Grilled Beef Kabobs
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Fire up the grill! These Grilled Beef Kabobs are loaded with juicy, tender beef and colorful veggies for the ultimate summer meal. Easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for backyard cookouts!
In the summer I don’t really like cooking inside in a hot kitchen so we tend to make a lot of our meals on the grill. Everything from burgers and grilled sausages to corn on the cobb and kabobs.
I tend to do all the prep for the meals then my husband will go outside and grill them. If he’s not home I will do the grilling but he does a better job.
One of the easiest things we make are Grilled Old Bay Shrimp which literally take just a handful of minutes. A tasty meal that’s great to make for company is Grilled Steak Fajitas because everyone can make them with whatever toppings they’d like. We also make Pineapple Chicken Kabobs with Cilantro Lime Slaw on the side.
One of our favorite grilled meals are kabobs because we can make them with whatever protein we have thawing in the refrigerator and whatever veggies we find at the farmer’s market. I also love how colorful the end result is.
What are kabobs?
Kabobs (or kebab) are pieces of food cooked on a skewer or spit, usually over a grill or fire. They’re popular in many cuisines from the Middle East, Mediterranean, South Asia, and beyond.
The first thing to figure out is what protein you are using for your kabobs. I tend to go with beef, chicken, or pork but you can also use shrimp, lamb, scallops, tuna, or even tofu. In this case we went with beef.
What cut of beef is best for Kabobs?
For beef kabobs, you want a cut that’s tender enough to grill quickly but sturdy enough to stay on the skewer. Top sirloin, sirloin tip, strip steak, or tri-tip are the best options for kabobs. However, you can also use tenderloin or ribeye but because these are pricier I tend not to use them in my kabobs.
Next you’ll want to figure out what type of veggies to put on the kabobs. You can grill just about any vegetable but you’ll want to make sure you can cut them into large enough pieces to stay on the skewers.
What vegetables work best for kabobs?
For kabobs I like to use bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, zucchini or squash, and cherry tomatoes. Other great choices are eggplant, corn, Brussels Sprouts, cauliflower, or even potatoes (that are par boiled first).
Finally you will need to chose a marinade. I like making my own and tend to use olive oil, vinegar, citrus juice, and plenty of spices. However, if I’m in a hurry I often use McCormick Grill Mates marinades.
Ingredients:
- steak or beef (choose from the cuts listed above)
- bell peppers (pick your favorite color)
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- button or baby bella mushrooms
- sweet or red onion
- pineapple
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- orange juice
- lime juice
- soy sauce
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- paprika
- cumin
Cut the beef into 1 inch cubes and place in a container along with the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Marinate for 2-6 hours.
When you are ready to go heat the grill while placing the meat, veggies, and pineapple on the skewers. My favorites skewers are just plain, single prong ones but we also have double prong ones that hold the meat and vegetables better but they are harder to skewer.
How do I prepare the grill for grilling kabobs?
The best thing to do is to clean the grill and then preheat it. Lightly brush the kabobs with oil so that they do not stick to the grill.
Place the kabobs on the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the meat reads at the correct temperature. You will want to flip the skewers every 3-4 minutes so that they don’t burn and are cooked on all sides.
These kabobs were really tasty! The beef gets a bit crispy on the edges and packs a ton of flavor from the marinade. The vegetables are lightly seasoned and have a great grilled flavor.
We serve our kabobs over top of rice but you can also serve them with couscous, buttered noodles, roasted potatoes, or warm pita bread. You can also served them on a bed of greens and make it a roasted vegetable salad!
Can I make the kabobs ahead of time?
While I wouldn’t skewer them ahead of time, you can certainly cut all the vegetables to size up to 24 hours ahead of time and marinate the meat up to 12 hours in advance. Then when you are ready to cook them all you have to do is skewer them.
Kabobs are a great meal that’s fairly healthy and can be made from start to finish in under 30 minutes. They are good for outdoor barbeques because people can choose their own protein and choose what they want to eat off of the skewers.
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Grilled Beef Kabobs
Equipment
- 1 gas grill
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 pounds beef for grilling cut into large cubes
For the Kabobs:
- 1 pineapple cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 medium red pepper cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow pepper cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- ½ large onion cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 12 whole mushrooms stems removed and cut in half
- 1 zucchini cut into 1/2 inch rounds
- 1 yellow squash cut into 1/2 inch rounds
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a gallon sized freezer bag combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Add in the steak cubes and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
- Heat a gas or charcoal grill.
- Toss the cubes pineapple, peppers, mushrooms, onion, zucchini, and yellow squash with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Using 12 metal skewers thread a piece of zucchini, a piece of pineapple, a piece of onion, a meat cube, one type of pepper, a piece of squash, and a mushroom. Repeat this sequence two to three times, ending with the mushroom.
- Grill kabobs over direct heat until the meat is browned and the veggies are beginning to char. Turn the kabobs every 2 minutes so that they cook evenly.
- Transfer to a serving plate and squeeze a lemon or lime wedge over each if desired.
- Serve over rice.