Transport your taste buds straight to the streets of Istanbul with this Authentic Doner Kebab recipe—a mouthwatering culinary journey that brings the flavors of a classic Turkish street food right to your kitchen. This recipe features tender slices of boneless lamb shoulder marinated in a rich blend of yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and warming spices like cumin, coriander, and allspice. After marinating overnight for maximum flavor, the meat is stacked and roasted to crispy perfection before being thinly sliced and tucked into warm pitas alongside fresh veggies and creamy tzatziki sauce. Ideal for a crowd-pleasing dinner or a special weekend treat, this homemade doner kebab is as satisfying as it is authentic. Perfect your doner kebab night with easy steps and familiar ingredients while enjoying flavors that rival your favorite takeaway. Keywords: authentic doner kebab, Turkish street food, homemade kebab recipe, lamb kebab, Mediterranean cuisine.
Start by preparing the marinade for the lamb. In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, ground allspice, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
Add the grated onion to the marinade mixture and stir well.
Cut the lamb shoulder into thin slices, approximately 1 cm thick.
Place the sliced lamb into the bowl with the marinade. Ensure all pieces are well coated. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor infusion.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Once marinated, stack the meat slices onto a skewer or a vertical roasting spit, pressing them together tightly to form a cylindrical shape. If using a spit, secure both ends to prevent the meat from falling.
Place the skewered meat onto a baking tray lined with foil to catch any drips. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 90 minutes, or until the edges are crispy and the meat is fully cooked.
During the last 10 minutes of cooking, wrap the pitas in foil and warm them in the oven or on a heated skillet.
Remove the cooked meat from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Thinly slice the cooked doner meat from the spit, cutting vertically downwards to create nice strips.
To assemble the doner, take a warm pita, spread a spoonful of tzatziki sauce, add some sliced doner meat, and top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and sliced red onion.
Fold the pita over the fillings and serve immediately.
Calories |
5782 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 373.6 g | 479% | |
| Saturated Fat | 134.1 g | 670% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1154 mg | 385% | |
| Sodium | 8677 mg | 377% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 280.9 g | 102% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 19.5 g | 70% | |
| Total Sugars | 41.5 g | ||
| Protein | 335.1 g | 670% | |
| Vitamin D | 3.1 mcg | 16% | |
| Calcium | 1056 mg | 81% | |
| Iron | 44.1 mg | 245% | |
| Potassium | 6101 mg | 130% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.