These Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs are marinated in olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. They’re topped with a spicy serrano, mint, dill, garlic and lemon sauce and are absolutely mouthwatering!
Kabobs are one of my favorite things to cook for dinner parties and summer get togethers. They’re very versatile. They can be roasted, grilled or smoked, served with salad, naan, pita or veggies, and are loved by adults and kids alike!
I love Mediterranean inspired flavor. Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs have some similar flavors to Homemade Chicken Shawarma Recipe and Falafel Pita. If you like these dishes then these kabobs are definitely for you!
Ingredients
- Leg of Lamb – I love Australian lamb. It’s tender and mild.
- Olive Oil – For the lamb marinade, onions and herb sauce.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is best for this lamb kabobs recipe.
- Rosemary – Use fresh rosemary.
- Thyme – I prefer fresh thyme but you can also use dried thyme.
- Kosher Salt – Salting all components of the recipe is important to help enhance flavor.
- Black Pepper – I use coarse ground black pepper.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley only for the spicy herb sauce.
- Dill – Fresh dill is a must for the sauce.
- Serrano Pepper – Serrano peppers are spicy, use jalapeno if you don’t like a lot of heat.
- Cumin – This adds a smoky flavor to the herb sauce.
- Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice, not from concentrate.
- Greek Yogurt – I use a fat free Greek Yogurt, typically this brand.
- Harissa Paste – You can use homemade or store bought harissa paste. I use red harissa for this yogurt.
How to make Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs
Making lamb kabobs is easy! Here are the step by step directions, you can also see a full set of directions in the recipe card below.
- Step 1 – Trim excess fat off leg of lamb then cut into 1 inch cubes.
- Step 2 – Place lamb cubes in a large mixing bowl, along with thyme, rosemary, minced garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss well to coat.
- Step 3 – Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper onto red onions and toss.
- Step 4 – Build your skewers alternating between leg of lamb, red onion and pieces of fresh dill.
- Step 5 – Roast at 425°F for 10 minutes, or until desired doneness. While lamb kabobs are cooking, make the herb sauce and yogurt sauce.
- Step 6 – Add all herb sauce ingredients to a food processor then blend until combined but slightly chunky.
- Step 7 – Combine harissa yogurt ingredients in a medium bowl then whisk until fully combined. Top cooked lamb with herb sauce and yogurt.
What is the best cut of lamb for kabobs?
Choosing the right cut of lamb for kabobs is important. You want something a little lean, yet flavorful, tender and juicy. I start by trimming away the excess fat and silver skin from the outside before cutting into cubes.
These cuts of lamb will work great for your kabobs:
- Leg of Lamb – Boneless Leg of lamb is tender, mild and easy to keep juicy. It can be cooked anywhere from medium rare – well done. I prefer my lamb kabobs cooked to medium.
- Lamb Tenderloin – This cut is amazing but could be a little harder to find and it’s pricier. Great flavor, tender and easy to work with.
- Lamb Shoulder – Lamb shoulder is another good choice that is easily accessible.
Where to find leg of lamb
Leg of lamb is fairly easy to find when shopping. In this area, it’s available at Costco, Mariano’s, Jewel, Whole Foods and butcher shops. You can also use a reputable online retailer and have it shipped directly to your door.
When buying lamb, I always look for Australian Lamb. This provides a high quality, mild and tender piece of meat. Typically you can see if it’s Australian by checking the small print at the bottom of the packaging.
Ways to cook Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs
Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs can be cooked in a variety of different ways. Sometimes it’s fun to switch things up and try each way to see what you may like best!
- Oven Roasted – Lamb Kabobs can be oven roasted at 450°F to be cooked quickly and get a light sear. I prefer this method during the colder months.
- Grilling – Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs are delicious when grilled. I use medium-high heat, and grill to desired doneness. Abut 3 minutes per side.
- Smoking – Lamb kabobs are really tasty on a smoker. You can make them low and slow for a smokier flavor or at high heat for a light smoke taste.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh herbs and garlic for these Garlic Herb Lamb Kabobs. It gives the best flavor.
- Use wood or metal skewers. If you use wood, let them soak in water for 1 hour before adding lamb, veggies and cooking. This helps prevent burning.
- Let the lamb marinate up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- If you’re grilling the lamb kabobs then flip them halfway through cooking. If using oven or smoker, there’s no need to flip during the cooking process.
- Garlic Lamb Kabobs are best served medium rare-medium and hot.
- Trim any thick fat or silver skin off the outside of the lamb before cubing.
Equipment
- Skewers – Use metal or wooden skewers.
- Set of Mixing Bowls – To marinate the lamb cubes and make harissa yogurt.
- Food Processor – Blend the herb sauce in a food processor.
Storage
If you have leftover garlic herb lamb kabobs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep up to 4 days.
Freeze any uncooked leftover lamb meat in a freezer bag, inside an airtight container. This will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. I don’t recommend freezing the cooked lamb kabobs.
FAQs
Using the right cut of meat, marinating and cooking properly will help keep your lamb kabobs moist. Leg of lamb and lamb tenderloin are great cuts of meat that can be cooked to medium rare-medium and kept very tender. Marinating the lamb with olive oil helps keep it tender and moist.
Yes, you should. Generally leg of lamb comes with a thicker fat around the outside that can be trimmed off. You can also trim away any silver skin. Silver skin is a tough connective tissue that does not break down when cooked. It’s thin and shiny but can be removed with a sharp boning knife.
Use a metal or wooden skewer when making kabobs. Metal skewers don’t require any prep. You should soak wooden skewers for 1-2 hours in water before adding meats, veggies and cooking. This helps prevent the skewers from burning.
You can serve Garlic Lamb Kabobs with rice, hummus, pita, naan, grilled marinated veggies, marinated olives, cucumber tomato salad, tzatziki or fries. They can be enjoyed alone with the harissa yogurt and spicy herb sauce as well.
If you’re experienced in cooking meat, you can use the touch method to feel the doneness of the lamb. You can also use a digital thermometer and shoot for 125-130°F for a medium rare-medium kabob.
Garlic Herb Lamb Chops
Equipment
- 6 skewers metal or wood
- 1 set of mixing bowls
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
Ingredients
Marinated Lamb
- 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb trimmed + cut into 1" cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 7 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme stemmed + chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary stemmed + chopped
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 red onions cut into a large dice
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 handful fresh dill
Spicy Herb Sauce
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh dill
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- 1 serrano pepper rough chop
- 1 tsp honey
- juice of 1 lemon
- 5 cloves garlic small to medium size cloves
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 5 tbsp olive oil
Harissa Yogurt
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp red harissa paste
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Marinate Lamb + Make Kabobs
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper
- Trim the excess thick fat and silver skin off the outside of the leg of lamb then cut lamb into 1" cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl
- Add olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat
- Add red onion to a small bowl then toss with olive oil, salt and pepper
- Build kabobs, adding 1-2 pieces of lamb at a time, alternating with red onion and fresh dill
- Lamb can be cooked right away or marinated for up to 24 hours. Roast for 10 minutes or until desired doneness
Spicy Herb Sauce
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until combined, yet slightly chunky
Harissa Yogurt
- Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl
- Top cooked lamb with spicy herb sauce and harissa yogurt when it comes out of the oven. Serve hot
These are amazing!!
Thank you!! I’m so glad you like them!