A Guide on Types of Kebabs

Traditionally, the kebab was cooked from mutton or lamb. But today, there are many more culinary varieties of this dish.

5-Minute Crafts created a compilation of kebabs for any taste.

General recommendations

• Pieces for kebabs sit better on flat metal skewers — they won’t be twisting around. It will let you turn them over in the necessary moment and cook them evenly.
• If you are using wooden skewers instead of metal ones, it’s recommended to soak them in water in advance for about one hour. It will prevent the skewers from getting burnt and chipped off inside pieces of the kebab.
• The longer you marinate the meat, the more saturated taste the kebab will have.
• If you cut the ingredients for kebabs into equal pieces, they will cook evenly.
• Don’t consume marinade that was in contact with raw meat. In order to use the marinade as a sauce, put it on a medium-heat into a pot, bring it to a boil, and cook for several minutes.
• Meat and vegetables have different cooking times. To ensure all the food gets cooked evenly, you can divide all the ingredients and place them on different skewers instead of alternating them — you’ll have only meat on some and veggies on others.

Salmon kebab

Kebabs featuring salmon with lemon and spices can become a perfect alternative to meat. About 3.5 oz of this fish contains about 200 calories. It also contains proteins, fats, omega-3s, vitamins B12, D, iron, and other nutrients.

Calorie content: 267 calories

What you’ll need: 14-25 oz of cut pieces of salmon fillet without the skin, 2 thinly sliced lemons, 2 tbsp of oregano, 2 tsp of sesame seeds, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1/4 tsp of ground red pepper, olive oil, 1 tsp of salt, and wooden or metal skewers

Marinating time: 0 minutes

Cooking time: 8 to 10 minutes on the grill

Tips: If you’re using wooden skewers, make sure to preliminarily soak them for 30 minutes so that they don’t burn. You can use 2 skewers for one kebab to let the pieces sit better and not get twisted while cooking.

Beef kebab

Beef is rich in vitamins, proteins, and minerals. It is a good source of iron, zinc, and protein. However, it is recommended to consume it in moderation.

Calorie content: 477 calories

What you’ll need: 1.5 pounds of chopped beef, 1-2 medium-sized onions, 1 bell pepper, and 1/2 to 1 pound of button mushrooms — for the marinade: 1/3 cup of soy sauce, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of honey, 3 tbsp of red vinegar, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Marinating time: 30 minutes or more

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Tips: You can marinate meat anywhere from 30 min to several hours. Before serving the kebab, remove it from the heat and let it rest for a while.

Shrimp kebab

This is a kebab option with a low carbohydrate count. Shrimp contain antioxidants that protect cells from damage and help prevent wrinkles. They also help reduce damage from sun exposure.

Calorie content: 203 calories

What you’ll need: 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp, 12-14 medium mushrooms, and 1.5 bell peppers — for the marinade: 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 tsp of lemon zest, 1/4 cups of lemon juice, 3 tbsp of honey, 3 minced cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp of chopped parsley, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of paprika, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper (optional)

Marinating time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Tips: Shrimp cook faster than veggies, which is why if you have the opportunity, you can cook veggies in advance, like in a microwave oven for 2 min, for example. It’s easier to run skewers through the shrimp’s center, from tail to head. The kebab is ready when the shrimp stop being opaque and acquire a pink color.

Pork kebab

Pork is also a good source of iron, zinc, and protein and has a beneficial effect on muscle performance.

Calorie content: 260 calories

What you’ll need: 14 oz of pork fillet, 1/2 peeled pineapple cut into chunks, 1 green pepper, and 4 chopped onions — for the marinade: 4 tbsp of fish sauce and 60 ml of apple vinegar

Cooking time: 5 to 10 minutes

Tips: Heat the sugar and vinegar over low heat to make a homogeneous mass, add fish sauce and let cool, then mix it with the meat.

Chicken kebab

Chicken is said to be lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than red meat, making it a great alternative when cooking kebabs or BBQ.

Calorie content: 420 calories

What you’ll need: 2 pounds of chopped chicken thighs, 1/8 cup of soy sauce, 1/8 cup of olive oil, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 3 minced garlic cloves, juice from half a lemon, 3 bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, or other vegetables as per your taste.

Marinating time: 2 hours or more

Cooking time: 7 minutes on each side

Tips: The kebab will be softer and juicer with chicken thighs, and it will be a bit dry if cooked from chicken breasts. For this reason, it is recommended to marinate chicken breasts for no less than 4 hours or even overnight.

Vegetable kebab

This option is good both as the main course and as a garnish. There are no limitations about what veggies to use for kebabs — simply use the ones that you like. We are providing only 1 of the many possible recipes.

Calorie content: 298 calories

What you’ll need: 1 sliced eggplant, 4 mushroom heads, 1 bell pepper, 1 sliced zucchini, 1 onion, several cherry tomatoes, and several potatoes — for the marinade: 3 tbsp of olive oil, 2 tbsp of red vinegar, 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp of chopped basil, 1 tbsp of chopped parsley, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp of salt.

Marinating time: 1 to 3 hours

Cooking time: 12 minutes

Tips: Mix the vegetables and marinade in a plastic bag and let them rest in the fridge for 1-3 hours; it’s better to cook these kebabs having covered them with a lid and brushing with marinade every 2-3 minutes, rotating the skewers to cook the vegetables evenly.

Lamb kebab

This type of meat contains a lot of protein (almost half of the daily norm in one portion), vitamins, and minerals, such as iron, phosphorus, zinc, healthy fats and acids, etc. Traditionally, mutton kebabs are cooked on skewers.

Calorie content: 690 calories

What you’ll need: skewers, 2 pounds of lamb (cut into square pieces), 1 onion, and 3 bell peppers — for the marinade: 1 tsp of ground black pepper, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tsp of freshly grated ginger, 2 tsp of salt, 4 tbsp of lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of olive oil

Marinating time: 2 hours

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Tips: The marinade will give an aroma to the meat; it would be more convenient to mix the meat with the marinade in a special zip bag and let it cool down for 2-24 hours. If the lamb pieces are too big, it will take much longer to cook the meat.

Ground meat kebab

Kebab from ground meat is called kofta. This is a mix of ground meat, onion, and different herbs and spices that are rolled into balls and cooked on skewers. Kofta can be cooked from beef, lamb, chicken, or pork, and there are vegetarian options available too.

Calorie content: 262 calories

What you’ll need: 3 lb of ground meat (beef, for example), 1 chopped onion, 1/2 cup of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste

Marinating time: 0 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Tips: Kofta requires not a simple but very extra finely ground meat to make kebabs smoother and softer.