Greek Beef Souvlaki
Tender marinated beef skewers with garlic, oregano, and lemon juice—charred on a grill or stovetop and served with pita and fresh tzatziki. A classic Greek street food ready in under 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb beef sirloin or chuck steak
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 clove garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 piece pita bread or flatbread
Instructions
- 1
Cut the beef into 1.5-inch cubes by slicing lengthwise along the grain into strips, then cutting each strip crosswise into chunks; you should have roughly 16–20 pieces.
- 2
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 3
Combine the minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl and stir until uniform.
- 4
Add the beef cubes to the bowl and stir until all pieces are coated with marinade. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes—or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
- 5
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes so they don't burn. If using metal skewers, skip this step.
- 6
Thread the marinated beef cubes onto skewers, alternating pieces and spacing them about 0.5 inches apart so heat reaches all sides. You should have 4 skewers with 4–5 pieces each.
- 7
Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is very hot, about 2 minutes.
- 8
Place the skewers on the hot skillet without crowding; you may need to work in batches. Sear without moving for 2 minutes until the bottom surface turns deep golden-brown.
- 9
Roll each skewer a quarter turn and sear for another 2 minutes. Repeat twice more until all four sides are charred and dark, about 8 minutes total.
- 10
Transfer the skewers to a plate and let them rest for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute and stay inside the meat.
- 11
Warm the pita bread in the same skillet for 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds, until soft and pliable.
- 12
Slide the beef off each skewer onto a cutting board, then divide the meat between pita breads or plates and serve immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- sharp chef's knife
- medium mixing bowl
- metal or wooden skewers (4)
- 12-inch cast iron skillet or grill pan
- tongs
- plate
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