Lamb Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Grilled Lamb Souvlaki skewers with tzatziki, olives, pita bread and hummus

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5 from 3 votes

A delicious and flavorful make-ahead meal perfect for summer gatherings.

Prep Time1

Cook Time20

marinating4

Total Time5 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: dinner, grilling, lamb, main

Servings: skewers

Calories: 518kcal

Author: Tricia

Equipment

skewers

Ingredients

For the lamb skewers and marinade:

½ cup fresh lemon juice, about 3 lemons
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic minced
2 pounds lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
zest from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 large red onion, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

For the tzatziki:

½ English cucumber
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves minced
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt

For serving:

lemons, cut in half
tomatoes, cut in half
fresh parsley or oregano leaves, chopped for garnish
Pita bread
Tzatziki sauce
french fries, optional

Instructions

To prepare the marinade:

In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. Pour HALF the marinade into a large zipper bag. Add the lamb cubes to the zipper bag and seal. Refrigerate, turning frequently, for 4 to 8 hours.
Add the lemon zest, honey and parsley to the remaining marinade and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature. This sauce will be drizzled over the grilled lamb just before serving.

To prepare the tzatziki:

Peel the cucumber and slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard. Shred the cucumber on a large box grater over a strainer. Drain for a few minutes then transfer to a small bowl. Add the remaining tzatziki sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Tzatziki sauce can be made 24 hours in advance. Serve the remaining cucumber (sliced) with the Souvlaki, if desired.

When ready to grill:

If using bamboo skewers soak in water for one hour before grilling. Thread the lamb cubes on skewers alternating with pieces of red onion and bell pepper. Discard lamb marinade. Set aside at room temperature while preparing the grill.
Preheat grill on high for 10 to 15 minutes. Clean and generously grease the grill grates using folded paper towels soaked in vegetable oil. Use long grilling tongs for oiling the grates to prevent burns.
Cut the lemons and tomatoes in half. Lightly brush the cut sides with vegetable oil. Grill, cut side down, until well charred. Remove to a clean pan and set aside.
If needed, oil the grill grates again. Grill the lamb skewers turning occasionally until charred on all sides. Remove from the grill. Quickly heat the pita bread on the grill until warmed through.
To serve, brush or drizzle some of the remaining marinade sauce over the Souvlaki.
To make a pita sandwich: Hold a warm pita in your left hand, and the skewer in your right. Pull the contents from the skewer into the pita bread. Top with french fries, if using, tzatziki sauce, a squeeze of grilled lemon juice and a few tomatoes. Drizzle with more reserved marinade, if desired. Serve!

Notes

Gently rewarm leftovers to avoid overcooking
Recipe makes approximately 8 skewers depending on length of skewers and amount of vegetables added.
Lamb can be grilled on skewers without vegetables, if desired. Or, grill vegetables separately brushed lightly with oil.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition