Sheet Pan Kebabs

These Sheet Pan Kebabs with yogurt tahini kebab sauce are a bold, juicy, and satisfying meal with minimal effort. The fragrant blend of ground lamb and beef is seasoned with warm spices, garlic, and herbs, then baked until lightly crisp on the outside and tender inside. Paired with a cool, garlicky yogurt tahini sauce, this kebab recipe delivers irresistible Middle Eastern–inspired flavours in minutes.

I don’t share viral recipes often, but when I do, you know it’s going to be a tasty recipe! Japanese Egg Salad Sandos (and anything Japanese) are incredibly popular right now, as well as food trends like fermentation. Funny thing is, I’ve been fermenting Sauerkraut since I was a kid, so I guess it’s not really a trend for me.

Sheet Pan Kebabs

Everyone loves a viral recipe. However, not all recipes go viral for the right reasons… there are some crazy recipes (I see you BBQ Peeps Rice Krispie treats!) racking up views that don’t deserve the hype. These Sheet Pan Kebabs are ALL about the hype! They follow the trend of easy one pan dinners and have enough flavour to be worthy of becoming viral. 

One pan dinners are a lifesaver on busy weeknights. The hallmarks of a great family recipe are ease of preparation, easy cleanup, and great flavour to ensure everyone clears their plate. When our kids were home, I made many pots of homemade hamburger helper, beefy chili, and other one pan favourites.

There is a certain kind of magic that happens when you get the charred, smoky flavors of summer barbecue without standing over a grill (especially when it’s blizzarding outside). Sheet pan kebabs are the ultimate solution for when you want a vibrant, protein-packed meal but only have one sheet pan and forty minutes to spare.

By roasting everything together at a high temperature, the vegetables caramelize around the edges while the meat stays tender and juicy… with no flare ups! It’s a colourful, customizable dinner that feels far more gourmet than its “throw-it-all-on-a-tray” method suggests.

Once it’s all done cooking, one sheet pan (and maybe a sheet of parchment paper) is all that stands between you and a clean kitchen. PS, these kebabs reheat beautifully for lunches throughout the week, so they are a great high protein meal prep option.

Enjoy these kebabs drizzled with yogurt tahini sauce (recipe included) over herbed rice, with a crisp green salad, or in soft warm pitas with red onions and cucumber slices. The yogurt tahini sauce is easy to whip up and goes perfectly with the kebab seasoning.

Ingredients in Sheet Pan Kebabs

For this recipe you’ll need parchment paper, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, an 11 x 18 sheet pan, and a butter knife, pastry knife, or spatula to score the meat.

• Ground Lamb
• Ground Beef
• Yellow Onions
• Garlic
• Red Bell Pepper
• Cilantro
• Chili Powder
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Ground Cumin
• Garam Masala
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Salt
• Greek yogurt
• Tahini
• Lemon Juice
• Kosher Salt
• Fresh Dill
• Fine Sea Salt

Feel free to use lean ground beef for this recipe if ground lamb isn’t available. Alternatively, you can also use ground chicken, although you’ll need to keep a close eye on the kebabs so that they don’t dry out.

As always, using fresh spices ensures maximum flavour in any dish. Use newly opened dried ground cumin, garam masala, and chili powder with fresh cilantro and fresh dill for best flavour.

The type of yogurt used affects both texture and flavour. Whole-milk plain Greek yogurt produces the creamiest, richest sauce. Always smell tahini before using it as it goes rancid quickly.

How to Make Sheet Pan Kebabs

To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

Finely chop the onions and red bell pepper. To ensure everything finishes at the same time, small dice the bell peppers and red onions into consistent 1/4-inch pieces. Place vegetables in a tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Next, place the ground lamb and ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Add the onions, red pepper, garlic, cilantro, and all the spices. Mix gently until just combined.

Cover and refrigerate the meat mixture for at least 1 hour to marinate. This step is optional but recommended. Pro tip: Marinating the kebab mixture for at least 1 hour significantly improves flavour. The mixture can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.

To cook the kebabs, spread the meat mixture evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Use a butter knife, pastry knife, or spatula to score the meat into 1-inch-wide portions.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully drain any excess grease. Redefine the portions with a knife if needed. Return the baking sheet to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the tops are lightly crisp and browned.

While the kebabs cook, make the sauce. Add all sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight to allow the flavours to mellow and deepen even further.

Serve the kebabs with the yogurt tahini sauce on the side or use them to make gyros in warm pita with red onion, tomato, cucumber, feta, and extra sauce.

Tips and Tricks

• Don’t skip squeezing the liquid out of the red bell pepper and onion. Removing the moisture helps the kabobs stick together.
• This recipe was developed using an 11×17 baking sheet. If you use a smaller baking sheet, your meat will be thicker- which is great! However, it will make less kabobs and will change the cooking time.
• The final internal temperature of the meat should read 160º F when it is finished cooking.

Leftover Storage and Reheating

The commonly accepted rule of thumb for cooked meat is that it should be ok to serve for 3 days after cooking IF stored properly and refrigerated. Allow the kebabs to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. Freeze for up to 3 months. Store the sauce in a separate container and use within 4-5 days.

Gently reheat in a frying pan or air fryer at 350 F until the meat reaches 160º F.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Sheet Pan Kebabs recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in a recipe rating. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!