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Grilled lamb skewers are one of my favorite meals to prepare during the summer. This recipe is simple, full of flavor, and ideal for anyone who enjoys outdoor cooking. Whether you’re planning a weekend barbecue or just want an easy summer recipe that feels special, lamb skewers deliver. The meat cooks quickly, holds flavor beautifully, and pairs well with all kinds of fresh, seasonal sides. It’s also a great excuse to spend time outside, cook over fire, and enjoy the slower rhythm that summer seems to invite.
Lamb works especially well with fire. It takes on a smoky char without drying out and absorbs seasoning in a way that makes every bite rich and savory. The marinade in this recipe is straightforward – garlic, olive oil, paprika, crushed peppercorns, salt, and fresh parsley – but it turns into something deeply flavorful when grilled. It’s the kind of dish that doesn’t take much effort but tastes like it did.
See how to make the recipe in this video.
Choosing The Right Cut For Lamb Skewers
I recommend using boneless lamb steak for skewers. It’s easy to cube, not too fatty, and stays tender on the grill. Shoulder steak or leg steak both work well. The cut you choose matters less than how you prepare it. For skewers, the size of the lamb pieces makes a real difference. I prefer cutting them into medium cubes; around three to four centimeters. This size lets the outside develop a nice sear while keeping the inside juicy and slightly pink. Smaller cubes tend to overcook quickly, especially over direct heat, so erring on the larger side gives you more control.
Keeping the pieces uniform also helps everything cook evenly. If you’re using metal skewers, I strongly recommend flat stainless steel ones. They prevent the meat from spinning when turned and make grilling much easier. These skewers are great, last for a long time, and hold up beautifully through outdoor cooking and barbecues.
Why You Should Use A Herb Brush
One of the best details in this recipe is the herb brush. It’s a bundle of rosemary and sage, tied together with kitchen twine and used for basting the lamb during grilling. The herbs aren’t just decorative. When you dip the bundle into melted butter and brush it over the hot meat, the heat releases the essential oils in the herbs, adding a gentle but noticeable layer of flavor to the lamb.
It also smells incredible. The aroma of rosemary and sage hitting the coals and meat becomes part of the experience of cooking. The butter is infused with garlic and paprika, simmered briefly before grilling, and the herb brush helps coat the lamb evenly while keeping it moist. I find it also slows me down, encouraging me to stay present and attentive to the food as it cooks.
Adding Vegetable Skewers To The Grill
Vegetable skewers are an excellent addition to lamb skewers and bring a good balance to the meal. I often make some with cherry tomatoes, red onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and sweet peppers. These ingredients hold up well on the grill and develop beautiful flavor with just a little olive oil and salt.
It’s important to keep vegetables on separate skewers from the lamb. They cook at different rates, and combining them often results in either overcooked vegetables or underdone meat. By grilling them separately, you can remove the vegetable skewers when they’re just tender and lightly charred, without disturbing the lamb. If you’re using the same herb butter for basting, it ties the flavor of the vegetables to the meat without requiring extra prep.
Grilling lamb over an open fire is hard to beat.
How Long To Grill Lamb Skewers
When your fire has burned down and you have a bed of glowing coals, lamb skewers take about ten to twelve minutes to grill. I cook them over medium-high heat, turning every two to three minutes for even browning. With each turn, I brush on a bit more of the flavored butter using the herb bundle.
You’re aiming for a well-seared exterior and a tender center. I like mine still a little pink inside, but you can grill them longer if you prefer a more cooked-through result. The key is to keep an eye on them and adjust for your fire’s heat. If using a barbecue instead of a firepit, the same timing applies, though you may get a slightly different char depending on the heat distribution of your grill.
Serving Ideas For Lamb Skewers
There are endless ways to serve lamb skewers, which is part of why I love making them. You can turn them into wraps with flatbread, yoghurt, and herbs. You can pair them with a fresh green salad, roast potatoes, or grilled vegetables. I often keep it simple and serve the lamb alongside full-fat yoghurt (either Greek or Turkish) mixed with lemon juice, garlic, and/or fresh herbs like parsley, mint, or dill.
A tomato and red onion salad works especially well with the lamb, or something crunchy like cucumber ribbons with lemon and olive oil. You can also prepare a grain-based side like couscous or bulgur with chopped herbs and lemon zest. If you have leftovers, the lamb is delicious cold the next day in salads or wraps. It holds up well and keeps its flavor even after being chilled.
Building A Firepit For Cooking Outdoors
If you don’t have a barbecue, cooking over a homemade firepit is both accessible and rewarding. I like to build mine using large flat stones arranged into a circular or square shape, with enough space underneath to hold logs and allow airflow. Once the fire is going, I let it burn down until the flames are mostly gone and a thick bed of coals remains. Then I place a metal mesh on top and cook the skewers directly above the heat.
This method gives you steady, radiant heat and the chance to connect more fully with the cooking process. It’s slower than turning on a gas grill, but it gives something back, a feeling of craft and presence that makes the meal feel special.
The Lamb Skewers You Need to Try
Grilled lamb skewers are one of those meals that never feel tired. They work for weeknight dinners, for slow weekends, and for gatherings where people want to eat something satisfying but unfussy. They’re adaptable, flavorful, and surprisingly quick to prepare, especially considering how good they taste.
This recipe is one I come back to all through summer. It’s flexible, seasonal, and built for outdoor cooking. If you’ve never tried using a herb brush, or if you’ve never built a firepit from scratch, this is a great excuse to do both. The result is more than just food; it’s a meal that feels connected to the moment and the place where it’s made.
If you try it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. And if you find your own variations with different herbs, sides, or settings – even better. That’s part of what makes outdoor cooking so enjoyable: there’s always room to make it your own.
Learn how to make tender, flavorful grilled lamb skewers with garlic, herbs, and a simple marinade. Perfect for summer barbecues or any type of outdoor cooking.
Total Time:1 hour
Yield:4–6 portions 1x
Ingredients
Scale
2–3 kg lamb, cut into cubes
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp white peppercorns
5 garlic cloves
7 tbsp olive oil
3 ½ tsp paprika
1 dl parsley, chopped
100 g (3 ½ oz) butter
7 sprigs rosemary
7 sprigs sage
Salt, to taste
Serving Suggestions
Yoghurt, 10% fat
Salad
Mixed vegetable skewers
Instructions
Crush the black and white peppercorns in a mortar. Add 3 garlic cloves and 2 tbsp olive oil, and continue crushing into a paste. Add salt, 1 ½ tsp paprika, chopped parsley and the remaining 5 tbsp olive oil. Mix well to combine.
Add the marinade to the lamb in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Let it marinate for around 30 minutes at room temperature.
Melt the butter in a small pan. Add 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 sprigs sage, 2 garlic cloves and 2 tsp paprika. Let it bubble gently for a few minutes, then set aside.
Tie together the remaining 5 rosemary and 5 sage sprigs to create a herb brush for basting.
Thread the marinated lamb onto skewers. You can also make separate skewers with vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, and corn.
Grill the lamb skewers over medium-high heat until browned on all sides and cooked to your preferred doneness. Baste occasionally with the flavored butter using the herb brush.
Serve with yoghurt, salad and vegetable skewers, or any of your favorite summer sides.
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