Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs are great with Tzatziki Sauce, and cooking the lamb on a kabob with veggies makes it a bit more budget friendly! And these lamb kabobs can also be spelled Shish Kebab; take your choice on that!

PIN the Lamb Kabobs recipe to try later!

Close-up photo for Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

The first time I tasted lamb was in college when I worked at Le Parisien Restaurant in downtown Salt Lake (now closed), where we would occasionally have Rack of Lamb as a special. We certainly never had anything remotely like these Lamb Shish Kabobs at home when I was growing up! But I loved the flavor of lamb from the first time I tried it, and it’s something I’ll buy occasionally as a splurge.

When I had some leg of lamb from Costco and decided to make this for a dinner and snap some better photos, I couldn’t resist putting some pieces of zucchini on the skewers along with the red onion and making the marinade a bit simpler. And lamb is somewhat pricey, so adding some vegetables makes makes the lamb kabobs a more budget-friendly dish.

We absolutely loved this recipe, but the zucchini took longer on the grill than we thought it would, so if you like your lamb on the rare side, I’d cut the zucchini a bit thinner than you see in my new-and-improved photos. And even though you see four skewers in the photo, this recipe will easily serve six if you serve your shish kabobs with some tasty low-carb side dishes.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

What cut of lamb should you use for lamb kabobs?

I used leg of lamb for these kabobs, and trimmed the meat and cut it into cubes. You could also use lamb shoulder or lamb sirloin.

Can you make grilled lamb kabobs without an outdoor grill?

If you don’t have an outdoor grill or it’s not grilling season these lamb shish kabobs can cook perfectly on a Stovetop Grill Pan (affiliate link) or a George Foreman Grill (affiliate link).

What did I serve with the Lamb Shish Kabobs?

I served the Lamb Kabobs with my favorite Low-Carb Pita Bread and Tzatziki Sauce, but the lamb with Tzatziki Sauce was a great combination, whether or not you wrapped it in pita!

More Lamb Recipes to Try:

Process photos collage for Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

How to make Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Trim fat from the lamb and cut in cubes.
  2. Whisk together ingredients to make the marinade.
  3. Put lamb in a Ziploc bag, pour in marinade, and let it marinate all day in the fridge (or even overnight and part of a day).
  4. When you’re ready to cook, drain lamb into a colander and let it come to room temperature while you preheat the grill.
  5. Cut zucchini and red onions into same-size pieces (remember to make the zucchini a bit thinner if you want lamb that’s on the rare side.)
  6. Thread skewers with lamb pieces, zucchini pieces, and red onions.
  7. Brush kabobs with a bit of olive oil so they won’t stick on the grill.
  8. Cook lamb kabobs to desired doneness, turning the grill down to medium-high when you put the kabobs on and using an Instant-Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link) to see when the lamb is done to your liking.
  9. Serve hot, with Low-Carb Pita Bread and Tzatziki Sauce if desired.

Lamb Shish Kabobs show on serving plate with Tzatziki and low-carb pita in background

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

The Lamb Shish Kabobs were delicious with Low-Carb Pita Bread and Tzatziki Sauce. Add American Greek Salad, Greek Salad with Peppers, or Greek Cabbage Salad if you want something more.

More Tasty Meat Cooked on the Grill:

Check out Low-Carb and Keto Beef, Pork, and Lamb on the Grill for lots more ideas for grilling meat.

Close-up photo for Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce
Yield: 6 servings

Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes

Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs served with Tzatziki Sauce are a great summer dinner for a special occasion.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. leg of lamb (before trimming), trimmed and cut into pieces 1 1/2 inches square
  • 1 large red onion, cut into pieces 1 1/2 inches wide
  • 2 small zucchini, cut into thin pieces about the same size as the meat but not too thick

Marinade Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dried Greek or Turkish oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. ground dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (or use regular paprika if you don't have the smoked kind)
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 T fresh squeezed lemon juice (see notes)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to brush kabobs

Instructions

  1. Trim some but not all the fat from the lamb, leaving the amount of fat you prefer. Cut lamb in cubes about 1 1/2 inches square.
  2. Whisk together onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, ground rosemary, ground cumin, paprika, black pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil to make the marinade.
  3. Put lamb in a Ziploc bag, pour in all the marinade, and let it marinate all day in the fridge (or even overnight and part of a day.) Longer marinating time really improves the flavor.
  4. When you're ready to cook, drain lamb cubes into a colander placed in the sink and let the lamb come to room temperature while you preheat the grill to high. (I like to spray the grill with non-stick grill spray before I start to preheat.)
  5. Cut ends off zucchini and peel red onions; then cut zucchini and onions into same-size pieces about 1 1/2 inches big. ( If you prefer lamb that's on the rare side, remember to make the zucchini a bit thinner so it will cook more quickly.)
  6. Thread skewers with lamb pieces, zucchini pieces, and red onions. Brush kabobs on all sides with olive oil so they won't stick on the grill.
  7. Lay skewers on the grill end immediately turn the temperature down to medium-high.
  8. Turn the lamb kabobs about every 3 minutes or when you see grill marks. Cooking time will be 8-12 minutes, depending on how done you like your lamb.
  9. I recommend using an Instant-Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link) to test when the lamb is done. Cook to 145F/65C for medium rare, 160F/70C for medium, or 170F/75C for well done. (These times are based on the recommended safe cooking temperature for Lamb, which is 145F?65C. Many cooking experts recommend lower temperatures; take your choice on that.)
  10. Serve hot, with Low-Carb Pita Bread and Tzatziki Sauce if desired.

Notes

I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice for this recipe.

Nutritional information does not include optional pita bread or Tzatziki sauce.

This recipe created by Kalyn many years ago, with inspiration for several cookbooks.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 598Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 47g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs shown on serving plate with low-carb pita in back

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Lamb Shish Kabobs are a great dish for low-carb or Keto diets, and this is also perfect for the original South Beach Diet if the lamb is well-trimmed. If you use the low-carb pita bread, that would be phase two or three for South Beach.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Grilling Recipes for more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for grilled lamb kabobs was first posted in 2007. The photos were updated in 2019 and the recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

Pinterest image of Low-Carb Lamb Shish Kabobs

Share This: