Sheet pan kebabs

All the flavor of a grilled kebab, but baked in one piece on a sheet pan! Spiced, juicy meat, vibrant sumac onions, creamy garlic yogurt sauce, all wrapped in warm pita bread. Much simpler than threading skewers one by one.

Excerpt: Sheet Pan Kebab: Spread the spiced meat mixture on a sheet pan, score it, and bake. Serve in pita with yogurt and sumac onions.

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20 min
4
18 min

  • Ingredients

    For the meat: 
    2 lb 3 oz (1 kg) ground beef or lamb (15-20% fat)
    1 small brown onion, grated
    1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
    1 tbsp ground cumin
    1 tbsp ground coriander
    1 tbsp sweet paprika
    1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
    2 tsp sea salt flakes
    ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
    3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
    ½ tsp baking soda
    2 tbsp olive oil, for basting

    For the sumac onions: 
    1 small red onion, thinly sliced
    1½ tsp sumac
    Juice of ½ lemon
    1 tsp olive oil
    ¼ tsp sea salt flakes

    For the garlic yogurt sauce: 
    1¼ cups (310 g) Greek yogurt
    ½ tsp fresh garlic, minced
    1½ tbsp lemon juice
    ½ tsp sea salt flakes

    To serve: 
    4 to 6 flatbreads or pitas
    2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges or thinly sliced rounds
    ½ cup (15 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped

  • Preparation

    Preheat the ovento 240 °C (475 °F), or 220 °C (425 °F) for convection ovens.

    Prepare the meat mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion (coarse grater), garlic, cumin, ground coriander, paprika, chili flakes (if using), salt, pepper, parsley, and baking soda. Mix by hand for about 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.

    Shape on the baking sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the meat mixture onto the sheet to form a large rectangle about 1 cm (½ in.) thick, roughly 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in.).

    Score and indent: Using a bench scraper or metal spatula, slice the mixture vertically into strips 2 to 3 cm (¾ to 1¼ in.) wide, cutting all the way to the paper. Then make shallow horizontal indentations on each strip, to mimic the appearance of a traditional kebab and promote even browning.

    Bake: Brush the top of the mixture with olive oil. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the meat is golden brown and fully cooked, with crispy edges. For more pronounced browning, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end.

    Prepare the sumac onions: While baking, combine the sliced red onion, sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a bowl. Let marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.

    Prepare the garlic yogurt sauce: In another bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning.

    Warm the breads: Heat the flatbreads or pitas in a dry skillet (or directly over a gas flame) for 20 to 30 seconds per side.

    Assemble and serve: Press the warm breads onto the cooked meat to absorb the cooking juices. Separate the kebab strips along the cut lines. Serve in or on the breads with a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce, a pile of sumac onions, tomato slices, and fresh parsley.

For the adventurers

Notes and tips

For a barbecue version: cook over medium-high heat, lid closed, 4 to 5 minutes per side. For an air fryer version: 200 °C (400 °F) for 12 to 15 minutes in two batches.