Fire up the grill and get ready to devour these tasty Balsamic Steak Kabobs! Loaded with ribeye and veggies, they’ll become your favorite meal!
Why We Love Steak Kabobs on the Grill
- A perfectly grilled steak is a thing of beauty. Cooking over an open flame just does something special to meet. That’s why these balsamic steak kabobs are going to become your go-to summer recipe.
- I love that I can prep the steak and veggies ahead of time and then assemble and cook within minutes. This recipe is a lifesaver when the boys are staring at me like they haven’t eaten in days… when really it’s been like 2 hours.
- I love changing out the veggies on these kabobs to have a little more variety. It’s a great way to get picky eaters on board and the marinade adds great flavor to the vegetables.
- These kabobs are great for backyard cookouts, camping, and tailgating, and you can even make them in the oven when it’s not grilling weather!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Balsamic Steak Kabobs
STEAK: You’ll need 2 pounds of ribeye steak. The steaks should be around 1 inch thick so you get similar-sized pieces. If you’d like to use a different cut of steak, see the FAQ section below for recommendations.
VEGETABLES: This is where presentation points come in. Grab some bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini. You can use whichever color of pepper you like. I usually go with red or orange since the zucchini are green.
STEAK KABOB MARINADE: To make the marinade, you’ll need balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and dried rosemary. If you prefer to use fresh herbs, you’ll need 3 teaspoons of thyme and 1 teaspoon of rosemary, finely minced.
How to Grill Steak Kabobs
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon, thyme, salt, pepper, and rosemary to a gallon-sized food storage bag. Smush everything together until it’s combined.
STEP 2 Cut the steak into 1-inch chunks and add them to the marinade. Make the bag is sealed really well and then massage the marinade into the steak. Pop the bag into the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
STEP 3 Preheat your grill to high heat. Cut the bell pepper and onion into 1-inch pieces and the zucchini into 1/2-inch thick slices. Pour the steak and marinade into a bowl. Skewer the steak and veggies onto metal skewers with alternating colors. (I like to do steak, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and repeat ending with a piece of steak.) Then brush the remaining marinade all over the kabobs – be sure to focus on the veggies.
STEP 4 Grill the kabobs for 10-15 minutes, flipping them every so often so they cook and char evenly. Once the steak kabobs are cooked to your desired temperature, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
How Long to Grill Steak Kabobs
These kabobs usually finish medium-rare to medium after cooking for 10-15 minutes on the grill. I use an instant-read thermometer to help ensure our steak kabobs are cooked correctly. Just poke the probe into the center of the meat and follow these temps to cook your kabobs just the way you like them.
- Rare: 125-130 degrees F > cool red center
- Medium Rare: 130-140 degrees F > warm red center
- Medium: 140-150 degrees F > pink center, edge to edge
- Medium Well: 150-160 degrees F > slightly pink center
- Well: 160 degrees F+ > no pink
Tips & Tricks
- Want to make these steak kabobs in the oven? Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place the kabobs on a baking sheet and cook them for 10-12 minutes, turning the kabobs every 2-3 minutes for even cooking. (I like to check the doneness starting around the 8-minute mark.) You can also broil the kabobs once they’re almost to the temp you like to char the veggies up a bit.
- If you’re using wooden skewers, you must soak them in water for 30 minutes before assembling the kabobs. This will keep the skewers from burning up while the kabobs grill.
- If you need to get your steak ready WAY ahead of time, don’t worry. It’s okay to leave the steak in the marinade for up to 24 hours. The flavors intensify the longer you marinate the steak.
- Want to prep ahead? You can! Once the steak is done in the marinade, assemble the kabobs and put them on a baking sheet. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and chill the kabobs until you’re ready to cook. I like to let them sit on the counter to come up to room temp before grilling.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or you can freeze cooked kabobs for up to 3 months. To reheat, place the kabobs on a baking sheet under your oven’s broiler, turning a few times until they’re warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
What is the best steak for kabobs?
I like ribeyes best when making kabobs. The marbling adds flavor and helps keep the steak tender and juicy. I usually grab some when they’re on sale.
Other cuts of beef I’ve seen used for steak kabobs include filet, sirloin, flat iron, and NY strip. Really, any steak that’s tender without having to be marinated or tenderized first is a good choice. You don’t have to go over budget to have tasty kabobs. Sirloin steak is a SUPER common choice and the marinade makes each bite extra delicious.
Do you have to marinate steak kabobs?
No, steak kabobs don’t have to soak in a marinade first. You can season the steak with salt and pepper (plus any other seasonings you care to use), skewer the meat chunks, and get grilling.
Using a marinade for steak kabobs adds extra flavor to the meat. Since it’s not a seasoning that was sprinkled onto the meat, you won’t lose any of those flavors during grilling. Bonus: You can use the marinade to baste and flavor the veggies too.
What goes with steak kabobs?
I love sticking with classic cookout side dishes to pair with these kabobs. Yes, there are grilled veggies already, but let’s round out the meal with a little something. My family’s favorite side dishes options are broccoli salad, grilled corn on the cob, loaded potato salad, and BLT salad.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Flank Steak with Corn Salsa
- Sausage and Potatoes Foil Packet
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Avocado Peach Salsa
- Copycat Dog Haus Chili the Kid
- Grilled Cajun Chicken Wings
Balsamic Steak Kabobs
Equipment
- Metal Skewers (see note)
Ingredients
- â…“ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 pounds ribeye steak cut into 1-inch pieces (see note)
- 3 large bell peppers any color
- ½ medium red onion
- 2 medium zucchini
Instructions
- Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dijon, salt, thyme, pepper, and rosemary to a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Massage the bag to mix the marinade ingredients together.
- Add the steak cubes to the bag, seal the bag, and massage the marinade into the steak. Place the bag in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours to marinate.
- Prepare the grill and preheat it over high heat.
- Prep the veggies by coring and deseeding the bell peppers and peeling the onion. Cut the bell pepper and onion into 1-inch pieces, and cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch thick slices. Then pour out the steak and marinade into a bowl. (The trick is to try and make the veggies and steak about the same size so everything touches the grill evenly and gets charred.)
- To assemble the kabobs, add the steak and veggies to the skewers. I like to alternate colors for a pretty presentation – steak, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and repeat ending with a piece of steak. You can assemble them however you like.
- Once you have 8 skewers place them on a baking sheet and brush with the remaining marinade, focusing on the veggies.
- Add the kabobs to the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on your desired temperature. Flip them every so often so they char and cook evenly.
- Take the kabobs off the heat when a large piece of the steak reaches an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you prefer using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before you’re ready to assemble and grill. This will help prevent the skewers from burning up while the food cooks.
- You can also use NY strip, sirloin, or flat iron steak for this recipe.
- If you prefer to use fresh herbs you’ll need 3 teaspoons of fresh thyme and 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, finely minced.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, I find it easiest to place the kabobs on a baking sheet under a very hot broiler and turn them around a few times until warm.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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