Our 5 Best Skewer Recipes

Skewers—also known as kebabs, yakitori, souvlaki, satay, and brochettes—make grilling easier, more fun, and often more delicious. At their best, skewers are evenly cooked, deeply flavored, and served piled high on a platter near the grill—ready to be enjoyed outside with friends and a cold drink in hand. And while there’s no such thing as a bad skewer (we’ll eat anything off of a stick), some are better than others. Here are five of our favorite skewer-based recipes, plus everything you’ll need to make them.

The Right Skewers

Grilling with skewers shouldn’t require discarding an armory of miniature wooden swords into the trash after cooking. While wooden skewers are better than no skewers, the safety benefits of reusable, metal skewers simply make them the best option. Unlike their wooden counterparts, metal skewers never catch on fire, splinter, or—for some hellish reason—do both at the same time. Metal also doesn’t need to soak in water to become grill-safe—it’s born flame-ready.

The Best Grill

Any grill is capable of making fantastic skewers, however, there’s something about charcoal that makes it best for cooking food on a stick. Perhaps it’s the smoke, or the (slightly) primal nature of it all, or that yakitori is consistently perfect. Regardless, of all the grill types, charcoal is what belongs in your ideal skewer situation.

1. Arrosticini (Barbecued Lamb Skewers)

Arrosticini—lamb skewers native to the Abruzzo region of Italy—are straightforward in theory and practice, but bold, bright, and decidedly complex in flavor. Seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper, and rosemary, and served alongside sliced bread, these Italian skewers are truly greater than the sum of their parts.

2. Yakitori Chicken With Blistered Shishitos

“Though the charcoal briquettes give the yakitori that signature smoky and burnt-fat flavor, this recipe works well on the stovetop or on a gas grill, too,” writes recipe developer Maki Yazawa. “Aside from an ice-cold beer, these spicy-sweet, garlicky yakitori skewers pair perfectly with a bowl of charred shishito peppers that take only a few minutes to prepare.”

3. Salmon Kebabs with Radish Raita

These salmon kebabs come together quickly (only 16 minutes), are big on flavor (thank you radish raita), and pair well with nearly any side (steamed vegetables, basmati rice, a leafy green salad, naan—just to name a few). Bonus: You don’t need a grill to make these.

4. Spicy Grilled Calamari

Don’t take it from me—here are some of the (many) positive reviews our community members have left on these squid skewers: “Just cooked this, it was delicious. Do it,” writes Howard. “I love this recipe. I make it often,” says Cynthia. “I just made these last night and had to come rave about them,” writes Jessica.

5. Malaysian Satay With Peanut Sauce

“A great satay is made up of three things—flavorful, succulent meat, a good char, and a great peanut dipping sauce,” writes recipe developer Jun. “Out of the three, the sauce is the one that’s often overlooked. But get it right, and it’ll be a real game-changer, perfect for your next satay shindig.”

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What is your favorite type of skewer? Let us know in the comments below!