t cook in the middle.
- Allow the lamb to come up to room temperature before grilling. Take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to cook it. Thread it onto the skewers and let it sit for a bit. If the lamb is cold when you add it to the grill, it can seize up, resulting in chewy and tough meat.
- Don’t skip the marinating time. The marinade not only adds flavor to the meat, but the acid from the lemon juice helps to break down tough proteins so that you have a tender and juicy bite. If you can, leave it in the fridge overnight, or allow at least 4 hours.
Serving Ideas
FAQs
The lamb can be marinated overnight, and you can thread the skewers up to a day ahead too, and keep them covered in the fridge. If you do have leftovers, they will keep well for up to 4 days. It’s best to reheat them in the oven, so that they don’t overcook, at 350F for 10 minutes to warm through.
For kabobs, medium-rare to medium (130–145°F) is usually the sweet spot. It keeps the lamb tender and juicy without drying out. Just be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the center of a few pieces, especially if they’re different sizes.
If you prefer a different doneness you can use the guide below:
Rare: 120–125°F (cool red center)
Medium-Rare: 130–135°F (warm red center)
Medium: 140–145°F (warm pink center)
Medium-Well: 150–155°F (slightly pink center)
Well-Done: 160°F and above (little to no pink)
Comments
Again, picture of spices for marinade won’t match those in the description.
I wonder which would turn them out to be.
Turmeric can be seen, to start with.
The spices featured in the image are the spices listed in the recipe. 🙂
Right from the get go the marinade smelled amazing. I don’t know how to make the lamb kabobs that I love so much from Iranian restaurants but Yumna’s recipe for lamb kabobs is the bomb. I loved this. So flavorful and sweet at the same time. I didn’t have time to wait 4 hours. I marinated the lamb leg chunks for just 2 hours and it turned out amazing. Thanks Yumna. This is your best recipe in my book now. Vielka
Wow, thank you so much! I’m glad the two hours still did the trick. You’re so welcome!!