Description
This Easy Homemade Doner Kebab is a brilliant hack for creating authentic-tasting Turkish street food right in your own kitchen. By seasoning ground lamb and baking it in parchment paper, you achieve a juicy, flavorful meat that mimics the rotisserie style without any special equipment. Crisped up in the oven for those irresistible golden edges, this doner meat is perfect for stuffing into pitas or piling high onto salad bowls for a feast everyone will love.
Ingredients
The Kebab Meat
- 1 lb ground lamb (or ground beef)
- 1 medium onion, grated (or blended with 1 tsp water)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh lemon juice (for finishing)
For Serving (Optional)
- Pita bread or flatbread
- Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, red onions, pickles
- Garlic sauce (Toum) or Tzatziki
Instructions
Prep
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Mix Meat
In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, grated onion (juices included), minced garlic, salt, paprika, oregano, yogurt, and olive oil. Knead well by hand until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.
Shape
Divide the meat mixture in half. Place one half on a sheet of parchment paper. Tip: Keep a small bowl of water or oil nearby to dip your fingers to prevent sticking. Press and spread the meat into a thin, even rectangle. Repeat with the second portion on another sheet.
Roll
Starting from the long side, fold the parchment paper over the meat repeatedly until it looks like a flat rope or log completely wrapped in paper. Twist the ends if needed to seal.
Bake
Place the parchment-wrapped rolls on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes until cooked through.
Break & Crisp
Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Carefully unroll the paper. Break or slice the meat into bite-sized pieces. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the meat. Finish: Return the meat to the oven (uncovered) for 5–10 minutes until the edges are golden and crispy.
Serve
Stuff into warm pita pockets or serve over rice with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Onion Prep: Do not chop the onion; grate it on the fine side of a box grater or blend it. The onion juice is essential for keeping the meat moist and flavorful without adding chunky texture.
The “Crisp” Step: The second bake (step 6) is highly recommended. It mimics the texture of meat shaved off a rotating vertical spit, giving you those delicious charred bits.
Meat Choice: Lamb offers the most authentic flavor, but 80/20 ground beef works well too. You can also use a 50/50 mix.
Storage: Cooked meat keeps well in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in a skillet to crisp it up again.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Main
- Method: Oven Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish / Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of Meat Mixture
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: homemade doner kebab, turkish kebab recipe, ground lamb recipes, easy oven kebab, keto dinner ideas, street food at home, gyro meat recipe