Viral Oven Doner Kebab
This Oven Baked Doner Kebab recipe has gone viral for a reason: savory and juicy slices of meat that taste just like you bought it at a popular food stand, but made with simple ingredients and tools at home!
I grew up eating a TON of kebab, given my mom is Persian. Those kabobs were different: either chunks of beef and chicken, or thick pieces of ground meat, grilled to perfection. This style models after done/gyro kebabs sliced right off of a spit – something we couldn’t exactly do at home!
When I saw the oven done kebabs go viral, based on Meze Mike on TikTok, I knew I had to give it a go!
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Why you should make these viral Oven Doner kebabs:
- Beginner level: minimal prep, few dishes, and zero stovetop time
- No chopping: just blitzing or grating onion and garlic together, then mixing with the meat at spices.
- Flavor bomb: savory and juicy, with the perfect char at the end from broiling the thin slices of meat.
- Crowd-pleaser: looks impressive, tastes amazing, and scales up easily, its perfect for a pot luck, family dinner, or holiday meal.
- Top however you like: roll up in lavash or pita bread with tahini and vegetables, or serve alongside fries and salad!
Ingredients
The original recipe by Meze Mike calls for yogurt which can make the meat more tender. I wanted to keep this version dairy-free so I omitted.
- Ground beef or lamb – Opt for a fatty kind and not lean. If you only have access to lean, I would add one or two tablespoons of olive oil.
- Onion – White, yellow, or red will do. This tenderizes and flavors the meat.
- Garlic – Adds depth of flavor.
- Spices – Hot paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can adjust based on your taste! I might even try this recipe out with the spices in my Mediterranean Turkey Meatball Bowls!
- To serve: Pita or lavash bread, French fries, chopped vegetables, pickles.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make the viral oven baked doner kebabs
Step 1: Combine fresh onion and garlic in a food processor and blitz for 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add onion and garlic mixture to ground meat and spices. Mix thoroughly.
Step 3: Form and oval shaped ball and place on a sheet of parchment paper over a flat surface.
Step 4: Place another parchment paper over the meat ball. Press down with your hand, then use a rolling pin to flatten.
Step 5: Remove top layer of parchment paper.
Step 6: Fold and roll the parchment paper up, length wise.
Step 7: Add all the parchment rolls to a baking sheet.
Step 8: Cook in oven, with an option to broil at the end.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it spicy: Add cayenne or hot harissa to the meat mixture, or peppers to the sandwich or salad you make.
- Change up the meat: This would be great with beef or. lamb. Turkey or chicken might work too but I haven’t tried.
- Add yogurt: The original recipe does call for yogurt added to the meat (about ¼ cup of unflavored yogurt), but I wanted to keep mine dairy-free.
Equipment
You will want a food processor or grater to get the onion and garlic really fine. These parchment paper slices were perfect for rolling up the meat. I used a rolling pin to get the meat really thin, but you can also use an empty wine bottle!
Storing oven-baked doner kebabs
Store leftover oven doner kebab in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet.
Rate This Recipe
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Viral Baked Doner Kebab
Ingredients
Oven Baked Doner Kebabs
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb 80/20 preferred
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
To Serve
- lavash bread
- tahini
- pickles
- cabbage salad
- tomatoes
- French fries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Blend the aromatics. Add the onion and garlic to a food processor and blend on high for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through, until finely minced.
- Mix the meat. In a medium bowl, add the ground beef or lamb, spices, and the blended onion mixture. Use your hands to mix thoroughly until the meat is fully seasoned and cohesive. Divide into 5 equal oval portions.
- Roll the meat thin. Place one oval on a sheet of parchment, then place another piece on top. Gently flatten with your hand, then roll with a rolling pin or wine bottle until thin but not paper-thin.
- Wrap and transfer. Remove the top parchment (reserve to reuse) and roll up the bottom parchment around the meat to form a log. Place on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining meat portions.
- Bake. – For juicy, soft meat: bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then unroll the meat back on to the sheet tray to soak in the juices.– For a crisp, slightly charred finish: bake 15–17 minutes, then unwrap, spread evenly, and broil 2–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Serve and enjoy. Pair with lavash, tahini, fresh vegetables, or serve on top of salad with French fries on the side.
Epic take on the viral kebab recipe. The spices were perfect. A plus!