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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Lahm mechoui, lamb skewers with tabbouleh

Lahm mechoui is a Lebanese recipe of lamb skewers marinated in seven spices, served with fresh tabbouleh and pita bread. It takes 50 minutes for 4 people, costs €4.00 per person, and rates as easy. The key is marinating the meat well and making a tabbouleh heavy on herbs, light on bulgur.

Tonight, lamb skewers marinated in seven spices and grilled, with fresh tabbouleh, a sunny Lebanese dinner.

Lahm mechoui, lamb skewers with tabbouleh
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.00
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Lahm mechoui is lamb that has soaked up spices before hitting the grill, just long enough to stay tender and fragrant inside with a lightly charred edge outside. Alongside it, tabbouleh brings bright, tangy freshness, built with far more herbs than bulgur, the way it's done in Lebanon. Together, wrapped in warm pita, they make a complete meal that feels light and full of flavor.

This is the kind of dish to bring out on a spring Sunday or a summer evening, when you want to eat outside and the kids enjoy threading the meat onto skewers themselves. Adults appreciate the spice blend for being a change from everyday meals, and the tabbouleh wins over even those who shy away from heavier food. It's an easy recipe to plan, needing just a bit of lead time for the marinade.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Lamb shoulder or leg 700 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Flat leaf parsley 3 bunch
  • Fresh mint 1 bunch
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Green onions 1 bunch
  • Lemon 3

Pantry

  • Seven spice blend or ras el hanout 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Fine bulguroften in the pantry 100 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Pita bread 4

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the lamb into cubes, mix it with a grated onion, the spices, two tablespoons of oil, salt, and pepper, then let it marinate in the fridge. 30 min

    The grated onion tenderizes the meat and infuses it with flavor.

  2. Soak the bulgur in the lemon juice with a little water so it swells. 15 min

    Don't cook it, it swells in the lemon juice and stays firm.

  3. Finely chop the parsley and mint, cut the tomatoes and green onions into very small dice.

    Dry the herbs well before chopping them, otherwise the tabbouleh turns watery.

  4. Mix everything into the bulgur with the remaining oil, salt, and pepper, then keep chilled.

    Lebanese tabbouleh is made with plenty of herbs and only a little bulgur.

  5. Thread the meat onto skewers and grill on a hot grill or pan, turning regularly. Serve with the tabbouleh and pita bread. 12 min

    Let the skewers rest for two minutes before serving, the juices redistribute.

Our tips to get it right

  • Grate the onion instead of chopping it for the marinade, it releases more juice and soaks into the meat better.
  • Drain the bulgur well before mixing it with the herbs, otherwise the tabbouleh weeps water while it sits in the fridge.
  • Use metal skewers if you have them, the meat cooks more evenly than with wooden ones that need soaking first.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb for cubed chicken, the spice marinade works just as well and cooking goes faster.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with eggplant and zucchini cubes marinated the same way before grilling.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the meat off the skewer, simply grilled in small pieces, with the tabbouleh and bread on the side.

What to serve it with

  • Plain yogurt or garlic sauce
  • Olives and crunchy vegetables
  • Homemade lemonade or lemon water

Storage

The raw marinated meat keeps for 24 hours in the fridge in a sealed container. The tabbouleh keeps for 2 days chilled, well covered. Reheat the cooked skewers in a pan for a few minutes, the tabbouleh is meant to be eaten cold.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the marinade the night before?

Yes, it's even better that way. Let the lamb marinate overnight in the fridge, the spices soak in more deeply and the meat turns out more flavorful.

Can you cook the skewers in the oven?

Yes, place the skewers under the oven broiler for a few minutes per side. The grilled flavor will be a bit milder than with a barbecue or a hot pan.

Why soak the bulgur in lemon instead of cooking it?

Fine bulgur simply swells when it soaks up the acidic liquid, no cooking needed. It stays firm to the bite, which gives tabbouleh its signature texture.

Can you use couscous instead of bulgur?

It won't really be a traditional Lebanese tabbouleh anymore, but it works. Prepare the couscous separately with hot water first, then fold it into the herbs.

How long does it take to make lamb mechoui skewers with tabbouleh and pita bread?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in lamb mechoui skewers with tabbouleh and pita bread?

About 680 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 lamb mechoui skewers with tabbouleh and pita bread cost?

About €4.00 per serving, or €16.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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