These juicy, flavorful beef shish kabobs—marinated with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and herbs—are a fresh and easy meal for the grill, oven, or stovetop!
If you love grilled beef, be sure to try this popular grilled beef tenderloin, my mom’s flank steak marinade, and this grilled New York strip steak recipe, too!
If you’re looking for a new or different way to enjoy red meat and seasonal vegetables this summer, then shish kabobs are just the answer. While chicken is a convenient option for family suppers, it’s also nice to work beef into the regular rotation. Put some steak on a skewer and you’ll have a very happy crew around the table!
A Convenient and Versatile Beef Shish Kabob Recipe
One thing you’ll appreciate most about this recipe is its versatility. Whether you cook the marinated beef skewers on the grill, under the broiler, or on the stovetop, the end result is delicious. We love the smoky char of a grill, but you can choose the method that best suits your schedule and weather.
These healthy beef kabobs are also customizable because you can select the vegetables that you love most, or switch up the flavors in your marinade by adding different herbs and spices. Prep them ahead for convenience and enjoy an easy, family-friendly dinner that’s equally perfect for summer cookouts and indoor cooking.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- I prefer beef tenderloin for this recipe, but top sirloin also works well. While beef tenderloin is a pricey cut of meat, you will only need about 1 lb. to feed the family, since you’re also loading your kabob skewers with plenty of fresh, filling vegetables. It’s a great way to stretch a high-quality protein.
- Stew meat is not good for kabobs, because beef that’s packaged and labeled “stew meat” is usually chuck or round — tough cuts that need to be slowly simmered in liquid in order to become flavorful and tender.
- The marinade is a simple combination of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic, onion, and herbs. It highlights the fresh ingredients without overpowering the meal.
- Chop the vegetables into uniform size pieces and cut the beef into equal size chunks. This helps them cook evenly.
- If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak the skewers in water for a couple of hours before threading on the beef and vegetables. This will prevent the skewers from catching on fire or burning when they’re on the hot grill.
Table of Contents
How to Cook Shish Kabobs
You’ll find detailed cooking directions for the grill, stovetop (grill pan or stir-fry), and oven methods in the recipe card below. The grill is always our preference for a shish kebab, since it provides a great smoky, charred flavor that’s tough to replicate elsewhere. Here’s the overview:
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients.
- Pour half of the marinade over the cubed beef, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining marinade to use for basting later.
- Thread the beef onto skewers, and add the vegetables to separate skewers. This way you can remove the beef from the grill when it’s done to your liking, while giving the vegetables more (or less) time to finish cooking.
- Brush the vegetable skewers with the reserved marinade.
- Grill beef shish kabobs over medium-high heat (375-400°F) for about 10-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes to ensure even cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Beef shish kabobs are great with rice, cauliflower rice, this easy potato salad recipe, crispy seasoned potatoes, with a loaf of fresh, crusty no-knead Dutch oven bread, with this easy French baguette bread recipe, or homemade garlic bread. We love the beef and vegetables with pitas or naan bread and tzatziki sauce. For even more veggies, offer a simple green salad dressed in Dijon vinaigrette or this bright lemon vinaigrette. Then, finish your meal with a batch of peanut butter rice krispie treats, a plum crisp, or an Orange Julius recipe!
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Beef Shish Kabob
Ingredients
- 1 lb. beef tenderloin or top sirloin, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup olive oil (plus extra for rubbing on the grill grates)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano (or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium sweet onion, divided (sub with a red onion for a zesty bite)
- 8 cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 2 medium sweet bell peppers (any color), seeded and cut into 1 ½-inch squares
- 8 ounces fresh white mushrooms, stems removed
Instructions
MAKE THE MARINADE
- Cut the onion in half. Grate half of the onion and place it in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, ground mustard, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Cut the other half of the onion into 1 ½-inch squares. Set aside to use on the kabobs.
MARINATE THE BEEF
- Place the beef cubes in a large zip-top plastic bag or bowl. Pour half of the marinade into the bag or bowl, seal or cover, and refrigerate. Marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Set aside the remaining marinade to use for basting later.
ASSEMBLE THE KABOBS
- If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using. When ready to prepare the kabobs, remove the beef cubes from the marinade. Discard the marinade in the bag or bowl. Thread the beef onto skewers. Thread the vegetables onto their own individual skewers (for instance, put all of the tomatoes together on skewers, all of the onions together, all of the peppers together, and all of the mushrooms together). Brush the vegetable skewers with the reserved marinade.
OUTDOOR GRILL (PREFERRED)
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Rub oil on the grill grates (to prevent sticking). Grill the beef kabobs and the vegetable kabobs for a total of about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Keep an eye on the vegetables – the tomatoes tend to cook a bit faster, while the peppers and onions may need an extra minute of cooking time. Just remove each skewer from the grill when cooked to desired tenderness.
BROIL IN THE OVEN
- Preheat the broiler on high heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the prepared beef and vegetable skewers on the baking sheet. Broil the kabobs for a total of about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Keep an eye on the vegetables – the tomatoes tend to cook a bit faster, while the peppers and onions may need an extra minute of cooking time. Just remove each skewer from the broiler when cooked to desired tenderness.
GRILL PAN OR STIR-FRY ON THE STOVETOP
- Preheat an indoor grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with oil. Add the ingredients to the pan or skillet. Cook for a total of about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Notes
Nutrition
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Marinate the beef kebobs for at least 30 minutes, but 2-4 hours will provide the best flavor and texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The beef will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. I find that the veggies have a watery, mushy texture when thawed, so I don’t recommend that option.
- Reheat the meat and veggies (off the skewers) in a skillet over medium heat with some olive oil for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings loosely covered in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warm.
More Kabob Recipes to Try
Marinated Beef Kabobs
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Lemon Garlic Chicken
27 minutes mins
Honey Lime Grilled Shrimp
50 minutes mins
Originally published in July, 2018, this post was updated in May, 2025.
Sorry about that typo, Ev! Yes — you just add the oregano with the rest of the marinade (at the same time that you add the thyme). I’ll update the recipe right now. Thanks for letting me know!
I used the stir-fry method using the instructions for marinade, etc. for mine. I first put the meat in for about 10 minutes and stirring it during the ten minutes. Then added the veggies stirring a lot. I used medium high heat.
It was easy and great! Thanks for the great recipe.
Wonderful! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Barbara. Thanks for your note!
The instructions only mention grill or broiling- but stove top is also mentioned in the recipe title. What about stove instructions?
Hi, Shannon! Sorry for that confusion! I prefer to use an indoor grill pan on the stovetop, so you’ll just heat the grill pan over medium-high heat and cook the skewers until the veggies are tender and the beef is nicely charred on the outside (about 10 minutes). You can also stir-fry the ingredients on the stovetop without the kabob sticks. Hope that helps, and enjoy!
Do you broil on low or high?
Hi, Nicole! My oven only has one setting for “BROIL,” but if you have the choice I would use the “high” setting. 🙂