Traditional Souvlaki


Souvlaki, a beloved Greek dish, features skewered and grilled cubes of pork, chicken, lamb, or beef. This popular fast food is commonly enjoyed at souvladzidika, small eateries where you can also find gyros and similar grilled meat offerings.

Souvlaki’s roots trace back to ancient Greece, where it was known as kandaulos. The early version combined grilled meat with pita bread, cheese, and dill. The term “souvlaki” is a diminutive of the Greek word “souvla,” which means “spit.”

The first souvlaki shop opened in Livadia in 1951. Since then, souvlaki has become ubiquitous throughout Greece, available as a takeaway or enjoyed on the streets, at beaches, and in nearly every city. It is typically served with pita bread, tomatoes, parsley, onions, sometimes fries, and a side of thick yogurt or tzatziki.

An even heartier option is kontosouvli, an oversized version where large chunks of marinated meat, onions, tomatoes, and peppers are grilled on long, slender skewers over charcoal.

 


Traditional Souvlaki

The following is the traditional Greek pork souvlaki recipe. The meat is marinated in a simple marinade of just onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt for a minimum of five hours, then skewered and grilled.

Serves: 6  |  Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilogram pork shoulder, boneless
  • 1 medium onion, grated
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt, heaping
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, heaping
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano, heaping

Steps:

  1. Cut off any excess fat or membranes from the meat, then cut it into equal sized cubes.

  2. Toss the meat in a large bowl together with all the marinade ingredients, then refrigerate for a minimum of five hours (best overnight). Also, place the wooden skewers in a shallow container filled with water overnight.

  3. The next day, take the meat out of the refrigerator and first wait until it comes to room temperature and then skewer it.

  4. Grill the souvlaki over medium-high heat, about 3-4 minutes per side. Keep warm until ready to serve. Sprinkle the grilled souvlaki with salt and Greek oregano.

  5. Serve just with bread, or inside a pita with tzatziki sauce and toppings of your choice.