Quick-Grilled Greek Ground Lamb Kabobs

lamb kababs on a white plate with dip in a bowl

These Greek Lamb Kabobs (Skewers) are a simple recipe made with ground lamb mixed with a handful of seasoning spices. Throw the kabobs on a hot grill for 6-10 minutes, and then pair the tender, juicy kabobs with a fresh green salad or cool yogurt dip. An easy ground lamb dinner ready within 30 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 216kcal

Author Taryn Solie

Equipment

Measuring spoons
A small bowl
A medium bowl
6 metal skewers (or wooden skewers)
A grill

Ingredients

¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 pound ground lamb

Instructions

Turn on the grill to around 400 degrees F.
Measure out the spices into a small bowl with measuring spoons and stir to combine.
Place the ground lamb in a medium bowl and pour in the spices.
Mix with your hands to get everything well combined, then separate the mixture out into 6 portions of roughly the same size.
Start forming the portions of lamb into roughly a 3 inch oblong shape, then place the skewers through the middle and finish shaping the meat around the skewer.
Once you have all the skewers formed and the grill has come to temperature, place them on the grill and cook them for 6 to 10 minutes on one side, then another 6 to 10 minutes on the next. Check the temperature to make sure it's 160 degrees F - if not, cook in 5 minutes increments until temperature is reached.
Remove from the grill and serve while still warm!

Notes

Start with lamb that's been refrigerated for a bit. Because you're mixing it up with your hands it will warm slightly so that it's not cold, but it sticks together better when it's cooler which helps it grip onto the skewers.
I strongly recommend using metal skewers when grilling as the bamboo ones always burn and fall apart on me. Look for ones that are flat so the food doesn't slide around on the skewers. If you only have bamboo or wood skewers, be sure and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes (and I would do several hours) before grilling with them.
If you want the skewers to cook in less time, you can try thinning the shape of the kabobs out a bit, to 3.5 to 4 inches long. But don't go too long as they will be more likely to fall apart.
You'll need to check the internal temperature of the meat as it cooks to make sure it's cooked all the way through. The only way to do this is with a meat thermometer. We use a Thermapen ONE and love it so much - it registers accurate temperature in one second (so your hand isn't sitting over a hot grill for too long) and is one of my most used grilling AND kitchen tools.
How long it takes the skewers to cook will depend on what type of grill you're using, if you're cooking over direct heat (on a gas grill) or indirect heat (on a Traeger or other wood pellet grill) and what the temperature is outside when you're grilling - if it's a cool and/or windy day, expect it to take longer.
To make this in the oven, put a cooking rack in a sheet pan then place the skewers on the pan. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F then start with 10 minutes on 1 side, flip and cook 10 minutes on the next. Measure the temperature at that point (since oven temperatures can vary significantly) and cook in 5 minute increments until the lamb reaches 160 degrees F.

Nutrition