My Cookbook: Souk to Table 
Easy Skillet Doner Kebab (Lamb/Beef)
If you have a craving for a classic Turkish doner kebab wrap, this recipe will guide you through how to make it even more delicious at home! This easy method requires you to puree the meat with seasoning and then freeze it into a log. Thin strips of meat can then be shaved off and sizzled on a skillet until golden, then stuffed into a wrap with all the fixings. Skip the Turkish take out and try this recipe instead!
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Turkish Style Doner Kebab
If you have strolled the streets of Istanbul, or if you live in a very multi-cultural city (hello Toronto!), a Turkish doner is definitely familiar to you. While there are many delicious Turkish recipes, Doner is one of the most popular. It is a Turkish street food made of seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie spit. Street vendors use a large knife to shave strips of meat off that they sell in wraps with a classic white sauce, pickles, tomatoes and sumac onions.
It is very closely related to Arabic style shawarma, which is actually named after the Turkish word “cevirme”, meaning “turning”. However, the seasoning and flavour profile is quite different than Arabic shawarma.
The main unique feature of doner is the caramelized thin strips of meat, as a result of the spit rotating and caramelizing. This recipe achieves just that: perfectly caramelized thin strips of meat. But there is no rotating spit in sight! We use the frozen log of meat method. Make it into wraps, and any leftovers can be served in a completely different and equally delicious way using this iskender kebab recipe.
What is Doner Kebab Made of?
This recipe requires either regular ground beef, or ground lamb, or a mixture of the two. Use whichever of these you prefer. The meat mixture also requires onions, yogurt (for extra tender results), milk, seasoning, and fresh thyme.
If you want to experience the truly authentic way of enjoying doner, serve it in a wrap with this Turkish white sauce. The sauce is easy and consists of: yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, fresh dill, garlic, salt and pepper.
Step By Step Method for Doner
This recipe requires the use of a food processor to process the doner into a paste that resembles the perfect consistence. Start by processing the onions until finely chopped.
Next, add the meat, all the seasoning, the yogurt, milk and the fresh time. Process for at least 2 minutes until the mixture turns into a paste.
Place a large sheet of wax paper on a flat surface and spoon the doner paste onto it. You can also use plastic wrap, but through testing this recipe, I found that the wax paper was easier to remove once the log was frozen.
Use gloves or oiled hands to shape the doner meat paste into a log shape, roughly 20 to 30 cm in length. The length doesn’t matter as much since you will be shaving off the meat.
Wrap the wax paper tightly around the meat and secure the ends well by rolling them, similar to how you would roll up a candy. Place in the freezer and freeze until solid, which should take at least 4 hours or 6+ hours.
Once you are ready to cook, remove the doner log from the freezer and unwrap the wax paper. This recipe makes at least 4 servings, so if you are only making a small amount, you can cut a portion and return the rest to the freezer. Only take the meat out 10 minutes before you are ready to cut it, otherwise it will thaw too much.
Before you start shaving the meat off, ensure you have a heavy bottom skillet (like a cast iron) hot with some olive oil. The meat slices have to be seared as soon as they are cut.
Very carefully lay the log onto a stable cutting board and use a sharp knife to shave the meat into thin strips. You can shave from the vertical side or the shorter horizontal side, as long as you establish thin strips.
Work in batches to sear the thin strips of meat in the hot skillet for 30 seconds or so, just until they are caramelized and golden. Remove and set on a plate, then continue with the rest of the doner strips. Working in batches is important. Overcrowding will yield to too much steam since the meat is already frozen and will release moisture.
Once the meat is ready, you can whip up the white sauce by combining all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.
The traditional way of serving doner kebab is in a wrap with pickle slices, thin tomato slices, and a sumac onion salad. I use a thick pita bread (Greek style works), or you can use Turkish style bread. To assemble, slather the sauce generously, add a lot of doner slives, then top with a few sliced pickes, tomatoes and a handful of the sumac onions.
How To Prepare in Advance
Making the doner meat paste and freezing it in advance is the best way to easily enjoy a doner wrap when the mood strikes. You can also double this recipe to have enough on hand for a few months. I recommend freezing them in two logs (instead of a giant one) so they are easier to handle when shaving the meat.
You can also whip up the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few days.
If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!
Easy Skillet Doner Kebab (Lamb/Beef)
Ingredients
Doner
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1/2 kg regular ground beef, (500g) or a mix of lamb and beef
- 2 tablespoons whole yogurt
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, or butter
White Sauce
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablepsoons fresh dill, finely chopped, or substitute 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane
For Serving
- thinly sliced tomato
- pickles
- pita bread or flatbread
- onion sumac salad, 1 thinly sliced white or red onion combined with 2 teaspoons sumac, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Doner
In a food processor, pulse the chopped onion until finely minced. Add the ground meat, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, yogurt and milk, blending until evenly mixed and smooth, for at least 1-2 minutes.- Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap or wax paper and scoop the meat onto it. Shape the meat into a 20 cm large log using the plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal and compact it into a sausage-like form. Freeze until solid for at least 4 hours.
- Once the kebab meat is solid, unwrap a portion and place it horizontally on a kitchen towel to avoid slipping. Slice it thinly along the circular side, about 5 mm thick. If you find it easier to stand it up, you can also slice along the longer side.
- Heat a large heavy bottomed cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a light spray of oil. Cook the meat strips until golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a dish. Work fast in batches before the doner slices defrost completely. You also should not crowd the pan or they will steam.
White Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper, dill and the grated garlic clove. Whisk the sauce then taste and adjust for salt as desired.
For Serving
- To assemble the doner kebab, place crispy meat slices on a pita or flatbread, add sliced tomato, sumac onion salad, and drizzle with white sauce. Roll up the doner kebab and serve with extra white sauce on the side
Notes
- You may use regular ground beef, ground lamb, or a mixture of the two to make this recipe. It is up to your preference.
- Ensure that you take out the frozen doner only about 10 minutes before you are ready to slice. Once you start slicing, ensure the pan you have is hot and ready to go, before the slices defrost completely.
Another one for the books. We don’t have any halal Turkish places around my town so your recipes always come to the rescue. Thanks again!
looks delicious! what is your favorite brand of sumac?
I love both of these brands for sumac: this one and this one. Let me know what you think if you try them!
Assalamu Alaikum Amina
I didn’t get a chance to try any recipes yet, due to me being on a keto diet. Insha’Allah soon but this doner kebab looks devine.
I will definitely try it on Sunday and will let you know.
Shukran so much for your great recipes.
I hope you love it Siham, let me know how it goes!
I used half beef and half lamb mixture. It turned out fantastic. We also cook it as you suggested and it is very easy and tasty. We stayed in Turkey for 2 weeks and had Doner almost everyday. So happy to find this recipe! I find I have to let the frozen kebab meat sit for about 6 minutes before I can slice it. Thank you Amina
Used beyond meat and probably didn’t wait long enough in the freezer. Still tured out delicious.
Oh wow so glad you tried it with beyond meat! Thanks for the feedback!
Amina you are amazing. Your recipe are excellent. I always try to do your recipe. Even if your recipes are difficult, I still try doing it. Thank you. I have loved each and every one.