High Protein Lamb Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt — 30g Protein

High protein lamb kebabs with garlic yogurt sauce on a plate
High protein lamb kebabs with garlic yogurt — 30g protein per serving, no rice needed.

These high protein lamb kebabs are the kind of dinner that tastes like a weekend barbecue but fits a weeknight. Cubes of lamb leg marinate in lemon, garlic, cumin and paprika, then grill in about 12 minutes with charred edges and a juicy middle. The garlic yogurt sauce does the rest — cool, sharp and creamy, and it carries a good share of the protein too.

Two kebabs plus the yogurt sauce is 30g of protein per serving, with no rice needed. The marinade only needs 30 minutes, so the whole thing is on the table in about an hour — or marinate in the morning and grill in the evening.

Why you’ll love it

  • 30g protein per serving, about 280 calories, no rice needed
  • 12 minutes on the grill or in a grill pan
  • The garlic yogurt sauce doubles as a dip for everything else on the plate
  • Marinade in the morning, grill at dinner — very little hands-on time

Ingredients

  • 400g lean lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 8 skewers (metal, or wooden soaked in water for 30 minutes)

For the garlic yogurt sauce:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
  • Pinch of salt

Equipment used

  • Skewers, for threading the lamb
  • A grill or cast iron grill pan, for cooking the kebabs
  • A small bowl, for the garlic yogurt sauce

Instructions

  1. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the lamb cubes and toss to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
  2. While the lamb marinates, stir the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, mint and salt together in a small bowl. Chill until serving.
  3. Thread the lamb onto 8 skewers, about 5 cubes per skewer — 2 skewers per serving.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
  5. Rest the kebabs for 3 minutes, then serve with the garlic yogurt sauce spooned over or on the side.

Tips

  • Cut the cubes evenly — uneven pieces cook unevenly, and the small ones dry out.
  • Don’t crowd the skewers. A little space between cubes lets the heat reach every side.
  • Wooden skewers need a 30-minute soak in water first, or they burn on the grill.
  • The yogurt sauce keeps 2 days in the fridge and works on chicken and roasted vegetables too.

Estimated nutrition per serving

NutrientAmount per serving
Calories280
Protein30g
Carbohydrates7g
Fat14g

These are estimated macros based on standard ingredient values, not lab-measured results. Protein assumes 2 kebabs plus garlic yogurt sauce per serving, no rice.

More high-protein recipes to try

FAQ

Do I need to marinate for the full 30 minutes? 30 minutes is enough for the lemon and spices to season the lamb. Longer is fine — up to 8 hours in the fridge — but don’t go past that, or the lemon starts to change the texture.

Can I cook these high protein lamb kebabs in a pan? Yes — a cast iron grill pan on medium-high heat works well. Same timing, 10–12 minutes, turning regularly.

What do I serve them with? The kebabs and yogurt sauce are a complete high-protein plate on their own. A simple salad or flatbread works if you want more, but the 30g protein figure is for the kebabs and sauce only.

High Protein Lamb Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt

Sophia Martinez
Grilled lamb kebabs marinated in lemon, garlic and spices, with a cool garlic yogurt sauce. 30g protein per serving — 2 kebabs plus sauce, no rice.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 4
Calories 280 kcal

Equipment

  • Skewers for threading the lamb
  • Grill or cast iron grill pan for cooking the kebabs
  • Small Bowl for the garlic yogurt sauce

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g lean lamb leg trimmed and cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 8 skewers metal, or wooden soaked in water for 30 minutes

For the garlic yogurt sauce:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint chopped
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the lamb cubes and toss to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
  • While the lamb marinates, stir the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, mint and salt together in a small bowl. Chill until serving.
  • Thread the lamb onto 8 skewers, about 5 cubes per skewer — 2 skewers per serving.
  • Grill over medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
  • Rest the kebabs for 3 minutes, then serve with the garlic yogurt sauce spooned over or on the side.

Notes

Marinate 30 minutes (up to 8 hours in the fridge). 8 skewers total, 2 per serving. Rest 3 minutes before serving.
Keyword dinner, garlic yogurt, grill, high protein, lamb kebabs

Stainless Steel Flat Metal Skewers

flat skewers stop the lamb spinning when you turn them on the grill.

Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan

for kebabs when the barbecue isn’t an option; the ridges give proper char marks.

Instant Read Meat Thermometer

check the thickest cube hits temperature without cutting kebabs open.

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