50 Easy Skewer & Kebab Recipes To Try This Summer (2024)

Because food on a stick is just more fun.

By Camille Lowder
50 Easy Skewer & Kebab Recipes To Try This Summer (1)

Quick! Think of all your favorite summer foods. Ever wonder why they're all served on a stick? Popsicles and corn dogs are cool and all, but grilled skewers and kebabs steal our heart (and plate space) every year. Next time you’re at the store picking up BBQ supplies, pick up an extra pack of grill skewers. They’re a cookout MUST for a few reasons: They turn average ingredients into something spectacular, make grilling extra easy (especially for those of us who aren’t a grill master), and cleanup is a breeze when dinner is served on a stick. Check out our list of 50 easy grill skewer recipes to see what we mean—it’s kebab time!

You may think that skewering your food is a total no-brainer activity, and while you’d mostly be right, we DO have a couple tips to make sure your kebab experience goes off completely without a hitch. Most importantly, you gotta pick the best grill skewers. Right off the bat, we can tell you that the secret to stopping your ingredients from just spinning around and falling off your stick is using a pointy flat or two-pronged skewer—sorry round toothpicks and blunt dowels, you’re out! For smaller, appetizer-type options, like our Greek salad skewers or our melon prosciutto skewers, use a smaller flat wooden option. For bigger, heavier ingredients, like in our bánh mì kebabs or our hoisin grilled chicken kebabs, we prefer to use a metal option, two-pronged if you can manage it. If you do go with something wooden, don’t forget to soak your skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before putting them on your grill—otherwise, they might catch on fire, and you don’t need that. Here’s our best order of operations: Cut your meat and veggies into uniform pieces (bigger than your grill grates); marinate or season everything (for at least a half an hour is best); pat your ingredients dry as much as possible (it will help create that charred crust you want); and lastly, skewer!

Want more summer recipe ideas for your next outdoor celebration? Check out our top 100 best grilling recipes, our favorite summer co*cktail ideas, and our best weeknight dinners you can make on the grill too.

1

Tomato Gnocchi Kebabs

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Sure gnocchi is amazing served in a bowl with a sauce, but have you ever had nicely browned gnocchi taken straight off the grill? We’re here to tell you that the crispy-chewy texture is something that you've GOT to try this summer.

Get the Tomato Gnocchi Kebabs recipe.

2

Grilled Chicken Kebabs

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Chicken tastes even better when slid on skewers alongside bok choy and scallions, then glazed with a hoisin BBQ sauce. The best part of the glaze: There's no need to cook anything! Just whisk the ingredients together and you’re ready to go.

Get the Grilled Chicken Kebabs recipe.

3

Melon Prosciutto Skewers

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If you haven't experienced the flavor combo of prosciutto + melon, get on it STAT. It's the ultimate in sweet and salty.

Get the Melon Prosciutto Skewers recipe.

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4

Chipotle Tofu & Pineapple Skewers

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Tofu is so much more than a meat substitute—it’s a protein source that stands on its own, and the perfect base to soak up tasty sauces, like this chipotle and guajillo chili marinade inspired by a popular Mexican street food, tacos al pastor.

Get the .

5

Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)

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Yakitori (Japanese for "grilled chicken") is one of the oldest and most popular traditional Japanese dishes. Though you'll often find it served from flat tops by street vendors, yakitori is grilled skewers made from all parts of the chicken, including chicken breast, chicken thighs, hearts, and gizzards. Most yakitori places will offer two seasoning options: salt (shio) or yakitori sauce (tare). Tare is made of just four ingredients, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. It slightly resembles teriyaki sauce with both sweet and salty elements. You can add ginger and other ingredients, but in this case, minimalism is a great approach.

Get the Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers) recipe.

6

Bánh Mì Kebabs

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A classic bánh mì is one of the world's great sandwiches. An ideal way to get that classic bánh mì taste? With these kebabs! Par-cooked carrots and slightly sweet daikon grill up nicely with thick pieces of pork chop, and they're perfectly matched with a straightforward combo of fish sauce, soy sauce, and honey.

Get the Bánh Mì Kebabs recipe.

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7

Grilled Summer Fruit Skewers

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All summer's best fruits need are a little olive oil and honey to be transformed into the perfect summer dessert.

Get the Grilled Summer Fruit Kebabs recipe.

8

Pineapple Salmon Skewers

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Pineapple and salmon are a match made in heaven. That's what makes our baked pineapple salmon so wildly popular! Smoky, sweet, and just a little spicy, these skewers are a major crowd-pleaser.

Get the Pineapple Salmon Skewers recipe.

9

Grilled Brussels Sprouts

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Brussels sprouts aren't a particularly dirty vegetable (*cough* leeks), but it's still good to give them a good rinse to remove any debris. Trim the ends of the sprouts and discard any leaves that fall off in the process. Place trimmed sprouts in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Drain in a colander, pat dry, and continue with your recipe!

Get the Grilled Brussels Sprouts recipe.

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10

Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs

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These Buffalo cauliflower kebabs put all your favorite flavor from classic Buffalo wings onto skewers–and they're vegetarian to boot! Glaze the kebabs with more buffalo sauce, grill until the cauliflower is tender, then drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs recipe.

11

Chicken Satay

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Satay, considered to be a national dish of Indonesia, is a popular Southeast Asian street food that usually involves a marinated meat being skewered and grilled, then served with a simple saucy dip. Our peanut sauce is the ultimate wingman to satay, containing all the fragrant notes of lemongrass, coconut, fish sauce, and fresh lime zest.

Get the Chicken Satay recipe.

12

Steak Taco on a Stick

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Meet your new favorite way to eat steak tacos. We've paired ours with sweet corn, red onion, and avocado, but get creative with your favorite steak pairings (we're going to try our Jamaican jerk steak tacos next!).

Get the Steak Taco on a Stick recipe.

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13

Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms

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Mushrooms can get sidelined at a barbecue as a lame side dish, but when tossed in a balsamic-soy glaze, they'll get ALL the attention.

Get the Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms recipe.

14

Greek Chicken Souvlaki

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Souvlaki is a classic Greek street food consisting of tender pieces of marinated meat that have been skewered (in Greece “souvla” means skewer) and cooked on a grill. We love it whether we’re serving it on skewers at a BBQ (no picnic tables? no problem!), or tucked into a pita with veggies for a yummy weekday lunch.

Get the Greek Chicken Souvlaki recipe.

15

Zucchini and Cauliflower Skewers with Feta

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Shaving the zucchini into long strips and then curling them creates a gorgeous effect. Use it all summer for grilled eggplant, bacon, and more!

Get the Zucchini and Cauliflower Skewers with Feta recipe.

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16

Banana Split Kebab

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Dessert kebabs might be even better than savory ones. Assembling these is a great activity to keep kids away from the hot grill too.

Get the Banana Split Kebab recipe.

17

Beef & Broccoli Kebabs

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All of the flavors of your favorite Chinese , brought to the grill!

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18

Bacon and Caprese Skewers

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Make your Caprese salad portable to share with friends and family, by threading cherry tomatoes, croutons, basil, and balls of mozzarella on skewers. Kick it up a notch by adding some thick-cut bacon to the mix, and don't forget that balsamic drizzle!

Get the Bacon and Caprese Skewers recipe.

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19

Cajun Butter Shrimp & Sausage Skewers

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We love these skewers for many reasons: they're FULL of flavor, they're hearty, and most of all, they provide the perfect bite. Sausage + shrimp = a match made in Cajun heaven. They're like Jambalaya on a stick!

Get the .

20

Veggie Kebabs

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These kabobs have the *perfect* combination of flavors and textures. Serve them up with our ultimate meat-lovers veggie burger for a backyard vegetarian feast that even a carnivore couldn't turn down.

Get the Veggie Kabobs recipe.

50 Easy Skewer & Kebab Recipes To Try This Summer (2024)

FAQs

What makes the perfect kebab? ›

Use Dry Spices or Marinate for Extra Flavor

There are two options for making flavorful kebabs: tossing them with a bit of neutral oil and sprinkling with salt, pepper, and other dry spices for a quick dinner on the fly, or marinating in advance for more dynamic flavors that aren't just on the outside.

What do you soak skewers in so they don't burn? ›

While 30 minutes is the minimum, it's best to plan ahead and soak your bamboo skewers overnight in water. It takes a long time for the skewers to soak up the water, but well-soaked skewers, which are slow to give up their moisture, will last longer on the grill without burning up.

How to make kabobs ahead of time? ›

-Marinade: can be whisked together up to 3 days in advance. -Chicken: can be chopped up to 2 days before cooking, or marinated for up to 8 hours. -Veggies: can be sliced and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance. -Assembled chicken skewers: can be stored while marinating in a shallow dish.

Why do you soak skewer sticks in water? ›

Bamboo skewers, like the ones you can buy in bulk at the grocery store, are inherently flammable — they are wood, after all! The dry and brittle wood easily burns on a hot grill, unless you take preventative action. The best way to keep wooden skewers from burning is to soak them in water before firing up the grill.

Why do you put baking soda in kebabs? ›

The baking soda is an optional ingredient. It is used to make the kabab puff up a little.

What is the most common sauce on a kebab? ›

After the tzatziki sauce, the tahini sauce is probably the second most common option at most gyro and kebab places.

What is the most common meat in kebabs? ›

The traditional meat for kebabs is most often lamb meat, but regional recipes may include beef, goat, chicken, fish, or even pork (depending on whether or not there are specific religious prohibitions).

Should I put foil on the grill for kabobs? ›

5: Get some help from aluminum foil.

“This way, the produce still cooks and gets some char, but the direct heat is less aggressive and the kebabs stay intact.”

What happens if you don't soak kabob sticks? ›

Those brittle bamboo skewers pulled from the kitchen drawer have to be soaked for at least 30 minutes before they hit the fire, otherwise they start to burn and fall apart. It's the sneaky little secret that's often forgotten when prepping a quick dinner for the grill.

What is the difference between kebab and kabob? ›

Short Answer: Nothing. It all refers to the same food with a different spelling and slightly different pronunciation. Detailed Answer: For the purposes of this article I will refer to the item in question as Kabob, which is how we spell it at Massis Kabob.

What veggies go on kabobs? ›

Aim for a variety of color and for veggies that will hold their shape well. Some of my favorites for kabobs are: bell peppers (any color), zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, onions (I like red onions, but yellow onions or shallots are great too), and tomatoes (smaller cherry or grape tomatoes).

Do you put oil on kabobs before grilling? ›

Once everything has marinated, it's time to thread the kabobs. If you choose not to marinate, season the meat, shrimp or veggies with salt and pepper, and brush them with olive oil. If you're making shrimp kabobs, it's recommended to use 2 skewers side by side, per kabob, to prevent the shrimp from spinning.

How do you make kebabs not fall apart? ›

Salt Is Your Best Friend

Adding salt before you mix your meat will help break down the meat protein which will give your meat a more gluey consistency which will help the meat hold together better. (This is also how you get that springy chew to the meat as well.)

Why is my kebab meat not sticking to the skewer? ›

Wet your hands when skewering them up. If you're unsure, put the meat mix in the freezer 20 mins till you're ready to skewer so it's really cold. When you're cooking you first let the meat develop and patina then flip. Let the other side do the same and when it "grabs" on the skewer just turn them over constantly.

How to keep kebabs from sticking? ›

Prep your grill properly

Be sure the kebabs are also slicked in some nonstick spray or oil, and threaded through grill skewers, and you should be good to go. Remember, on a properly prepared grill, food should naturally release when seared. If it is sticking, give it another minute and don't force it.

References

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