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doner kebab beef on a sheet pan with tomatoes and peppers.
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Homemade Doner Kebab

Doner kebab recipe made from scratch using ground beef, seasonings, grated onion, yogurt, and a few other simple ingredients. Easy, tasty, and perfect as a weeknight dinner to feed a crowd.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free
Skill Level: Beginner
Servings: 8
Author: Rena

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef I used 85%
  • 1 medium onion grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1/3 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon mild pepper paste
  • 1 tablespoon chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons Oregano
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Optional Veggie Add-ons

  • Tomatoes
  • Green Peppers like jalapenos or any other type

To serve

  • Pita Bread
  • Pickles
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Sliced Red onion with parsley and Sumac
  • Garlic Sauce Like Toom
  • Tartar sauce tahini paste mixed with lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, add the 2 pounds ground beef, seasonings (1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons Oregano, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper), grated 1 medium onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/3 cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon mild pepper paste, and 3 garlic cloves minced.
    Ingredients for the doner kebab are placed in a bowl.
  • Mix well until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated. Divide into 6 portions.
    hand mixing the meat mixture together.
  • Lay a parchment paper on a flat surface, add one of the meat portions to the parchment paper, place another parchment paper over it, and press down with your hands to spread it a bit.
    ball of meat over parchment paper.
  • Using a rolling pin, spread super thinly all over the parchment paper. The meat mixture should be really thin, which should be only about 1-2 mm thick. You can remove the top parchment paper or keep it.
    rolled out the meat mixture on a parchment paper.
  • Roll it up about 1 inch folds and repeat for the remaining meat mixture. (seen note).
    rolling the meat with the parchment paper.
  • Add all the rolled up meat onto the prepared sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. If using additional veggies like Tomatoes and Green Peppers, you can add them next to the rolled meat before baking.
    doner rolled meat placed on parchment paper with peppers and tomatoes.
  • Take the pan out of the oven and drain the excess liquid. Unravel the parchment paper to separate it from the meat.
    unravelling the beef doner from the parchment paper.
  • If the veggies are cooked to your liking at this point, remove them and set them on the side, and re-bake for another 5-7 minutes or broil on medium for 3-5 minutes or until it crisp.
    breaking the doner beef sheets on the pan.
  • Serve over a salad, in a rice bowl, or make a sandwich using Pita Bread with Tartar sauce, Garlic Sauce, Pickles, Shredded lettuce, Sliced Red onion , or lemon juice.
    holding the sandwich that's cut in half.

Notes

  • When rolling out the beef in between the parchment paper, you may roll some of the meat out; it's ok, just scrape it with your hand and add it back into the parchment paper and roll again. 
  • I tested leaving the top parchment paper and also removing it before rolling, and it didn't make a difference. So if it is easier to keep it on, then just leave it.
  • Mild pepper paste adds a great flavor; if you don't have any, it's ok to skip it.
  • The original recipe called for more cumin, I believe 1 tablespoon, but I personally don't like too much cumin in meat. If you do, add more.
  • Cut the veggies smaller to make sure they cook through. 
  • When you grate the onion, it will have some excess liquid. Drain it if possible.
  • Don't be alarmed when you see some liquid in the pan after the doner kebab bakes; just drain it right off the pan. 
  • I usually like 90% lean meat, but for this recipe, it will work best when you use 85%.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 970mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg