Like my chicken kabobs, souvlaki is marinated and grilled to perfection on a skewer. Souvlaki recipes can be made with pork, chicken, beef, or even lamb, but I opted for pork souvlaki here because that’s the most traditional.
What Is Souvlaki?
Souvlaki is a popular Greek street food consisting of small pieces of meat, typically pork, chicken, or lamb, which are marinated, skewered, and grilled to perfection. Like homemade gyro meat, it is often served with pita bread, tomatoes, red onions, and Greek tzatziki sauce.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for pork souvlaki marinade, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Pork – You can use pork tenderloin, pork loin, pork shoulder, or pork steak. Cut into small, bite-sized pieces that are uniform in size (1 to 1.5 inches). For best results, cut the meat against the grain to help keep it tender and juicy.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This is the traditional oil used in Greek souvlaki marinade, but regular olive oil or avocado oil can also work as a substitute. Lemon Juice – Gives tangy flavor in the Greek souvlaki marinade and tenderizes the meat. Use fresh squeezed if you can, but bottled works if you don’t have fresh lemons. Lime juice can also work as a substitute, but lemon matches the flavors here better. Seasoning – Sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. This recipe is very garlicky, so you’ll need a whole head of garlic if you want to substitute fresh minced garlic in the marinade. A lot of garlic is always a good thing in my book, but you can use less if you’re not crazy about it. Herbs – I used dried oregano and dried rosemary, but you could use fresh herbs instead (you’ll need to triple the quantities).
How To Make Greek Souvlaki
This section shows how to make souvlaki, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card. Don’t want to use pork? You can use chicken breasts or thighs, lamb, or beef instead of pork. For chicken, I like to use my Greek chicken marinade instead and you can still cook on skewers.
Greek Classics – Serve with pita bread (or try my gluten-free pita bread), a sprinkle of feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce for a classic presentation, and serve alongside eggplant caponata. Salad – I often serve this dish with fresh cucumber tomato avocado salad because I always have those ingredients handy. For a Greek meal, try a classic Greek salad (a variation of this is pictured above), Israeli salad, a crisp Mediterranean salad with my Greek salad dressing recipe, or a Mediterranean quinoa salad. Easy Vegetables – Try grilled broccoli and caramelized grilled cabbage steaks, or simply prep some sauteed zucchini or tender roasted mushrooms. You can also just add some veggies to the souvlaki skewers, like I do for chicken kabobs. Potatoes – A side of garlic parmesan fries, mashed potatoes, or roasted Greek lemon potatoes would compliment this dish perfectly. For a lighter side, try mashed cauliflower. Rice – If you need something more hearty in addition to meat and veggies, serve this souvlaki recipe with white rice or brown rice. If you need lighter options, try cauliflower rice.
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