Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsIstanbul Kebab HouseDoner Kebab Recipe

Doner Kebab Recipe

Time2h 30m
Serves6

Turkish street foods

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Ingredients

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Meat and Marinade

Seasoning for Finishing

Method

Meat and Marinade

  1. 1

    Prepare meat

    Trim excess fat from the lamb shoulder and slice the meat very thinly across the grain. If slices are large, cut to roughly 1–2 cm wide strips so they stack and cook evenly.

  2. 2

    Make marinade

    In a large bowl combine yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, black pepper and salt. Whisk until smooth.

  3. 3

    Marinate

    Add the sliced lamb to the marinade and toss thoroughly to coat. Press the meat down so there are no air pockets, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours (overnight is best).

Cooking the Meat

  1. 4

    Stack and press (optional)

    If you want a denser doner texture, stack marinated slices tightly on a skewer or skewer-shaped rod and press firmly. For home pan/grill cooking you can press slices into a loaf shape by wrapping in cling film and chilling for 30–60 minutes; remove film before cooking.

  2. 5

    Cook on grill or pan

    Preheat a grill, grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brush with a little oil. Working in batches, spread or stack slices on the hot surface without overcrowding. Cook the meat until well browned and edges are crisp, about 3–5 minutes per side for thin slices. If using a stacked loaf or skewer, cook the outside surface, shave cooked layers with a knife, then continue cooking until internal pieces are done. Keep cooked meat warm on a tray covered loosely with foil.

  3. 6

    Finish

    When all meat is cooked, chop the larger pieces into bite-size strips and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil to keep moist. Taste and adjust salt.

Sauces

  1. 7

    Garlic yogurt sauce

    Combine 1 cup plain yogurt with 1 small clove garlic minced, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt to taste (about 1/4 tsp). Optionally add 1 tbsp chopped dill or mint. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  2. 8

    Spicy red sauce (optional)

    Mix 1/2 cup tomato purée or passata with 1 tsp harissa or chili paste, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and salt to taste. Warm briefly or serve at room temperature.

Bread & Assembly

  1. 9

    Warm bread

    Warm the pita or flatbreads in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a warm oven (170°C / 340°F) for 5–8 minutes so they are pliable.

  2. 10

    Prepare vegetables

    Thinly slice tomatoes and red onion, shred lettuce, chop parsley, and slice or drain pickles so everything is ready to assemble.

  3. 11

    Assemble kebabs

    Open each warmed pita pocket or lay a flatbread flat. Spread about 2–3 tbsp garlic yogurt sauce onto bread, spoon 180–200 g (about 3–4 oz) cooked doner meat per sandwich, add tomato slices, a handful of shredded lettuce, a few rings of red onion, pickles and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Drizzle a little spicy red sauce if desired and finish with a light sprinkle of sumac and optional red pepper flakes.

  4. 12

    Serve

    Fold or roll the bread to enclose the filling and serve immediately while warm. Provide extra yogurt and spicy sauce on the side.

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