Authentic Souvlaki Recipe Greece, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Known as kalamaki in both Athens and a number of southern regions of Greece, souvlaki is a popular fast food and street food, sold mostly in specialized souvlaki shops called souvladzidika. To prepare, pieces of pork (but chicken, lamb, beef, and even fish can be used as well) are first marinated in oil, lemon juice, and, depending on the recipe, a variety of different herbs and seasonings, then skewered and grilled. For serving, skewers of meat are paired with either bread or potatoes and may also come with a side of salad. However, the most typical way of serving souvlaki is inside either a baguette or, more typically, a pita bread, topped with ingredients like tomatoes, potato chips, onions, and either tzatziki sauce, or a combination of mustard, ketchup/tomato sauce, and mayonnaise or yogurt. Serving souvlaki on a platter (souvlaki-merida) with quarters of pita bread, vegetables, fried potatoes, and sauce is also common.
Serve With
Cooking tips
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meat
Always opt for fattier cuts of meat like shoulder or pork belly which will not dry out during grilling. However, if going for leaner cuts like tenderloin, brine them before grilling in order to tenderize them and improve their moisture retention. -
marinade
The role of the marinade is to season and tenderize the meat. The basic ingredients are almost always olive oil and lemon juice, which are then mixed with a variety of seasonings such as oregano, pepper, garlic, and many more. Yogurt is also often included in the marinade, as well as smoked paprika. For best results, the meat should be marinated overnight. -
method
Soaking wooden skewers in water overnight is essential to prevent them from disintegrating during grilling. Make sure the meat is free of any excess fat and membranes and cut into equally-sized pieces. Also, when skewering the meat, take care that the fatty pieces are evenly distributed along the wooden stick. When grilling in the oven, place a baking tray underneath the rack to catch all the drippings.... Read more -
serving
The number one rule when serving souvlaki (and pita bread if it's included) is to serve it warm; otherwise, it will lose flavor.
Recipe variations
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Traditional Souvlaki
Ready in 50minThe following is the traditional Greek pork souvlaki recipe. The meat is marinated in a simple marinade of just onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt for a minimum of five hours, then skewered and grilled. Don't forget to soak the skewers overnight because soaked wood has a lower chance of catching fire.
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Souvlaki with a Yogurt Sauce
Ready in 2h 20minThe following recipe gives instructions on how to make souvlaki with a yogurt marinade. The marinade is seasoned with tomato purée, smoked paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper and is used not just as a marinade but as a sauce to serve the meat with. The meat of choice is pork shoulder.
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Fish Souvlaki
Ready in 45minAlthough not traditional, fish souvlaki is becoming more and more common in Greece today. The following recipe makes for four servings of fish souvlaki, each accompanied by pita bread, cherry tomatoes, and yogurt sauce. To make souvlaki easier to eat on the go, wrap each in parchment paper, but be careful how you fill the pita bread. Add the toppings only to the top and middle part of the pita bread so that when standing vertically, the juices and the toppings do not fall out.
Traditional Souvlaki
PREP 30min
COOK 20min
READY IN 50min
The following is the traditional Greek pork souvlaki recipe. The meat is marinated in a simple marinade of just onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt for a minimum of five hours, then skewered and grilled. Don't forget to soak the skewers overnight because soaked wood has a lower chance of catching fire.
Ingredients
1 kg pork shoulder, boneless
1 medium onion, grated
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt, heaping
1 tsp black pepper, heaping
1/4 cup olive (or canola) oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried Greek oregano, heaping
Preparation
Cut off any excess fat or membranes from the meat, then cut it into equal sized cubes.
Toss the meat in a large bowl together with all the marinade ingredients, then refrigerate for a minimum of five hours (best overnight). Also, place the wooden skewers in a shallow container filled with water overnight.
The next day, take the meat out of the refrigerator and first wait until it comes to room temperature and then skewer it.
Grill the souvlaki over medium-high heat, about 3-4 minutes per side. Keep warm until ready to serve. Sprinkle the grilled souvlaki with salt and Greek oregano.
Serve just with bread, or inside a pita with tzatziki sauce and toppings of your choice.
Other Variations
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Souvlaki with a Yogurt Sauce
Ready in 2h 20minThe following recipe gives instructions on how to make souvlaki with a yogurt marinade. The marinade is seasoned with tomato purée, smoked paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper and is used not just as a marinade but as a sauce to serve the meat with. The meat of choice is pork shoulder.
-
Fish Souvlaki
Ready in 45minAlthough not traditional, fish souvlaki is becoming more and more common in Greece today. The following recipe makes for four servings of fish souvlaki, each accompanied by pita bread, cherry tomatoes, and yogurt sauce. To make souvlaki easier to eat on the go, wrap each in parchment paper, but be careful how you fill the pita bread. Add the toppings only to the top and middle part of the pita bread so that when standing vertically, the juices and the toppings do not fall out.
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