Souvlaki Marinade Recipe (2024)

Juicy pieces of succulent meat are the result when you use this easy-to-make, delicious, and tasty souvlaki marinade recipe.

This is an easy meal prep recipe to make, and one of my personal favorite marinades. I got this simple marinade recipe from a friend a good 30+ years ago, and have been making it ever since. I first shared this recipe on my old blog in 2010. I hope you enjoy this souvlaki recipe as much as I and my family do!

Souvlaki Marinade Recipe

Souvlaki is one of the most popular Greek recipes. The word souvlaki has roots in the Greek word souvla, meaning skewer (souvlaki means small skewer). This greek souvlaki recipe is a great homemade chicken souvlaki recipe, homemade beef souvlaki recipe, homemade lamb souvlaki recipe.

Made with simple ingredients, this Greek classic souvlaki marinade is great with a side salad, potato, and warm pita bread… just like you would find in your favorite Greek diner or fast food restaurant. I have seen it served with French fries, but that is not our accompaniment (does not mean you cannot do it though!)

A traditional Greek salad is easy-to-make: lettuce, tomato (cherry tomatoes or large tomato slices), black olives (or Kalamata olives), white onion (some people prefer red onion), and topped with feta cheese. A Greek dressing of oil and vinegar is used, or oil and red wine vinegar. You can, of course, doctor it with any of your favorite toppings.

You can also make a pita wrap of your meat with onions, tomato, and feta.

Tips and variations for making this souvlaki marinade recipe.

● When I say this is an easy recipe, I am not kidding. Even though this is a traditional Greek recipe, the simple ingredients are commonly found in your local grocery store.
● You can use virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil for this souvlaki recipe.
● This marinade is great for different kinds of meat: chicken, beef, or lamb cut into small pieces of meat. Pick the type of meat you and your family prefer!
● I strongly urge you to make this marinade the day before you plan on eating souvlaki and marinate your meat the day before. It tastes better the next day, IMO.
● You can make chicken breast or pieces of chicken (traditional chicken chunks). White meat is commonly used although it is a personal preference whether you would like white or dark meat.
● You can cook pieces individually on a grill (indoor grill or outdoor grill), or on wooden skewers or metal skewers to make beef skewers, chicken skewers, or lamb skewers (skewers of meat).
● You will not have any unused marinade to store. And if somehow you do, throw it away. You do not want to store a marinade that has been marinading raw meat or poultry.
● Make certain you are cooking on a preheated grill. You want the grilling surface nice and hot.
● The internal temperature of cooked chicken is 165°F.
● The internal temperature of cooked beef is 145°F.
● The internal temperature of cooked lamb is 145°F.
● I have never made pork souvlaki, but it is doable with this recipe either as grilled individual pieces or on pork skewers. The internal temperature of cooked pork is 145°F.

Here are a few other ‘Greek’ recipes for you to enjoy:

● Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe
● Frozen Greek Yogurt Berry Fruit Pops

Souvlaki Marinade Ingredients:

● 2 TBSP Onion, finely chopped
● 4 TBSP Olive Oil
● 2 TBSP Dried Parsley
● 2 tsp Dried Oregano
● ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
● ½ tsp Salt
● Dash of Pepper
● 2 lbs Beef OR Chicken OR Lamb, to cook

Souvlaki Marinade Mise en Place:

● Mixing Bowl
● Rubber Spatula
● Measuring Spoons
● Cutting Board
● Knife
● Plastic Wrap (if your bowl does not have a cover)

Souvlaki Marinade Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Let stand 1 hour.

3. Cut 2 pounds of lamb OR chicken OR beef into 2″ bite-size chunks.

4. Add the meat to the marinade, and fold until the meat is well coated.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or snap on a cover, and let the meat sit in the marinade for a minimum of 2 hours inside the refrigerator (overnight is better).

6. Preheat grill.
7. Grill marinated meat on a hot grill for about 10 minutes, turning at least once on each side, until done.
8. Note: you may grill on skewers too.

9. Serve hot.
10. Refrigerated all grilled meat leftovers.

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