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Greek Lamb Souvlaki

Bright lemon, garlic, and oregano season juicy lamb skewers served with cool tzatziki and a complete Greek-inspired spread.

Browned lamb souvlaki skewers with roasted potatoes, tzatziki, warm pita, tomato, cucumber, onion, and lemon.

Souvlaki depends on contrast: browned lamb with a rosy center, cool garlicky yogurt, and fresh vegetables tucked into warm pita. Lemon-roasted potatoes turn those elements into a full meal, and their oven time overlaps neatly with the tzatziki and skewer preparation.

Marinate without softening

An hour gives the lamb time to absorb the lemon, garlic, and oregano, while an eight-hour ceiling prevents the acidic marinade from making the exterior mushy. Drain the cubes before threading so they brown instead of steaming.

Start with the potatoes

The potatoes need the longest cooking time, so they enter the hot oven before the lamb cooks. Keeping their cut faces against the pan produces a crisp golden crust while lemon and paprika season every wedge.

Lemon and oregano marinated lamb cubes sit evenly spaced on four metal skewers before cooking. — Marinated lamb cubes are spaced on skewers so their edges can brown.

Keep tzatziki thick

Squeezing the grated cucumber is the key to a spoonable sauce rather than a watery one. Whole-milk Greek yogurt, dill, garlic, and olive oil provide richness and a cooling counterpoint to the hot lamb.

Cook by temperature

Pull the skewers at 135 F for a rosy medium-rare center or at 140 F for medium, then allow five minutes for carryover cooking. Both a hot grill and a close broiler create the browned edges that define souvlaki.

A lamb souvlaki cube has browned oregano-flecked edges and a juicy rosy center beside tzatziki. — A cut lamb cube reveals a rosy center beneath its browned, oregano-flecked crust.

Serve everything together

Bring the skewers to the table with warm pita, roasted potatoes, tzatziki, tomato, cucumber, onion, and lemon wedges. Diners can slide the lamb into pita or build a composed plate with cool and hot elements in every bite.

Greek Lamb Souvlaki

4 servings

125 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 medium lemons
• 5 garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 English cucumber
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 4 pita breads
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Method

Marinate the lamb
Zest and juice 1 lemon, then combine it with 3 grated garlic cloves, oregano, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and the black pepper; coat the lamb and refrigerate for 1 to 8 hours.
Look for: Every lamb cube is glossy and evenly flecked with oregano.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 450 F with a rack in the lower third; if broiling the lamb, place a second rack 5 inches below the broiler element.
Look for: The oven is fully preheated before the potatoes go in.
Start the potatoes
Toss the potato wedges with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, paprika, and 2 tbsp juice from the remaining lemon; spread cut sides down on a rimmed sheet pan.
Look for: The wedges are glossy and arranged in one uncrowded layer.
Roast the potatoes
Roast the potatoes at 450 F for 20 minutes, turn them, then roast 10 to 15 minutes more until deeply golden and tender at the center.
Look for: The edges are browned and a knife slips easily into the centers.
Make the tzatziki
Coarsely grate half the cucumber, squeeze it dry, and stir it into the yogurt with dill, the remaining 2 grated garlic cloves, remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
Look for: The tzatziki is thick enough to hold soft ridges from a spoon.
Prepare the skewers
Remove the lamb from the marinade and thread it onto 4 metal skewers, leaving a little space between cubes; discard the used marinade.
Look for: The lamb cubes sit in a single, evenly spaced row on each skewer.
Grill or broil the lamb
Grill over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes; alternatively, broil 5 inches from the element for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway, until browned and 135 F for medium-rare or 140 F for medium.
Look for: The edges are well browned while the centers remain rosy.
Rest the lamb
Transfer the skewers to a clean platter and rest for 5 minutes; carryover heat should bring medium-rare lamb to about 135 to 140 F.
Look for: The juices settle and the lamb remains rosy when cut.
Warm and slice
Warm the pita breads for 1 to 2 minutes on the grill or in the turned-off oven; slice the remaining cucumber half and arrange it with the tomato wedges and red onion.
Look for: The pitas are supple and warm but not crisp.
Serve the souvlaki
Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and serve the lamb skewers with tzatziki, warm pita, tomato, sliced cucumber, red onion, roasted potatoes, and lemon for squeezing.
Look for: Each plate has hot lamb and potatoes alongside the cool vegetables and tzatziki.