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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Iskender kebab

Iskender kebab is a Turkish dish of thin beef slices served over pita bread, topped with tomato sauce, garlic yogurt, and melted spiced butter. It serves 4, takes 45 minutes, and ranks as medium difficulty, at about €3.60 per person. The key is slicing the meat very thin and searing it over high heat so it stays tender.

Tonight it's iskender kebab, thin slices of beef over pita bread, topped with tomato sauce, melted butter, and garlic yogurt.

Iskender kebab
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.60
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

Iskender kebab plays on contrast, pita bread slowly soaking up tomato sauce, tender lightly seared beef, and cool tangy garlic yogurt. The melted butter with sweet paprika, poured on right before serving, adds a fragrant richness that ties everything together. It's a generous dish meant to be shared straight from the platter, scooped up with forks.

This is a recipe for an evening when you have a bit of time, or a weekend lunch with friends around the table. Since raw garlic and paprika give it real character, it's better suited to adults or teens who already enjoy bold flavors. Mon Chou suggests it as a change from the usual kebab wrap, without leaving your kitchen.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rump steak or flank steak 600 g

Bakery

  • Pita breads 4

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oreganooften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g
  • Plain yogurt 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 2 cloves

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the meat into very thin slices and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.

    Pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes first, it slices much thinner that way.

  2. Heat the tomatoes with the tomato paste in a saucepan, salt, and let it reduce. 15 min

    Cook the sauce until it coats the spoon, if it's too runny it will soak the bread.

  3. Mix the yogurt with crushed garlic and a pinch of salt.

    Make this first so the garlic has time to flavor the yogurt.

  4. Sear the meat in two batches in olive oil over very high heat. 8 min

    A very hot pan sears the meat instead of boiling it.

  5. Cut the grilled pitas into pieces, lay the meat on top, cover with tomato sauce and yogurt, then pour the melted paprika butter over everything.

    Melt the butter with the paprika until it's foamy and red.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a well marbled cut like flank steak, it stays juicier after a quick sear over high heat.
  • Slice the pita bread right before plating, it should soak up the sauce without softening too far in advance.
  • Taste the garlic yogurt before serving, raw garlic gets stronger within minutes, so adjust the amount if needed.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for lamb for a bolder flavor, closer to the traditional Turkish version.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with eggplant slices seared in olive oil.
  • To save time, use pre-cut pita breads and a jarred tomato sauce that you simply warm up.

What to serve it with

  • A cucumber and tomato salad
  • A bowl of marinated olives
  • Black tea or homemade lemonade

Storage

Store the meat, tomato sauce, and yogurt separately in sealed containers for up to 2 days in the fridge. Don't freeze the garlic yogurt, it separates when thawed. Reheat the meat and sauce in a pan, then assemble with fresh bread and cold yogurt.

Questions about this dish

Can you make iskender kebab ahead of time?

You can make the tomato sauce and garlic yogurt the day before, they keep well in the fridge. Cut and cook the meat at the last minute though, and assemble the dish right before serving so the bread doesn't go soggy.

What meat works if you don't have rump or flank steak?

Hanger steak or skirt steak both work well, staying tender when cooked quickly over high heat. Lamb also works nicely and is closer to the original recipe.

How do you keep the pita bread from getting soggy?

Reduce the tomato sauce until it coats the spoon, a runny sauce soaks the bread too fast. Also assemble the dish at the very last moment, right before serving.

Can you swap the sweet paprika for something else?

Sweet smoked paprika works well and gives a similar color and flavor. Avoid hot chili, it would throw off the mild, fragrant balance the dish is built around.

How long does it take to make an iskender kebab?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in an iskender kebab?

About 700 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an iskender kebab cost?

About €3.60 per serving, or €14.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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