This parchment-paper method for doner kebab recipe may be trending right now, but longtime readers might recognize it from the method I used in my authentic gyros pita recipe. So what is döner kebab? It's Turkish-style seasoned meat cooked on a vertical spit. The seasoned meat is shaved thin and served in flatbread or Middle Eastern pita bread.
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Doner kebab or kabob is a classic Turkish street food, made with layered seasoned meat, like a cross between kofta bebab and gyros. It's all the rage right now, which is why I thought I'd share my doner kebab recipe with you.
I'll teach you everything you need to know to make this classic Turkish dish at home with simple ingredients in around 35 minutes, no rotisserie needed!
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🧐 What is Doner Kebab?
Doner kebab is a popular Turkish street food made with spiced meat cooked on a vertical spit. The meat is shaved into thin slices and served in flatbread with toppings such as a Middle Eastern salad and yogurt sauce. I prefer it with fresh veggies and herbs, crumbled feta, and garlic sauce (toum).
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Meat: I'm using ground lamb because it's my favorite, but feel free to use ground beef instead. The higher the fat content, the juicier your doner kebab will be.
- Onion & Garlic: A small yellow onion & a few cloves of garlic
- Fresh Herbs: Italian parsley, fresh mint may be substituted
- Yogurt: Homemade yogurt, Middle Eastern yogurt, or Greek yogurt
- Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil.
- Spices & Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice, Aleppo pepper (optional), and cayenne (optional)
🥙 How to Make Doner Kebab
Preheat Oven 475℉
Step 1: Grate the onion, then place it in a fine-mesh sieve and press out the juice. Discard the liquid.
Step 2: Add grated onion, ground lamb (or beef), minced garlic, chopped parsley, yogurt, olive oil, salt, paprika, coriander, cumin, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, allspice, and cayenne (optional) to a food processor. Blend ingredients until they have a paste-like consistency.
Pro Tip: If you want the meat mixture to be even smoother, blend everything except the meat until you have a paste, then add the meat and blend until well combined.
Step 3: Tear two sheets of parchment paper approximately 10" wide. Place ⅔ cup of the meat mixture between the two sheets and flatten with the palm of your hand.
Step 4: Use a rolling pin to flatten the meat into a very thin, even layer. Redistribute the meat as needed. Starting from the long edge, fold the meat into 1½-inch folds until you have a compact roll. You should have enough mixture to make 4 rolls.
Step 5: Place rolls on a rimmed baking sheet, then bake in a preheated 475℉ oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then carefully unroll. Tear into strips and serve.
Pro Tip: After tearing into strips, pop them under the broiler or fry in a hot pan for a few minutes if you prefer slightly charred, crispy edges.
🌯 What's the difference between a doner and a gyro?
Both are made with seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, but doner is Turkish, and gyro is Greek. The main difference is in the seasoning and toppings. Doner kebab uses warm spices like cumin and coriander, while gyro seasoning usually features oregano, rosemary, thyme, and cinnamon. Gyro is served with tzatziki sauce.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Roll it thin! The thinner the meat, the better the layered folds mimic traditional rotisserie doner.
- This doner kebab recipe can be prepared ahead of time, and the rolls can be refrigerated or frozen until ready to serve.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
🍢 More Kebab (Kabob) Recipes
If you enjoy this doner kebab recipe, check out these other delicious kabob recipes!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Grate the onion, then place it in a fine-mesh sieve and press out the juice. Discard the liquid.
- Add grated onion, ground lamb (or beef), minced garlic, chopped parsley, yogurt, olive oil, salt, paprika, coriander, cumin, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, allspice, and cayenne (optional) to a food processor. Blend ingredients until they have a paste-like consistency.
- Tear two sheets of parchment paper approximately 10" wide. Place ⅔ cup of the meat mixture between the two sheets and flatten with the palm of your hand.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the meat into a very thin, even layer. Redistribute the meat as needed. Starting from the long edge, fold the meat into 1½-inch folds until you have a compact roll. You should have enough mixture to make 4 rolls.
- Place rolls on a rimmed baking sheet, then bake in a preheated 475℉ oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then carefully unroll. Tear into strips and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- If you want the meat mixture to be even smoother, blend everything except the meat until you have a paste, then add the meat and blend until well combined.
- After tearing into strips, pop them under the broiler or fry in a hot pan for a few minutes if you prefer slightly charred, crispy edges.
- Roll it thin! The thinner the meat, the better the layered folds mimic traditional rotisserie doner.
- Doner kebab can be prepared ahead of time, and the rolls can be refrigerated or frozen until ready to serve.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Hilda Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does!
Kat says
We used your gyro seasoning spices recipe with this and it was great! One quick question... how do you cook if you freeze raw leftovers? Do we I thaw first? or cook from frozen? Same cook temp/times ?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kat, Thanks for your review and comment! The last time I made this (and Gyros) I rolled the meat out between 2 sheets of parchment parchment paper and then cut it into pieces about the size of a large ziplock bag. I layered all the pieces and froze them in the bag. When we want to have some. I remove a few of the sheets, easily peel off the parchment, and fry it in a skillet, no need to thaw them. You can cook the whole sheet or cut them into strips like gyros. I hope that helps!