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Two tortilla kebab skewers crossed on a plate with dollops of haydari, a lemon wedge and chopped cucumber tomato salad.
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Tortilla Kebab Skewers with Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dip)

You've scrolled past this one all summer thinking it's too much work. It is, but it's worth it. Grill it once, hand the first skewer to a skeptic, and you'll never bring a normal side to a cookout again.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Rest30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish
Servings: 4 servings (1 skewer per person)
Calories: 985kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Equipment

Ingredients

Tortilla Kebab Skewers

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup red onion grated
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper grated
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 7 large flour tortillas
  • avocado oil or grill spray

Haydari

  • 1 cup labneh
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Garlic Butter Finish

  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Prep the Vegetables

  • Grate the red onion and bell pepper on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer the veggies to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze well to remove the excess liquid.
    Grated red bell pepper and red onion piled on a kitchen towel, ready to be wrung out so the tortilla kebab layers stay dry.

Mix the Meat

  • Add the lamb, beef, onion, bell pepper, parsley, garlic, cumin, Aleppo pepper, oregano, black pepper, and salt to a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands just until everything is evenly distributed.
    Ground lamb and ground beef in a bowl with kosher salt, minced garlic, Aleppo pepper, cumin, oregano, black pepper, parsley and the grated vegetables.

Trim the Tortillas

  • Stack the tortillas on a cutting board. Trim the rounded edges to create squares.
    A flour tortilla trimmed into a square with a chef's knife, the rounded offcuts set aside on the board.

Layer the Stack

  • Lay one tortilla on a clean work surface. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture over the entire tortilla, taking the meat all the way to the edges.
    The lamb and beef mixture spread in a thin, even layer all the way to the edges of the squared tortilla.
  • Place another tortilla on top and repeat with another thin layer of meat. Continue layering until the meat has been used, then finish with the final tortilla without adding meat on top.
    Another squared tortilla laid over the meat layer, building the stack that becomes the tortilla kebab skewers.

Press and Chill

  • Press the tortilla stack gently but firmly with your hands so the layers adhere and the stack has an even thickness. Transfer to a cutting board or sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the meat and makes the stack easier to cut.

Make the Haydari

  • Mash the feta in a medium bowl until it is broken into small pieces. Add the labneh, olive oil, dill, mint, garlic, and salt. Stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
    The finished haydari, thick labneh and feta stirred smooth with dill and mint and drizzled with olive oil.

Cut the Strips

  • Cut the chilled tortilla stack into 4 equal strips. Turn each strip onto a cut side so the alternating tortilla and meat layers are standing vertically.
    The four strips turned onto their cut sides so the alternating tortilla and meat layers stand vertically.

Skewer

  • Arrange the strips tightly next to one another. Push the flat metal skewers horizontally through all of the strips, spacing the skewers evenly along the length of the stack. Cut between the skewers with a sharp knife to create 4 skewers.
    The skewers pushed through and the stack cut between them, leaving four loaded tortilla kebab skewers ready to grill.

Heat the Grill

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat according to the manufacturer's instructions. Brush the grill surface lightly with the avocado oil or grill spray.

Grill

  • Place the kebab skewers on the hot grill. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side without moving them, until edges are golden brown and the meat begins to brown. Turn the skewers and continue grilling, rotating every 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly if necessary so the tortilla edges continue to crisp without burning before the meat is cooked through.
  • Cook until the tortillas are browned and crisp around the exposed edges and the meat in the center of the thickest kebab reaches 160°F. Depending on the grill and thickness of the skewers, this should take about 10 to 15 minutes.
    Four tortilla kebab skewers grilling on an indoor electric grill, the exposed tortilla edges charring dark.

Make the Garlic Butter

  • Combine the melted butter, garlic, and parsley while the skewers finish cooking.
    Melted garlic butter with chopped parsley in a small bowl, the finish brushed over the kebabs straight off the grill.
  • Brush the garlic butter over the hot skewers immediately after they come off the grill.
    The grilled skewers on a parchment lined sheet pan being brushed with melted garlic butter and parsley.

Serve

  • Spread the Haydari sauce across a serving platter or spoon it into a shallow serving bowl. Drizzle the sauce with additional olive oil. Arrange the hot tortilla kebab skewers over or alongside the Haydari.
    Tortilla kebab skewers crusted with garlic butter and parsley, lined up beside a bowl of haydari and lemon wedges.

Notes

  • Use all ground lamb for a richer, more pronounced kebab flavor. All ground beef can also be used for a milder version.
  • Replace the red onion with yellow or white onion. - Crushed red pepper flakes can be substituted with Aleppo pepper. Keep in mind it adds more heat than Aleppo. - Use Greek yogurt in place of labneh.
  • Refrigerate leftover cooked tortilla kebabs in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on a grill, in a skillet over medium-low heat, or in an air fryer until heated through and crisp again. The microwave will warm the meat but will soften the tortillas. 
  • Store the Haydari in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Use flat metal skewers to prevent the kebabs from spinning when you pick them up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 985kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 2070mg | Potassium: 883mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1932IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 8mg