Homemade Doner Kebab Recipe
I’ve always loved doner kebab, but my trip to Turkey gave me a fresh take on how to make it at home. The method is simple and doesn’t require any special equipment. You get the same rich and juicy meat with crisp edges, using just a skillet and a bit of planning.
Recipe Video:
Ingredients and Substitutes
For the Doner Kebab
These ingredients build the flavor and structure of homemade doner meat.
- Ground Beef (80/20): The fat content is key for a juicy, tender kebab. Using leaner beef is possible, but the final result may be drier. Fat helps mimic the richness of spit-roasted doner. I recommend using either 80/20 or 70/30 lean to fat ratios.
- Ground Lamb: Brings authentic richness and depth. If lamb isn’t available or preferred, you can use pork or all beef.
- Greek Yogurt: Helps tenderize the meat and gives a creamy tang. Use full-fat only. Low-fat versions won’t produce the same texture or richness.
- Red Onion (Grated or Pureed): Adds flavor and sharpness to the kebab meat.
- Garlic: Ideally use fresh garlic cloves as they provide the best flavor.
- Dried Oregano and Fresh Thyme: These herbs add savory depth and balance. If fresh thyme isn’t available, you can use dried thyme instead.
- Paprika: Adds color and mild sweetness. You can use sweet, smoked, or hot paprika depending on your preference.
- Ground Cumin: Brings warmth and depth.
- Urfa Pepper: A smoky, mildly hot chili from Turkey. If you can’t find it, substitute with Aleppo pepper.
For the Sumac Onions (Optional)
This bright, tangy onion salad is a traditional accompaniment for doner kebab. It adds contrast and cuts through the richness of the meat.
- Red Onion (Thinly Sliced): Brings crunch and natural sweetness. Red onions have the best flavor for this, but white or yellow onions can be used; they will have a sharper bite.
- Fresh Parsley: Adds freshness and color. Flat-leaf is ideal, but curly parsley works if that’s what you have.
- Lemon Juice: Provides acidity to balance the onion.
- Sumac: A tart, citrusy spice that gives these onions their signature flavor.
Why Ground Meat?
I believe Doner was made with a mix of meat, ground meat and fat. Ground meat just makes life easier. Of course, you can get muscle meat and pound it out and layer it with fat and all that jazz. But honestly, this is just more accessible and approachable. You still get amazing flavor from the spices and herbs. It does the job at home and that’s really what it’s about.
You can also do this with chicken meat or ground pork. The main thing is to try and get some decent amount of fat in the meat as that gives your flavor and prevents a dry doner kebab. It’s just like meatloaf. Remember dry meatloaf? No one likes that. Same thing here.
Expert Tips
Use Full-Fat Meat for Juiciness: A 50/50 mix of beef and lamb with good fat content keeps the doner tender and flavorful. Lean meat tends to dry out and won’t deliver the same richness.
Freeze Then Slice for Authentic Texture: Shaping the meat into a log and freezing it overnight makes it easy to slice into thin, doner-style sheets. This gets you closer to the classic shaved texture without needing a vertical rotisserie.
Don’t Crowd the Pan: Sear the slices in a hot, dry skillet and give them space. Overcrowding traps moisture and leads to steaming instead of browning. Crisp edges need heat and airflow.
Storage and Leftovers
Refrigerate Cooked Doner: Store cooked slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a hot skillet with cooking oil to bring back the crisp edges. Avoid the microwave if you want to keep the texture like an authentic donar kebab.
Freeze the Raw Mixture: The raw meat mixture can be shaped, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or parchment, and frozen for up to 3 months. You can slice portions directly from frozen without thawing the whole thing.
Freeze Cooked Slices: Let any cooked slices cool completely. Freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a sealed container or freezer bag. Reheat in a hot skillet straight from frozen.
Use Leftovers in Other Meals: Doner slices work well in a lot of quick meals. Try them in:
- Pita bread or wraps with sumac onions, tomato, and a yogurt sauce
- Keto style without the pita bread and with sumac onions and tomatoes.
- Pilav rice with vegetables like red onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
- Calories: 273
- Protein: 17g
- Fat: 22g
- Carbs: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Net Carbs: 1g
This recipe makes 10 servings. Each serving is about 100 odd grams of meat. Best way to get the exact weight is to weigh your marinated meat mixture and divide by 10 to know how many grams exactly. Get this recipe on myfitnesspal.com
More Kebab Recipes You May Like:
- Adana Kebap (Famous Turkish Kebab)
- Low Fat Chicken Tikka Kebab
- Thai Inspired Keto Kebabs
- Keto Malai Kebab
- Keto Reshmi Kebab
Homemade Doner Kebab Recipe (Turkish-Style)
Ingredients
For the Doner Kebab
- 1.1 pounds ground beef 80% lean, 20% fat
- 1.1 pounds ground lamb
- 1.5 ounces Greek yogurt about 2 tablespoons
- 2 ounces red onion grated or pureed (about ½ red onion)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Urfa pepper or substitute with Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
For the Sumac Onions (optional)
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 1 wedge lemon for juice
- 1 teaspoon sumac
Instructions
Prepare the doner kebab mixture:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, paprika, Urfa pepper, and cumin to form a marinade base.
- Add the ground beef and ground lamb. Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined and uniform.
Method 1 – Freeze and slice:
- Place the meat mixture on a sheet of cling film. Shape into a compact cylinder, like a meatloaf. Wrap tightly and freeze overnight until solid.
- When ready to cook, unwrap the frozen meat. Using a sharp knife and a towel for grip, carefully slice off thin pieces.
- Pan-fry slices in a hot dry skillet for about 30 seconds total, flipping once. Thicker slices will be juicier; thinner ones will crisp more.
- Return unused frozen doner back to the freezer for future use.
Method 2 – Bake in ramekins and slice:
- Lightly grease 3–4 oven-safe ramekins and pack the meat mixture tightly into each one.
- Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 15 minutes, or until the top is set and lightly browned.
- Let the cooked meat cool, then refrigerate until fully chilled and firm, about 1–2 hours.
- Once firm, remove from the ramekins and slice into thin rounds or slabs.
- Pan-fry slices over high heat until crisp on one side. While frying, spoon over any juices from the ramekins to help the meat absorb flavor and moisture.
Prepare the sumac onions (optional):
- In a bowl, combine the sliced onion, chopped parsley, sumac, salt, and lemon juice. Toss well to coat. Let sit for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Donor kebabs were invented by a Turkish man who lived in Germany. So, yes, they come from Germany, they also are of Turkish origin.
Yeah I actually watched a few documentary style videos about it.