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Beef

Greek Inspired Steak Kabobs with Tzatziki

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Tender, marinated Greek Inspired Steak Kabobs with Tzatziki, zucchini, mushroom, chili peppers and cucumber dill relish top pita bread.

This is a very fun, almost sexy dinner to eat. It’s perfect for date night or a small dinner party. It’s steak house meets Greek taverna, all in about 30 minutes. A perfect make ahead dinner that can be grilled just as your guests arrive.

Greek Beef Kabobs with Tzatziki

Ingredients in Greek Inspired Steak Kabobs with Tzatziki

  • Rib Steak – One inch thick rib steak cut into equal sized cubes to ensure even cooking time.
  • Mushrooms – I like using cremini mushrooms as they hold up better on a kabob skewer.
  • Zucchini – Choose a smaller zucchini so you end up with less middle seeded portion.
  • Fresno Chilies – Red, moderately hot, thinner skinned pepper with really nice flavor.
  • Grape Tomatoes – Either grape or cherry tomatoes will work on the kabob skewer.
  • Naan Flatbread – Regular or garlic flavored is really nice.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – Used in the basting sauce to bring out the flavor in the steak.
  • Cucumber – English cucumber works the best because it has less seeds and thinner skin.
  • Dill – Fresh dill in the tzatziki and for garnish.
  • Greek Yogurt – Just plain old Greek yogurt.
  • Sour Cream – I use our local Tillamook sour cream, it’s thick and creamy.
  • Lemon – Nice, squeezable lemon for juice and zest. Roll on counter to produce a juicier lemon.
  • Pantry Items – olive oil (extra virgin), garlic, salt.

Tips & Tricks to the Perfect Kabob

The key to making the best kabob skewers relies on evenly cut meats and vegetables. It’s important to cut your meat pieces into even cubed portions to ensure even cooking. If one portion is thicker than another, it will take longer to cook, resulting in overcooked or undercooked meat.

The same theory applies to your vegetables, but because vegetables are different shapes, you want to focus on the thickness of the cut. For example, the zucchini in this recipe should be cut at 1/4 inch thick rounds. This gives enough thickness to hold up to the steak and mushrooms without drying out or shriveling up.

Another important tip….Baste those kabobs. You’ll find me standing next to my grill with a cup full of basting sauce (and a glass of wine). Dip, brush, turn, repeat. Every time you brush on the basting sauce you add another layer of flavor. You’ll want to use the entire bowl of basting sauce for the most delicious kabobs.

Tender, marinated Greek Inspired Steak Kabobs with Tzatziki, zucchini, mushroom, chili peppers and cucumber dill relish top pita bread.

Greek Inspired Steak Kabobs with Tzatziki

Tender, marinated Greek Inspired Steak Kabobs with Tzatziki, zucchini, mushroom, chili peppers and cucumber dill relish top pita bread.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Beef, Fusion, Greek
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 4 long kabob skewers

Ingredients
  

  • 2 thick rib steaks, boneless cut in 1 inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. garlic minced
  • 8 mushrooms button or cremini
  • 2 small zucchini sliced 1/4 inch rounds
  • 4 small Fresno chilies
  • 12 cherry / grape tomatoes

Basting Sauce

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. garlic minced

Tzatziki

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp. garlic
  • 1/2 English cucumber peeled, seeds removed
  • 1/2 lemon juiced, zested
  • 2-3 tbsp. fresh dill
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

Other Ingredients

  • 4 Naan flat breads
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 English cucumber seeds removed, diced
  • 1 tbsp. fresh dill

Instructions
 

  • Fire up the grill. Coat the cubed steak pieces in 1 tbsp. Worcestershire and 1 tsp. garlic. Let sit while you make the basting sauce and tzatziki.
  • Thread the cubed steak pieces, mushrooms, zucchini, Fresno chilies and tomatoes on skewers., dividing equally among the 4 skewers.
  • Grill over direct heat, turning frequently for about 3-4 minutes to get a nice light char, then move to indirect heat and start basting with the basting sauce.
  • Continue grilling, rotating and basting until cooked through about 8-10 minutes. Remove from grill and let rest while you prepare Naan flat bread.
  • Brush each Naan flat bread with olive oil and quickly grill to warm. Serve steak kabobs over Naan flat bread with Tzatziki dolloped on top. Garnish with diced cucumber and fresh dill.

Basting Sauce

  • Melt butter, Worcestershire and garlic together.

Tzatziki

  • Combine sour cream, Greek yogurt, garlic, cucumber, lemon, dill and salt in a food processer or blender and pulse to combine. Drizzle in olive oil while pulsing.
Keyword 30 Minute Dinner, Grilled Kabobs

Related Recipes

Rib Steak with Garlic Chive Butter

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Farm raised Rib Steak with Garlic Chive Butter seared in a cast iron pan with sweet vine tomatoes bursting with flavor.

Dinner doesn’t have to be a major production. In fact, the best dinners are those that take as little as 15 minutes. Using fresh, high quality ingredients turns a simple dinner into a restaurant quality dinner. Find a local farm and stock up on meat. The quality of farm fresh meat surpasses your grocery store meat in both texture and flavor.

Farm Raised Rib Steak

Mama’s Garden in Deming, Washington supplied the rib steak for this Rib Steak with Garlic Chive Butter. A family owned farm supplying locals with USDA grass fed angus beef as well as seasonal vegetables, blueberries and plants.

Family owned means you know where your food comes from. Generations of hard working farmers bringing the same quality year after year. You can taste the quality in every bite. Once you try farm raised beef, fresh eggs and vegetables, you will be hooked for life. The taste, the texture, even the color is noticeably different than grocery store meat…and if you’re looking for the added benefits, be sure to check out the list by clicking this link to Mama’s Garden where she explains many reasons why farm raised beef is the best.

Related Recipes

Ingredients for Rib Steak with Garlic Chive Butter

  • Rib Steak – You want a good quality steak with nice fat marbling, about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch thick.
  • On-the-Vine Tomatoes – Flavor Bomb tomatoes are the best for this application.
  • Butter – Real butter is a must for the compound garlic chive butter.
  • Chives – Fresh chives, finely minced.
  • Garlic – I like using the jarred, pre-minced garlic for this recipe.
  • Cooking Oil – Use a neutral oil, mild in flavor, such as canola, vegetable, avocado or sunflower.
Cast iron seared Rib Steak with Chive Butter and sweet vine tomatoes

Rib Steak with Garlic Chive Butter

Cast iron seared Rib Steak with Garlic Chive Butter and sweet vine tomatoes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Beef
Servings 2

Equipment

  • 10" – 12" Cast iron pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 rib steak about 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick
  • 1 tbsp. avocado oil can use canola or vegetable
  • salt and pepper
  • 1-2 vines of grape / cherry tomatoes

Chive Butter

  • 2 tbsp. butter room temperature
  • 2 tbsp. fresh chives minced
  • 1 tsp. garlic minced

Instructions
 

  • Let rib eye steak come to room temperature while you heat cast iron pan in 500 degree oven.
  • Remove cast iron pan from oven and place on stove burner on high. Season rib eye steak generously with salt and pepper. Add oil to hot cast iron pan.
  • When oil is hot, place steak in center of hot cast iron pan and push middle down to ensure contact with the pan. Sear for 2 minutes without moving. Flip steak over, place 1/2 of the chive butter on steak and place vine tomatoes in the pan. Place pan back in 500 degree oven and cook for another 2 – 6 minutes depending on desired doneness. Remove at 140 degrees for medium rare, place remaining butter on steak and let rest for at least 10 minutes.
Keyword Cast Iron Steak in Oven

Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce

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Impress your guests with this easy, but elegant Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce.

With very little prep time and only 20 minutes in the oven, this Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce is a clear rival from the standard prime rib dinner. So incredibly tender, you can cut each bite with just a fork.

Just imagine sliding that tender bite through a velvety reduction of port wine sauce. Sounds pretty fancy, doesn’t it? It’s really very simple, but your guests don’t need to know this. Let them think you spent hours in the kitchen creating a masterpiece.

Depending on how many guests you have, you could end up with leftovers. If you’re lucky enough to accomplish this, I beg you to make French dip sandwiches tomorrow. Your mouth will thank you for the best French dip it ever had. So tender, so juicy, absolutely amazing.

Impress your guests with this easy, but impressive Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce.

Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce

Impress your guests with this easy, but impressive Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Resting Time 20 mins
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Beef

Equipment

  • Butcher's twine
  • Meat thermometer

Ingredients
  

Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin

  • 5-6 lb. beef tenderloin roast trimmed and tied
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves removed and chopped
  • salt and pepper

Port Wine Sauce

  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cup good port wine
  • 1/2 cup good beef broth

Instructions
 

Rosemary Crusted Beef Tenderloin

  • If your tenderloin roast is not trimmed, you will want to trim off any excess fat. Next, you will wrap the tenderloin so the smaller end flaps tuck in closely, making a more uniform roast. This helps maintain an evenly cooked tenderloin and also presents better on the serving plate. Make a slip knot on end of roast furthest from you, securing the Butcher's twine. Next, pull a length of Butcher's twine towards you, making a large loop. This loop will now be slipped over the furthest end of the roast and placed an inch away from your initial anchor. Continue this at one inch intervals the entire length of the roast. Now, run the Butcher's twine back down the length of the roast under the loops you just placed. Secure at the original anchor.
  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  • Rub softened butter over tenderloin. Season with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary. Let rest until room temperature while you pre-heat the oven.
  • Place roast on a sheet pan in the 500 degree oven for 22 minutes or until 125 degree internal temperature is reached. If you have an in oven meat thermometer, I would suggest using.
  • Remove from oven and place foil over top, rest for 20 minutes. Slice in thick one inch pieces and serve with port wine sauce.

Port Wine Sauce

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, add flour and stir, cooking the flour for a minute or so.
  • Add garlic, port wine and beef broth, continue stirring to combine.
  • Slowly simmer until thicker and reduced by half.
  • Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Keyword Beef Roast, Holiday Dinner, Holiday Roast

Ingredients

  • Beef Tenderloin Roast – Trimmed of excess fat and tied to a uniform shape.
  • Butter – Real butter, plain and simple.
  • Rosemary – A sprig or two from the garden or the produce section. Remove the leaves and chop.
  • Salt & Pepper – I like to use coarse ground pepper and salt. Go generous to create a nice crust.
  • Port Wine – Good quality port wine to create a nice rich sauce.
  • Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are best.
  • Beef Broth – Better than Bouillon is my choice.

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and let your trimmed and tied tenderloin roast come to room temperature by setting on counter.
  2. Rub tenderloin roast with butter, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper.
  3. Place on a sheet pan in oven for 22 minutes or until internal temperature of 125 degrees is reached.
  4. Remove from oven. Place foil tent over and rest for about 20 minutes. It needs this entire resting time to come up to medium rare.
  5. While the tenderloin roast is resting, make the port wine sauce.
  6. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium high heat.
  7. Add flour and stir to cook through for a minute or so.
  8. Add garlic, port wine and beef broth, continuing stirring to combine.
  9. Reduce heat and slowly simmer until reduced in half.
  10. Stir in remaining butter and serve with beef tenderloin.

Similar Recipes

  • Tender, fall apart, beef chuck braised in rich port wine with carrots and pearl onions over creamy mashed potatoes
  • Herb crusted eye of round roast is tender inside and packed with a flavorful crust outside

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Grilled Short Rib Steak with Leek Scape Butter

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Tender short rib steak with balsamic glaze, quickly grilled and topped with leek scape butter.

Grilled short rib steak with leek scape butter

Grilled Short Rib Steak with Leek Scape Butter is the quickest, easiest steak dinner you will make. Short rib steaks have alot of beautiful marbeling and that makes for a tender, flavorful bite.

Most people know short ribs as the cut of meat that gets cooked for a long period of time and results in fall of the bone meat, but short rib steaks are quite different. They should be heavenly seasoned and grilled quickly for the best possible use.

What Are Leek Scapes?

Just what are leek scapes, you ask? Scapes are the long, slim shoots that grow out of the center of a leek or hard neck garlic. Cutting them encourages growth and if let to grow, they will produce a flower.

Scapes are best cut before the flower starts to form into a ball or tear drop shape. You want to cut the scape when it’s still tender because if let to grow, they become hard and woody.

We often see garlic or leek scapes at our local Farmer’s Markets coiled up into a cute circle. Late Spring is the most common time to find these unique finds, but for those home growers, you can have them at various times of the year. This year, my leek scapes were ready in mid August.

Tender short rib steak with balsamic glaze, quickly grilled and topped with leek scape butter
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Grilled Short Rib Steak with Leek Scape Butter

Tender short rib steak with balsamic glaze, quickly grilled and topped with leek scape butter
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Farm to Table, Farmer’s Market
Keyword cooking with herbs, Short Rib Steak
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless short rib steaks
  • 4 tsp balsamic glaze
  • 4 tsp olive oil
  • generous salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp leek scapes diced

Instructions

  • Rub balsamic glaze, olive oil, salt and pepper evenly over all sides of the short rib steaks.
  • Let sit at room temperature while the grill heats about 15 minutes.
  • Grill steaks over direct heat until an internal temperature of 135 degrees is reached, about 4-5 minutes each side depending on the thickness of the steak. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes.
  • While steaks are resting, melt butter in small pan over medium heat. Add garlic and leek scapes. Cook until softened fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Spoon over steaks just before serving.

The Possibilities Are Endless

Leek scapes add a fresh hint of onion like flavor to any dish. There are endless possibilities when it comes to using leek or garlic scapes. Here are some of my favorite:

  • Leek scape pesto for pasta
  • Pickled leek scapes for your Bloody Mary’s
  • Grilled leek scapes to add to salads or steak
  • Sauteed leek scapes are perfect in stir-fry dishes

Need an Appetizer?

Bruschetta with Leek Scapes is a quick and easy appetizer that pairs perfectly with Grilled Short Rib Steak with Leek Scape Butter. Buttered, grilled baguette slices topped with creamy herbed goat cheese and leek scapes placed on an appetizer plate and served with red wine. Drizzle with sweet balsamic glaze right at the end for an extra touch.

Bruschetta with Leek Scapes

Leek scapes and goat cheese top a buttered grilled baguette slice
Creamy herbed goat cheese topped with leek scapes and balsamic glaze on top of a grilled baguette slice.
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Bruschetta with Goat Cheese & Leek Scapes

Creamy herbed goat cheese topped with leek scapes and balsamic glaze on top of a grilled baguette slice.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Vegetarian
Keyword Farm to Table, Farmer’s Market Meal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 mini baguette cut in 1/2" slices to make 8 slices
  • 2-3 tbsp butter
  • 2 leek scapes diced
  • 5 oz creamy herbed goat cheese
  • 1 tbsp balsamic glaze

Instructions

  • Butter each side of sliced baguette pieces. Place in a medium – high grill pan until toasted to golden brown on each side (Placing a heavy pan on top of baguette slices helped to get nice grill marks).
  • Melt 1/2 tbsp butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add diced leek scapes and saute until just tender about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Spread a small spoonful of goat cheese on grilled baguette slices (5 oz. package should be just enough for 8 slices).
  • Divide cooked leek scapes between each baguette slice and place directly on top of goat cheese.
  • Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Related Recipes:

Mexican Guajillo Beef Bowls

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Low and slow Mexican Guajillo Beef Bowls packed with lime dressed cabbage, cotija cheese, cumin pinto beans and Mexican rice

Mexican Guajillo Beef Bowls with all the fresh toppings

Slow cooked in Mexican peppers and cinnamon, these Mexican Guajillo Beef Bowls are perfect for piling high with Cumin Pinto Beans, Mexican Rice and fresh toppings like your favorite pico de gallo & cotija cheese.

Cumin pinto beans and Mexican rice accompany this shredded beef cooked in Guajillo and Pasilla peppers

Spice Up Your Pinto Beans

The addition of a teaspoon of roasted cumin transforms ordinary pinto beans into Ahh – Mazing pinto beans. Whether you have canned pinto beans or soaked overnight pinto beans, they need a little extra flavor before they reach the plate. If I have extra time, I saute a few slivers of sweet yellow onion, maybe a strip of bacon and definitely a teaspoon of smoked cumin.

  • 2 cans pinto beans
  • 1 tsp. smoked cumin
  • 1/4 sweet yellow onion, sauteed

The Easiest Mexican Rice

My favorite go-to rice is Basmati rice. I like how light and fluffy the grains of rice are and it works really well in my Mexican rice. A few additions to the package directions turn white rice into a lightly seasoned Mexican rice. Start by following package directions for the smallest serving using 1 cup dried rice , then add one Knorr chicken tomato bouillon cube and a tablespoon of jarred Mezzetta California Hot Mix. Cook for indicated time on package directions.

You can find Mezzetta California Hot Mix in the condiment aisle of your grocery, usually by the pickled jalapenos, olives and pickles. It is a hot pickled mix of jalapeno peppers, celery, carrot. And the Knorr chicken tomato bouillon can be found usually in the Mexican aisle of your grocery.

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Knorr chicken tomato bouillon cube
  • 1 tbsp Mezetta California Hot Mix
  • 1 cup Basmati white rice
tender, slow cooked beef in Guajillo sauce
Print Pin

Mexican Guajillo Beef Bowls

Low and slow Mexican Guajillo Beef Bowls packed with lime dressed cabbage, cotija cheese, cumin pinto beans and Mexican rice.
Course Dinner, Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Mexican Bowl, Shredded Mexican Beef
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Servings 6

Ingredients

Guajillo Beef

  • 3 Guajillo chili dried
  • 3 Pasilla chili dried
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 cloves garlic large
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 lb beef stew meat cubed
  • 2 tbsp Tajin Mexican seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp lard or bacon fat
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3-4 cups water

Cumin Pinto Beans

  • 1/4 sweet yellow onion slivered
  • 1 tsp lard or bacon fat
  • 2 cans pinto beans
  • 1 tsp cumin

Mexican Rice

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cube Knorr chicken tomato bouillon
  • 1 cup Basmati white rice
  • 1 tbsp Mezzetta California Hot Mix

Instructions

Guajillo Beef

  • Heat chicken broth until simmering.
  • Toast dried Guajillo pepper, Pasilla pepper and cinnamon stick in dry pan over medium high heat for a minute or so to release flavor. Add to blender with garlic and pour hot chicken broth over the top. Let cool just enough to blend easily to a liquid.
  • Mix together Tajin seasoning, cumin and corn starch. Season beef stew meat with mixture.
  • Heat lard or bacon fat in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in batches, sear beef stew meat until browned and crispy on the edges. Remove to a bowl while you sear all remaining pieces. When done, place seared meat and juices back in the dutch oven.
  • Add content of blender mixture to beef stew meat. Add bay leaves. Add enough water to just cover meat. reduce heat to low. Cover partially and cook for about 4 hours. Liquid should reduce and meat should be tender.
  • Serve with Cumin Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice. Top with fresh pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, lime and cotija cheese.

Cumin Pinto Beans

  • Saute onion in a teaspoon of lard or bacon fat.
  • Empty two cans pinto beans into pan with sauteed onion. Add cumin and heat until warm.

Mexican Rice

  • Heat water and chicken tomato bouillon to a simmer over high heat.
  • Add rice and Mezzetta California Hot Mix.
  • Cover and reduce heat to low.
  • Cook until water is absorbed 15 – 20 minutes

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