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Pork souvlaki, grain free pitas, and some grilled padron peppers.

Pork Souvlaki & Marinade Recipe

Last Modified: March 28, 2023 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // March 27, 2023 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

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Bursting with flavor, pork souvlaki is a traditional Greek dish that features juicy chunks of marinated pork skewered and grilled to perfection. Whether you're a fan of Greek cuisine or simply looking to switch up your dinner routine, this recipe is sure to become a crowd-pleaser. #souvlaki #greekrecipes #greekcuisine #mediterranean #ketovore #ketogenicrecipes

Bursting with flavor, pork souvlaki is a traditional Greek dish that features juicy chunks of marinated pork skewered and grilled to perfection. Whether you’re a fan of Greek cuisine or simply looking to switch up your dinner routine, this recipe is sure to become a crowd-pleaser.

Pork souvlaki, grain free pitas, and some grilled padron peppers.
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Growing up, every year I looked forward to eating the delicious souvlaki from the booth of the local Orthodox Greek Church at our city’s summer festival. It obviously wasn’t only my mom’s favorite. It always had the longest lines of all of the street food there. I remember impatiently waiting in line while enjoying the aroma of their delicious barbecue grills.

After years of living in Spain, I still haven’t forgotten that extraordinary combination of flavors. 

One year, we went to visit one of my aunts in Seville and she served us some delicious grilled pork chops reminiscent of the flavor of souvlaki. Those pork chops transported me back to that souvlaki I once loved. I asked her how she transformed ordinary pork chops into something so delicious. It turns out, the secret is in the marinade! 

Ingredients

Once my aunt shared her recipe, I used it as inspiration for making souvlaki. This simple recipe has two main components: the meat cubes and the delicious marinade. 

Choosing the meat

Souvlaki can be made with a variety of meats, generally lamb, pork, or chicken. (Some people also use beef.) The Greek church made their souvlaki with lamb but it’s much easier for me to find pork here in Spain so that’s what I generally use. 

For the juiciest, most tender souvlaki, choose a cut of meat with some fat marbling in it. Many people choose pork tenderloin but I prefer using pork shoulder. When choosing chicken I prefer dark meat like chicken thighs.

Marinade ingredients

The marinade is the secret to infusing the meat with a mouth-watering flavor that will transport you straight to the Greek islands. It’s really amazing how such a simple combination can pack such a flavorful punch!

For my pork souvlaki recipe, I use my aunt’s simple combination of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Some people use vinegar instead of lemon juice and others use a different combination of herbs with or without garlic. For the best flavor, I use fresh oregano and thyme from the garden, but dried herbs can also be used if that’s your only option.

If using dried herbs, you’ll want to reduce the amount by a third. So, use a teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh herbs.

Preparation

To begin, prepare the marinade. First, juice the lemon. Then, peel and mince the garlic cloves. Rinse the herbs, if using fresh, and bruise them with a mortar and pestle (or cut them with a knife or herb scissors). Combine the lemon juice, garlic, herbs, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl.

Once your marinade is ready, prepare the meat by cutting it into approximately 1 inch cubes. 

  • cubes of pork shoulder in a glass bowl
  • grating garlic over cubes of pork in a glass bowl
  • Squeezing a lemon over garlic and pork cubes in a glass bowl
  • pork cubes in a pork souvlaki marinade in a glass bowl

Add the pork cubes to a large bowl and pour the marinade over them. Cover the bowl with a beeswax cloth wrap or plastic wrap and allow the pieces of pork to soak in the marinade for at least half an hour in the refrigerator (several hours is better). I generally marinate mine overnight!

3 skewers of uncooked pork souvlaki next to a bowl with marinated cubes of pork.

Once you’re ready to cook the meat, remove the pork from the marinade and thread the pieces of meat onto metal or wooden skewers.

  • Cooking pork souvlaki on a grill
  • Pork souvlaki, grain free pitas, and some grilled padron peppers.

Heat your grill to medium-high heat, and cook the skewers for around 5 minutes per side until the meat is fully cooked through. (Internal temperature should reach 145ºF.) If you don’t have a grill, you can also pan-fry the kebabs over a hot skillet. (I use an iron grill pan over the stove.) While I haven’t personally tried it, I imagine cooking the souvlaki in an air fryer would also be a good option.

Serving

Once your souvlaki is ready, you can serve it as is, or accompany it with warm pita bread or rice. In the past, I served mine atop grain-free pitas, but lately, I’ve been ditching the carbs and have found that they are delicious enough to eat on their own. For another keto alternative, try a side of Greek salad with cucumber, red onions, and tomato topped with olive oil and red wine vinegar.  

Souvlaki is often served with tzatziki sauce (or just use Greek yogurt as I generally do). You can see in my pictures that I often accompany my Mediterranean meals with some grilled padrón peppers. Other typical garnishes include sprigs of fresh parsley or mint leaves.

Pork souvlaki garnished with springs of fresh lemon thyme
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Pork souvlaki, grain free pitas, and some grilled padron peppers.

Pork Souvlaki Marinade Recipe

Bursting with flavor, pork souvlaki is a traditional Greek dish that features juicy chunks of marinated pork skewered and grilled to perfection. Whether you're a fan of Greek cuisine or simply looking to switch up your dinner routine, this recipe is sure to become a crowd-pleaser.
4.21 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marination: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 785kcal
Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

Ingredients

For the souvlaki marinade

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons oregano fresh
  • 1 Tablespoon thyme fresh
  • ½ teaspoon salt

The meat

  • 800 g pork (pork shoulder)

Instructions

Prepare the souvlaki marinade

  • Juice the lemon and add the juice to a small bowl.
  • Peel and mince the garlic and add it to the bowl.
  • Rinse the herbs and remove the leaves from the stems. Bruise the herbs with a mortar and pestle or cut them with a knife or herb scissors. Add the herbs to the bowl.
  • Finish the marinade by adding the olive oil and salt to the bowl and combining all of the ingredients.

Prepare the pork

  • Cube the pork into chunks that will comfortably fit onto a skewer (around 1 inch cubes). Place them in a large bowl.
  • Pour the marinade over the pork and make sure the meat is well coated in the marinade.
  • Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of half an hour. Several hours, or overnight, is preferable. (Marinate up to 2 days.)

Cooking the souvlaki

  • Remove the pork from the marinade and thread the pieces of meat onto metal or wooden skewers.
  • Heat your grill to medium-high heat, and cook the skewers for around 5 minutes per side until the meat is fully cooked through. (Internal temperature should reach 145ºF/63ºC.)

Notes

The souvlaki marinade can also be used to marinate beef, chicken, or lamb. 
The marinade has a minimal amount of salt. This allows everyone to salt the finished meat to their liking. 

Cooking alternatives

While souvlaki is generally made on a grill, it can also be pan-fried in oil or lard over the stove. (Ideally use a grill pan if you have one available.) In a pinch, and air fryer should also work.

Serving

Souvlaki can be eaten alone or served on pitas or with rice. It pairs well with tzatziki sauce or Greek yogurt.

Make ahead

Souvlaki can be made ahead of time and stored in the marinade in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you need to make it further in advance, the marinated pork can be frozen until the day you plan on serving it. (Thaw several hours before cooking.)

Reheating

Leftover souvlaki can be reheated in the oven or an air fryer at around 350ºF/180ºC until fully warmed through. 
 
 
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
Special Diets Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Keyword greek marinade, souvlaki
Other Diets Dairy free, Gluten free, Keto, Paleo
Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!
Serving: 200g | Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 39g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 666mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg

This post was originally published on May 9, 2015. It was rewritten in 2023 with clearer instructions, new tips, and added nutritional information.

Category: Condiments & Sauces, Lunch & Dinner, Recipes

About Tracy Ariza, DDS

Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We’ll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Previous Post: « Various tubes and a tin of tallow lip balm Easy Homemade Tallow Lip Balm

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Allan Gilsig

    June 7, 2019 at 3:07 AM

    Souvlaki is street food in the large Greek neighborhood of Montreal called Park Extension where I spent my first 49 years. I have since moved to Indiana and have introduced my wife to this amazing dish. It’s been a while,think I’ll make some this weekend and yes it works great with pork tenderloin.

    Reply
  2. Polly

    August 21, 2016 at 3:08 PM

    Would pork tenderloin work in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza

      August 22, 2016 at 12:47 AM

      Hi Polly,
      Pork tenderloin should work well in the recipe. The marinade should help tenderize the tenderloins, which I think is important because they have less fat than a pork shoulder, which is what I usually use.
      I personally like a cut with more fat in it, but I think a tenderloin would turn out well for a leaner version.

      Reply
  3. Travis

    August 10, 2016 at 11:02 PM

    I live in Grand Rapids and love the recipe. You recreated it very well!

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza

      August 11, 2016 at 8:52 AM

      Hi Travis,
      Thank you!
      Well, I have to admit I’m a bit jealous. I haven’t been back to Grand Rapids in awhile. We made it back to the US this year, but my mom went down to Disney World to see us there because we wanted to bring my son there before he outgrows it. (Not that you can really ever outgrow Disney.) 😉
      I still have other family there that I’d love to see, though.
      Say “Hi” to the city for me. Hopefully I’ll be over there again soon.

      Reply
  4. A_Boleyn

    May 20, 2015 at 12:36 AM

    I have to admit that I use Kraft’s salad dressing as my pork or chicken marinade. The sun-dried tomato & oregano or feta & oregano are all delicious.

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza

      May 20, 2015 at 10:42 AM

      Thanks for your comment.
      Living here in Spain, those sorts of dressings aren’t readily available, but even if they were, I have gotten in the habit of making salad dressings (and pretty much everything, for that matter) myself. Not only do I find that they taste better, but it helps me avoid any unwanted ingredients in the commercial brands.
      This marinade recipe is very quick and easy, so it should be an alternative that anybody can make in a matter of minutes.

      Reply
  5. Rachel

    May 15, 2015 at 8:58 AM

    Goodness, sounds so simple and delish!

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza

      May 15, 2015 at 2:00 PM

      Thanks, Rachel.
      This is one of my favorites!
      I love sweet potato and sausage, too. I think I´m going to head over and check that out! 😉
      Have a great weekend.

      Reply
  6. Tash

    May 12, 2015 at 8:52 PM

    These sound amazing and I love your olive oil bottle 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jessica

    May 12, 2015 at 5:55 PM

    This looks great. I’ll try it soon because I have some pork to use.

    Reply
  8. Andrea Fabry

    May 12, 2015 at 5:49 PM

    This is awesome! I have never done much with pork shoulder. This looks doable and so delicious. Great photos!

    Reply
  9. Emily @ Recipes to Nourish

    May 12, 2015 at 5:46 PM

    This sounds delicious! My husband would love this. Lovely flavor combos.

    Reply
  10. Krystal

    May 12, 2015 at 4:34 PM

    Oh my goodness Tracy this looks so delicious!! I’m totally gonna try this marinade and yes please to the grain free pita recipe. In the meantime I’ll just make your flaxseed paleo tortillas.. 😉

    Reply

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Hello, I’m Tracy!

I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
Why do I do it? Sometimes to save money, sometimes because it's healthier, but I always love having control of the ingredients!​
Oh, the things we'll make!...

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