This is a recipe for grilled lamb kabobs that are served on a bed of arugula that’s been tossed with a wonderful creamy lemon vinaigrette. I’m sure hoping you’ll sit up and take notice and give this one a try soon. And preferably on a work week evening for a quick easy meal that just happens to end up on your plate as restaurant-quality delicious. Now that’s a treat that deserves a standing ovation.
For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been buying those plastic clam shells of organic baby arugula from Whole Foods, tossing it with a lemony vinaigrette and placing about any type of lean meat on top for a delicious healthy weeknight dinner.
It makes such an easy and healthy side dish. One clam shell lasts the week for the two of us. To quote one of my favorite celebrity chefs .. “How easy is that?” And my idea worked great for this easy grilled lamb skewer recipe.
Lamb Skewers
There’s no reason to be intimidated by cooking lamb. Lamb is easy to prepare and when cooked properly, lamb is flavorful and juicy, and the methods for preparing it are no different than those you use for beef and pork. Grilled lamb is a fast, delicious, practical weeknight option.
And if you’re looking for more lamb recipes, don’t miss my recipe for Grilled Lamb Sliders with Tomato Chutney. An incredibly delicious recipe from the famous Colorado Stanley Hotel.
Recipe for Grilled Lamb Kabobs
Just picture a bite of tender grilled lamb that’s been drizzled with a creamy lemony vinaigrette, topped with crumbles of full-bodied and savory blue cheese, and some crisp sweet onion and peppery arugula all in your mouth at the same time. ::::sigh. And as I said, easy enough for a weeknight meal and elegant enough for guests. Let’s take a look.
Grilled Lamb Kabobs with Baby Arugula and Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sour cream
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound boneless lamb shoulder chops or lamb leg steaks cut into 1-inch cubes
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 4 ounces baby arugula about 4 cups
- 1/2 cup very thinly sliced Vidalia or Sweet Texas Onion
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat grill or position an oven rack 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high.
- In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, sour cream, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil.
- If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before threading them
- In a medium bowl, combine the lamb with the 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Thread the lamb onto four small (8-inch) bamboo or metal skewers.
- Put the skewers on the grill or on a broiler pan and broil the lamb, flipping once, until browned on the outside but still pink inside (medium done), 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer the skewers to a small, shallow baking dish. Whisk the vinaigrette to recombine and pour 3 Tbsp over the skewers, turning to coat.
- In a medium bowl, toss the arugula and onion with enough of the remaining vinaigrette to lightly coat (you may not need it all). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pile the greens on two plates, top each salad with two lamb skewers, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Grilled Lamb Kabobs … It’s Whats for Dinner
Great recipe. I love new ways to use my arugula and new excuses to eat lamb.
Love the viniagrette and arugula and ur presentation. Lamb Kababs sound Awesome:)
Always looking for new ways to prepare lamb! This looks wonderful and like a must try this summer!!!! Those oils look really cool too!
I’ve been watching every week for arugula to appear at the farmers’ market. I love to serve it just the way you picture here. I have seen the little bottles of flavored oils at Whole Foods and am happy to read that you like them, Lea Ann. The lime flavor would really come in handy.
“more fun with these than Rick Bayless has with a taco shell”
Now that was funny!
🙂
You don’t need to talk me into it, Lea Ann. I love lamb kabobs! My marinade isn’t as good as yours, so will try yours next time. Love it served over arugula.
This is my first ever lamb kabob marinade. We sure liked it.
I love the oils. I’m going to have to pick some up. I can see they would be great in a vinaigrette. My husband adores lamb. You’re right. This looks like a terrific weeknight meal. Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks Kristi .. It’s a relaxing weekend full of grilling. 🙂
We are on the same path…I make almost every meal a salad with a grilled meat and yet…seldom think of lamb, which I love but typically have for Christmas only. Dumb move huh?
I have some maple and vanilla vinegars from the same company but not sure where I got them; maybe Williams Sonoma? I would love to have the oils; they do sound like a great, easy way to develop a fresh tasting salad dressing.
I’ll have to look at W&S next time I’m there. They do look familiar. Have a great holiday Barb.
Yum. Although I don’t eat it very often, I love lamb — especially with other Mediterranean flavors like you’ve used here. Flavored oils are such a treat – I have a chili one that I love, but should definitely invest in a lemon one. I can see that getting a lot of use in my kitchen!
I’ve used the lemon flavored the most… but all are wonderful and the three come in a little sampler set. I’d like to order the wasabi flavor. 🙂
Oh,those oils sound amazing! And I would love to try this any night…I love lamb and I can just imagine the awesome compliment that the arugula lends it Lovely meal 😀
Thanks Heather .. finally you’re not showing up as spam. 🙂
Most often you just can’t beat simple. Arugula lends such a nice peppery flavor to things and it is a great compliment to lamb. Nice dish Lea Ann.
Thanks Karen. Simple most certainly has been the ticket lately, but I do look forward to a full blown good afternoon of slicing/dicing/fussing/sautéing/deglazing/saucing. One of these days I might just find time to do that. 🙂
Guess I better get myself to the store and find some of those infused oils. They sounds more than delicious and I don’t want to be the last person on the planet to have a taste. Lamb is always a winner in our house and I love those clam shells. Have 3 of them in my refrig right now, each with a different mix of greens.
Sam
I’m not sure where on earth you’d find those oils. I was thinking you have to order them. And yes, you really shouldn’t be the last person on earth. 🙂 Me too Sam, I have a couple of those clam shells. I also like the baby mixed greens.
Looks delicious LA – I need to order some of that oil.
I’m getting ready to order a couple more flavors. Make sure you have an eye dropper on hand. A lot goes a long way.
Funny, I always think of feta cheese with lamb, but blue cheese sounds yummy!
The recipe called for either feta or blue cheese. I had some Maytag in the fridge and glad I tried the blue cheese, really liked it and probably won’t try feta next at all now.
This dish sounds TO-DIE-FOR delicious. I just happen to be picking a basketful of arugula every night now and love a new way to serve it. You try growing some, it’s like a weed and grows fast. I’m just sayin’ . . .
I just knew you’d love the richness of those oils as much as I do. They’re my (not-so) secret ingredient for many dishes and now I have one more to try. 🙂
I’ll have to pick up some Arugula tomorrow at the garden center. Gotta give it a try. I’m going to order some more of those oils. I’m just crazy over them.
You make everything seem so easy, but I am a disaster in the kitchen!
I doubt you’re a disaster Russ. Until my husband took a grilling class at a local cooking school, all he could make was canned tomato soup…..
Makes me want to hang out around the grill all day!
I’m pretty much hangin at the grill all weekend. 🙂
You had me at “lamb”. Looks oh so good!
I’m on a roll, making grilled lamb chops tomorrow 🙂