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Beef Shish Kabobs mean it’s summertime! Even though the prep is quick-and-easy, they always come out so darn impressive. Fire up your grill!!!
We partnered with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner., on behalf of the Beef Checkoff to show you how to make great tasting Beef Shish Kabobs!
This summer, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. is bringing families across the country—from the farmers and ranchers who raise beef to the consumers who are enjoying it—to unite around our shared love of beef on the grill as we declare in unison, United We Steak.
Simply put, shish kabobs are a dish of cubed and skewered meats. In this popular Middle Eastern dish, each hunk of meat is typically separated with chunks of onion and bell peppers. The end result is a beautiful skewer full of flavor and color.
Shish kabobs are a grills’ best friend. Let’s get started!
What Is the Best Beef Cut for Shish Kabobs?
Top Sirloin is your best choice for shish kabobs as it’s both flavorful and juicy. If you are looking for more options, sirloin tips, strip steak or even chuck steak also work great.
How do you Cook Beef Shish Kabobs?
- Cut beef into cubes and marinate for at least 6 hours. For tender cuts, marinate it for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Cut your veggies. Season them liberally.
- Thread your beef and veggies on to a skewer.
- Cook them on a hot grill!
- Allow the skewers to rest to soak in the juices. Bon appetit!
Prepare Veggies for Kabobs
- Onions: You really can’t go wrong here. Use yellow, red or white – whatever you like best! For the kabob, cut the onion into 4 pieces and again in half so the pieces come out triangular.
- Bell Peppers: Use red, yellow and green – the more color the better! Just make sure to cut them into similar-sized pieces as your beef. This way, the beef and veggies will hit the grill evenly, giving you perfect grill marks.
- Mushrooms: You can use white bottom, cremini or portobello. Try to pick mushrooms that are similar in size to your beef pieces so you don’t have to trim them down.
Tips for Beef Kabobs
- Preparing your skewers. If you are using wooden skewers, allow them to soak in water for at least 10 minutes before grilling so they don’t burn. You can also snag an affordable set of metal reusable skewers to prevent waste!
- Marinating your beef. This step is a must and the flavors will prove it to you. Give your beef enough time to marinate – it makes all the difference.
- Checking doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure beef is properly cooked. It takes all the guesswork out! Your internal temperature should read 145 °F for medium-rare.
- Preparing your grill. Make sure that your grill is clean before you get cooking. Residual grease or fat from your last bbq can cause flare ups that will burn your kabobs! Use a grill brush to do a quick scrub.
- Crank up the heat. Kabobs cook best on medium-high heat. Make sure to preheat your grill to promote even cooking.
- Don’t overflip your kabobs. Flipping your kabobs too much can ruin the integrity of the skewer and cause it to fall apart. Try to stick to one flip per side!
- Give it a rest. Allow your kabobs to rest for at least five minutes before serving. This will give the beef enough time to soak up all those wonderful juices.
Other Beef Recipe You Will Love
- Carne Asada Street Tacos – This recipe will be your bestie on Taco Tuesday.
- Smoked Brisket – Mouthwatering and savory – this brisket simply rules.
- Cast Iron Ribeye – This tender, marbled cut gets such a wonderful crust when cooked in the cast iron. YUM!
- Steak Sandwich – A classic diner food, a steak sandwich is simple, yet so darn tasty.
Recipe
Amazing Shish Kabob Recipe (with Beef)
Print Pin
Servings
12 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Beef Shish Kabobs mean it’s summertime! Even though the prep is quick-and-easy, they always come out so darn impressive. Fire up your grill!!!
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef (Top Sirloin, Strip Steak)
- 1/4 cup low- sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 tbsp steak seasoning (use your favorite)
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 large green bell pepper cut into cubes
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into cubes
- 1 large yellow bell pepper cut into cubes
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 1 large onion cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
US Units – Metric
Instructions
Cut beef into one-inch cubes. Place meat in a deep dish. Cover with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, wine and steak seasoning. Allow beef to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Prepare bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. Place them in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Thread beef, mushrooms, bell peppers and onion on to a skewer.
Grill for about 3 minutes on per side, or until the outside has a nice crust.
Allow skewers to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Amazing Shish Kabob Recipe (with Beef)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 336 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Cholesterol 81mg27%
Sodium 1298mg54%
Potassium 508mg15%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 376IU8%
Vitamin C 40mg48%
Calcium 36mg4%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted June 30, 2020
About Author
Carolyn (CJ)Dec 13, 2023 I made this for my neighbor meal exchange that I have with my neighbors (pretty much one week a month I have to cook two meals for the neighbors and the other 3 weeks I know two meals each week will be provided). Anyways, they loved it so much it continues to be a staple and requested on the regular. I just made them again last night and they are so yummy.
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 13, 2023 Hi Carolyn, -that sounds like a wonderful neighborhood to be a part of. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and we are happy to hear that this recipe will be on repeat.
Jean MasmanOct 3, 2023 My husband insists on cooking our meat kabobs separate from our vegetable kabobs- claiming different cook times. Is this correct? Seems counter productive to cook everything separately
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 4, 2023 Hi Jean, They cook at the same time if the veggies are cut thinner than the beef (as shown on photos). I hope this helps!
WaltSep 21, 2023 Can I give you a recipe to try? NYC Firehouse stew. My dad couldn't cook anything. He could burn water, I swear, but as a New York City fireman he was required to cook for the other guys every month or so. He came up with a great recipe!
Make or buy a pasta sauce. Jullian bell peppers and onions in it until tender. Cook a bunch of pork chops, slowly, until tender. Discard the fat then chunk them into bite sized pieces in the sauce. Serve like a gravy over mashed potatoes. It is fantastic!!Natalya DrozhzhinSep 21, 2023 Hi Walt, That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your dad's recipe.
AngieSep 3, 2023 Hi! For the 3 mins per side, we are talking 4 sides right? So 12 mins total? Lol want to make sure I am understanding correctly. Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 4, 2023 Hi Angie, You have that correct. Enjoy! 🙂
Randy RoeAug 22, 2023 Do I want a red cooking wine?
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 23, 2023 Hi Randy, I recommend red wine over cooking wine for better flavor, but cooking wine can be used. Enjoy. 🙂
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Rhonda YelvertonAug 8, 2023 Hi Natalya, your recipe sounds awesome and I would love to try it but I do not have access to a grill. Can I cook them in the oven? If so, at what temperature and for how long?
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 9, 2023 Hi Rhonda, I would suggest baking them at 350°F degrees for about 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through. Flip them halfway through, and you can even broil them at the end for a few minutes to achieve a bit of charr flavor. Enjoy!
MareAug 4, 2023 Hi Natalya 🙂 I’m a novice at grilling but really want to start grilling, I’m Ukrainian and nailing a good shish kabob is a must! What temp range would you say is med/high heat? Thanks!
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 4, 2023 Hi Mare, Medium-high heat is between 375-450°F. Every grill is a little different, but around 400°F is what I would recommend starting at and then adjusting the temperature depending on your grill. Let us know how it works out! 🙂
MareAug 5, 2023 Thank you Natalya!
MariaJul 31, 2023 Oh my goodness, these were AMAZING!!! I followed the recipe exactly as written and they turned out SO good! I ended up marinating the meat for a little over a day and a half since our plans changed, but my goodness, the meat had so much flavor and it was so tender! Thank you for this amazing recipe!!!
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 1, 2023 Hi Maria, Thanks for such awesome feedback. Reading this made my day!
Kitty HenriquezJul 25, 2023 Amazing. Loved the recipe! It was my first time cooking shish kabobs and they came out perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 26, 2023 Hi Kitty, That's awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing your feedback with us.
BrianJul 20, 2023 It would be nice to know what temp to put the grill on (med/ high…etc) not just how long to cook them, and to make sure your grill is hot or the inside temp.
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 20, 2023 Hi Brian, We appreciate you sharing this feedback. Oftentimes, we have more information throughout the blog post. Under the tips sections, we do mention it's best to grill on medium-high heat. I hope this helps!
LizzieJun 26, 2023 I just made my own Beef Shish Kabobs, and they were awesome. The picture used here is very close to how mine turned out. I added baby tomatoes to mine. As for my marinade I used A.1. New York Steakhouse Marinade, the whole bottle. It turned out fabulous. I didn't grill mine. I cooked them in an air fryer. I cooked then in the air fryer for 10 minutes on one side at 380 Degrees, flipped them, cooked them another 6 minutes at 390 degrees. and they were ready.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 26, 2023 Hi Lizzie, Your shish kabobs sound amazing. Thanks for sharing!
DevidawgJun 5, 2023 Really good. Halved the recipe for the 2 of us but delicious.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 6, 2023 Thats awesome, glad you got to make them. Thanks for sharing this.
KristinaMay 26, 2023 What’s the longest I can leave the beef in the marinade? Looking to make it tonight but might use it tomorrow or Sunday. Will it still be good?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 27, 2023 Hi Kristina, Personally, I would do about 24 hours in advance. It will work well for this recipe. Enjoy them!
BRIAN E CAPPSMay 2, 2023 So how may kabobs does this recipe make?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 3, 2023 Hi Brian, this recipe makes 12 servings, it's hard to calculate how many kabobs it will make because it really depends on how thick or thin you cut the meat. I hope this makes sense. Thank you for reaching out!
bozoDec 8, 2022 cow said sum just wait till i glow up!!! oh nah nah nah
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 8, 2022 LOl!!!! Thats too funny! Thanks for the laugh! Happy holidays!
TheoOct 17, 2022 145 for medium rare? Um, no.
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 18, 2022 Hey Theo, what do you suggest for medium rare? Thanks for the tips.
JessieMay 28, 2023 So gracious! 💕
PhilOct 20, 2022 I would cook the beef to an internal temp of 125-130 degrees. I think some of the meat cooking charts are too cautious about temperature and they errantly cite higher temps for medium rare. Medium rare still has some red in the center and juicy.
Shish kabob cubes should cook fairly fast.
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 21, 2022 Hi, Phil Thanks so much for the helpful tips. And yes, They don't take very long to cook at all.
SSSFeb 14, 2023 If a 1" thick steak takes about 12-14 minutes, why would these 1" cubes of beef take less or longer?
Hey, by the way, how do you pronounce your last name?😏 i thought mine was toughNatalya DrozhzhinFeb 15, 2023 Hey there, I am not sure I understand the question, these dont take too long to cook because they are cut up and will cook through quicker than a full 1 inch steak. If that makes sense. The last name is said exactly how its spelled, the second "ZH" is silent. DRO-ZHIN.
KariJul 1, 2022 Can I sub the wine for anything else?
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 1, 2022 Hi Kari- you can use beef broth instead! Enjoy 🙂
Bianca varelasSep 5, 2022 It was to bland, what else can I use
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 5, 2022 Hey Bianca- what was too bland? Beef broth or wine?
RoseJun 12, 2022 I only have masala wine, a dry white & red wine vinegar on hand. Which one would be best?
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 13, 2022 Hi Rose- Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir are what I'd recommend for cooking in general, but based on what you have probably the red wine vinegar. I would dilute it though, or use less than called for in the recipe so that your marinade won't be too acidic or vinegary.
KelseyMay 29, 2022 This looks delicious like many of the other recipes I’ve seen today after discovering this page I was wondering how much longer do I need to add for well done or is is possible to do well done without burning the veggies?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 30, 2022 Hi Kelsey- thank you. My tip would be to cut the beef into smaller pieces if you want it well done, that way the meat is fully cooked through before the veggies get too charred. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
MariaMay 5, 2022 Can I marinate the meat overnight? Or will that be too long? Thanks so much!
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 5, 2022 Hi Maria - A longer marinade never hurts. Overnight should be perfectly fine. 🙂
DoriApr 17, 2022 Also, I am using a Teriyaki marinade, store bought, should I still had the dry red wine? I have cooking wine, is that ok?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 17, 2022 Hi Dori, I would still add red dry wine, it adds great flavor to them. Enjoy
DoriApr 17, 2022 Can I serve it over rice or with potatoes?
JDMay 4, 2023 Over Herb & Butter Rice sounds delish!
JDMay 4, 2023 I am thinking of making this for an upcoming camping trip. I'll tell you my thoughts, and feel free to correct me.
Do prep work at home. Cube beef, put in a seal a meal bag with marinade and seal. Then place in freezer. This would take place of an ice pack. Once at the campsite thaw beef, finish prep by cutting veggies and assemble Kabobs. I'll get the grill flaming hot to burn the bejesus out of anything on the grates. Scrub grates, let fire burn down, create 2 zones for cooking. Then place kabobs on grill. Check temp after 4 sides appear cooked. Once cooked, set them on the cooler zone I created on the grate. When all are done cooking, place on a pan or plate to rest for 5 minutes, tented with foil. How's that? I am open to suggestions. TIABTW I would be using the USFS grill not a charcoal grill.
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 4, 2023 Hi There! I feel like you have a great plan! I wouldn't do anything differently, myself! I hope you absolutely love this recipe. Wishing you the best of luck!
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 17, 2022 Dori, for sure. They pair well with rice or potatoes. Sounds like the perfect dinner!
LorieDec 16, 2021 What kind of wine?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 16, 2021 Hey Lorie, any dry red wine would work. We typically pick up the cheapest one at the store.
latifaNov 10, 2021 found it detailed and easy to learn from.
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 10, 2021 Thanks for the note Latifa! Appreciate the feedback. We really aim to make our recipes crazy easy to follow and approachable. Hope you loved your kabobs!
Valerie WoodringSep 20, 2021 Where do you buy the skewers? I have a hard time with the wood ones
Nancy ChristmanNov 13, 2023 I just bought shishkabob baskets from the neighbor kid and plan to use them (and make shishkabobs) for the first time ever tomorrow using this very recipe...Will keep you posted!
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 20, 2021 Hey Valerie, here is the set I purchased on Amazon, https://amzn.to/2Z5kUpB. It's really affordable and I have used it for years. Thank you!
Elizabeth FingarSep 1, 2021 Hello! How many skewers does this make? In the picture it looks like 7 but I would like to make sure
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 1, 2021 Hey Elizabeth, not all skewers are the same in size and it would also depend on how tight you place them. This makes 12 servings, hope it helps. Thanks
Christine JohnsonAug 27, 2021 If I used chicken bread, how different would the marinate need to be?
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 27, 2021 Here is a chicken kebab recipe, I would do this: https://momsdish.com/recipe/2…
Christine JohnsonAug 27, 2021 Someone said pineapple chunks would be good . What do you think.
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 27, 2021 Yes, I love this idea. Totally trying it next time.
Karina IlnitskyJul 20, 2021 Can I marinate overnight? Or is it too much?
Thanks in advance!
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 20, 2021 Hey Karina, yes you can marinate overnight. Enjoy
SusanaJul 19, 2021 Hello! I am curious if I would be able to marinate overnight? Or is two hours the recommended Max? I'm going camping and would like something that could stay a little while in the cooler?
(I've made multiple recipes of yours and they are always wonderful, so thank you for that)
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 19, 2021 Hey Susana, yes overnight will be great. Thats what I like to do. We premake it the night before. Such an aweosme feedback, thank you!!!
