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Steak Kabobs are the colorful, char-kissed grill dinner that turns a few simple skewers into a backyard feast, and I threw these on one warm Friday evening while Maddie picked her favorite peppers and Lizzie claimed every piece of zucchini. If you love our grilled ribeye steaks, these marinated beef and veggie skewers are the fun, hands-on cousin.
A quick soy-lime marinade does double duty here, flavoring the steak and basting the veggies for the best steak kabobs off the grill.
Steak Kabobs Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus marinating)
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 skewers
- ⚡ Calories: 368kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory soy-lime marinated steak with sweet, charred peppers
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our grilled shrimp skewers
Quick Answer
Cube a tender steak like NY strip and marinate it in a soy, lime, garlic, and cilantro mixture for at least an hour. Reserve some marinade and boil it for basting. Thread the steak with bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini onto skewers, then grill over medium-high heat, basting and turning, until the steak reaches 135 degrees F for medium-rare.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A tender cut means tender kabobs. NY strip, ribeye, or sirloin stays juicy and bite-tender on the grill, so the steak never turns chewy.
- Soy and lime do the heavy lifting. The soy brings savory depth while fresh lime tenderizes and brightens, so every cube is packed with flavor.
- Reserving and boiling the marinade is the secret. Boiling the set-aside marinade makes it safe to baste with, so you build layers of flavor as the kabobs cook.
- Even cubes cook evenly. Cutting the steak and veggies to the same 1 1/2-inch size means everything finishes at the same time.
- Brown sugar means better char. A little brown sugar in the marinade caramelizes over the flame for those gorgeous grill marks.
- It is a whole meal on a stick. Steak plus three veggies on one skewer means dinner and sides cook together with almost no cleanup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a colorful, crowd-pleasing cookout dinner that looks impressive but comes together fast.
- The marinade is mostly pantry staples you already have on hand.
- Everything cooks on the grill, so the kitchen stays cool on hot summer nights.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into the best steak kabobs. The marinade is simple, and the veggies are flexible.
- Steak: NY strip is my pick, but ribeye, sirloin, or tri-tip all work. Choose a tender cut and cube it evenly.
- Soy sauce and lime: the savory, tangy base of the marinade that tenderizes and seasons the beef.
- Bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini: the classic colorful trio that chars beautifully alongside the steak.
- Garlic, cilantro, and cumin: fresh, herby, slightly smoky flavor that gives the marinade its carne asada vibe.
- Brown sugar and olive oil: a touch of sweetness for caramelization plus oil to help everything grill up juicy.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Steak kabobs are endlessly flexible. Here are easy ways to switch them up.
- Switch the steak: ribeye, sirloin, flank, or tri-tip all skewer well; just keep the cubes tender and even.
- Change the veggies: mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, red potatoes, or pineapple are all great on the skewers.
- Make it spicy: add a diced jalapeno or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the marinade.
- Go low-carb: load up on extra veggies and serve the kabobs over a crisp salad.
- Use wooden skewers: soak them 30 minutes first so they do not burn (metal skewers need no soaking).
- Serve them taco-style like our carne asada tacos for a build-your-own night.
How to Make Steak Kabobs
- Cut the steak into 1 1/2-inch cubes and set aside.
- Mix the oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, cumin, brown sugar, and cilantro in a large zip-top bag.
- Add the steak, massage in the marinade, and refrigerate at least 1 hour up to overnight.
- Cut the peppers and onion into 1 1/2-inch pieces, slice the zucchini, and thread everything onto 6 skewers.
- Bring the reserved marinade to a boil, then take it off the heat for basting.
- Grill the kabobs over medium-high heat on a clean, very hot, oiled grate.
- Baste with the boiled marinade each time you turn the kabobs, focusing on the veggies.
- Cook to your desired doneness, about 135 degrees F for medium-rare, then serve right away.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cut everything the same size. Uniform 1 1/2-inch cubes mean the steak and veggies finish cooking together.
- Always boil the reserved marinade before basting; never brush on marinade that touched raw steak.
- Get the grill hot and clean. A hot, oiled grate gives you a great sear and keeps the kabobs from sticking.
- Use a meat thermometer. Pull the steak at 135 degrees F for medium-rare, or a touch higher for medium.
- Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes, or use metal skewers, so they do not scorch.
- Let them rest a few minutes off the grill so the steak juices settle before serving.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Steak kabobs are a full plate on their own, but they love a few easy sides. Serve them over rice or with a scoop of our creamy macaroni salad for a classic cookout spread.
Set out warm tortillas, lime wedges, and a bowl of salsa so everyone can pull the steak and veggies off the skewer and build their own tacos. A pitcher of something cold rounds it out.
Leftover kabobs are great chopped into grain bowls, salads, or quesadillas the next day. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat gently so the steak stays tender.
Steak Kabobs FAQs
Tender cuts work best. NY strip is my go-to, but ribeye, sirloin, tri-tip, and flank steak all skewer beautifully. Look for a cut with some marbling and cut it into even 1 1/2-inch cubes so it stays juicy and cooks at the same rate as the veggies.
Marinate the steak for at least one hour and up to overnight. An hour gives you good flavor, while a longer soak makes the beef even more tender and savory. Just keep it in the fridge, and do not skip reserving some marinade before the raw steak goes in.
Bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini are the classic trio because they char nicely and cook in about the same time as the steak. Mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and chunks of pineapple are also delicious. Cut everything to a similar size for even grilling.
Either works. Metal skewers are reusable and never burn, which makes them my favorite. If you use wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes first so they do not scorch over the flame.
For medium-rare, pull the kabobs when the steak reaches 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Go to about 145 degrees F for medium. The cubes cook quickly over medium-high heat, so start checking after a few minutes per side.
Yes. Broil them on a sheet pan a few inches from the heat, turning once, until the steak hits 135 degrees F, or air fry at 400 degrees F for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway. You will miss a little char but the flavor is still fantastic.
Fire up the grill again with our grilled shrimp skewers and make it a surf-and-turf cookout.
Fire up the grill for these kabobs and our easy grilled BBQ chicken legs.
These kabobs love a scoop of pearl couscous salad on the side to catch the steak juices.
Love a marinated grilled steak? Our flank steak chimichurri blends the herby sauce right into the marinade.
Steak Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound NY strip steak or other tender steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 small limes fresh squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro rough chop
- 3 bell peppers* of any color
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 2 small zucchini
Instructions
- Cut the steak into 1 & 1/2 inch cubes, set aside.1 1/2 pound NY strip steak
- Mix together the oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, cumin, sugar, and cilantro in a gallon-sized ziplock bag.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 4 scallions, 3 garlic cloves, 2 small limes, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- Add the steak cubes, and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour up to overnight.
- When you are ready to assemble the kabobs, cut the peppers and onions into 1 & 1/2-inch cubes.3 bell peppers* of any color, 1/2 medium red onion
- Slice the zucchini into 1/2-inch rounds.2 small zucchini
- Skewer the veggies and the meat cubes on 6 skewers. (I like to use metal skewers)
- Bring the remaining marinade to a boil, take off the heat.
- Prepare the grill and grill grates, make sure it is clean and very hot before cooking over medium-high heat to high heat.
- Cook until your desired temperature, turning occasionally to get grill marks and a nice char on all sides. Brush with the marinade every time you flip the kabobs, concentrating on the veggies.
- I pulled the kabobs off at an internal temperature of the steak at 135°F degrees for medium-rare. The amount of time on the grill may vary due to how well done you want your steak. Serve immediately.
Notes
- First, start off with tender meat. See the options above.
- Next, the most important part is how you cut your meat and veggies. We need to make sure everything is as close to the same size as possible.
- The seasoning is very important too, not only for the meat but for the veggies as well. Make sure to brush everything with any remaining kabob beef marinade right before hitting the grill so everything has a wonderful flavor.
- Since everything is cut up small, they cook very fast which is great for weeknight meals. But, to ensure you get a very nice sear on everything you need to make sure your grill is VERY hot before placing the kabobs on it.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more people.
- You can use other vegetables or a different cut of beef, see some that I have listed above.
- You can also use a grill pan.
- This marinade recipe is adapted from LifeCurrents.com
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I love Fresh Market and I’m lucky because it’s only about 5 minutes from my house. We just recently bought their prime NY Strip that they had on sale if you bought a half side. They cut it into steaks for us, whatever size we wanted, and wrapped it up to freeze. Now I know what I’ll be using that strip steak for – these delicious kabobs! And I’m so with you on grilling. We find most of our meals are done on the grill and they come out delicious. And the bonus – it leaves me little to clean up. Win-win!
I moved away from The Fresh Market almost 7 years ago and I still miss it! These kabobs look delicious! They got me excited for grilling season!