Viral Homemade Doner Kebab Recipe | Easy and Juicy

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Ground Beef or Lamb – Lamb doner kebab is more traditional, while beef is more easily accessible. You’re welcome to use a mix if you like!
• Onion – Red, yellow, or white onion all work just fine. Do your eyes a favor by refrigerating the onion for about 30 minutes before grating.
• Garlic – Fresh is best, but in a pinch you can swap in ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove of fresh.
• Plain Yogurt – Adding yogurt to the meat mixture helps give it the classic doner texture.
• Ground Cumin – If you only have whole cumin seeds, toast 1 ⅓ as much as is called for in a dry pan. Once the seeds are fragrant (it takes 1-2 minutes, max), grind them in a mortar and pestle or clean spice grinder.
• Sweet Paprika & Cayenne Pepper – Sweet paprika adds a subtle warmth, while cayenne gives a more pronounced kick. Feel free to omit the cayenne if you prefer. You can also swap in hot paprika or smoked paprika for a bolder flavor.
• Dried Oregano – Dried herbs are much more concentrated than fresh. If you only have fresh, use 3x as much and stick to just the leaves.
• Tomato Paste or BBQ sauce – Either will give your kebab meat a lovely umami sweetness.
• Olive Oil, Salt & Black Pepper – Just the basics! If possible, use kosher salt or fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper for the best flavor.

This is just a short review of the ingredients; for the complete recipe, including quantities, scroll down to the recipe card 👇

What kind of meat should I use for doner kebab?

The right meat and fat percentage make all the difference in achieving a perfectly sliceable, juicy, restaurant-style doner in your own kitchen.

Traditionally, doner is made with lamb, which gives it an unmistakably rich, slightly gamey, deeply seasoned and authentic taste. That said, ground beef is the most accessible option for most home cooks, and it works beautifully. It’s easy to find, easy to shape, and pairs well with the warm spices and aromatics in the mix.

If you want the best of both worlds, try a 70/30 mix of beef and lamb. The beef adds structure while the lamb brings depth, resulting in a perfectly balanced doner that slices and browns beautifully. And, if you want something a bit lighter, ground chicken or turkey still deliver good flavor, just with a milder flavor profile.

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