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These Tuscan-style Beef Kabobs feature juicy chunks of ribeye steak skewered with ripe cherry tomatoes and fresh Tuscan herbs. Pair with crusty grilled bread for a feast reminiscent of central Italy.
Meggan’s notes
Many popular Steak Kabob recipes use soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce as their main flavor-drivers. As a classically-trained chef, I knew I could do better. I wanted bright, fresh flavors that are practically singing off the skewer.
I researched the flavors of Tuscany and pulled some of them in. Fresh rosemary, sage, onions and tomatoes were top of my list. I kept thinking about Panzanella, the Tuscan bread salad, and knew that I wanted to incorporate bread somehow, if only as an accompaniment. I suggest a side of crusty bread, brushed with good olive oil and grilled to golden brown. It’s perfect for sopping up the juices from the tomatoes and the steak.
Speaking of steak, my last decision was to choose the best steak for these steak kabobs. Filet mignon and sirloin are popular choices, but ribeye is my favorite and it’s not even close. I love thick cuts of juicy, marbled ribeye, and it felt like the best cut to use here. I suggest seeking out boneless ribeye if possible and trimming off any thick pieces of fat.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Ribeye: Trim away any especially thick sections of fat if possible. Or substitute top sirloin steak or filet mignon which are leaner cuts.
- Tomatoes: I tested this recipe with Campari tomatoes (too big), grape tomatoes (too small), and cherry tomatoes (just right). They were closest in size to my chunks of steak. Whatever tomato you choose, try to cut your ingredients to a similar size.
Step-by-step instructions
- Add bamboo skewers to a bowl and cover completely with cold water. Soak bamboo skewers at least 30 minutes (or start them the day before and let them soak overnight).
- In a bowl or zipper-top plastic bag big enough to hold the steak, onions, and tomatoes, add extra virgin olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and sage and stir or mash to combine. Add steak, onions, and tomatoes and toss to coat.
- Building one skewer at a time, thread one piece steak, one whole tomato, and one onion chunk (2 layers), pushing to the end with the handle.
- Repeat with additional steak and vegetables until the skewer is full, then repeat with additional skewers until all steak and veggies have been skewered. Season generously with salt and pepper (I use at least 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper).
- Preheat grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes and clean and iil grates. Grill the skewers directly over high heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to indirect heat and continue to cook until your desired doneness is reached, about 3 to 7 minutes longer.
- While the skewers are grilling, brush slices of crusty bread with olive oil. Add to the grill and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. To serve, arrange skewers on a platter and serve with the bread.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe starts with 2 pounds of ribeye which cooks down to about 24 ounces. That’s enough for 4 servings with 3 ounces steak and veggies per serving.
- Storage: Store leftover shish kabobs covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Customize your skewers: Feel free to change up your veggies with bell peppers, mushrooms, red onions, zucchini, or salted eggplant.
- Potatoes: If you’d like to skewer some baby potatoes with your steak, be sure to par-boil the potatoes so they are mostly cooked through. Or, try Oven Roasted Potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use whatever cut of steak you prefer. I prefer marbled cuts of beef such as ribeye as they cook up nice and juicy.
Yes, it’s completely fine and food safe to marinate the beef and vegetables together. Just be sure to cook the skewers to your prefered doneness temperature for the steak.
These steak kabobs are naturally gluten free, low carb, and keto. Just choose a different side instead of grilled bread.
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Beef Kabobs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary (from about 2 sprigs)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
For the skewers:
- 2 pounds boneless ribeye trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (see note 1)
- 1 white onion cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes (see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- grilled bread for serving, optional
Instructions
To assemble the kabobs:
- Add bamboo skewers to a bowl and cover completely with cold water. Soak bamboo skewers at least 30 minutes (or start them the day before and let them soak overnight).
- In a bowl or zipper-top plastic bag big enough to hold the steak, onions, and tomatoes, add olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and sage and stir or mash to combine. Add steak, onions, and tomatoes and toss to coat.
- Building one skewer at a time, thread one piece steak, one whole tomato, and one onion chunk (2 layers), pushing to the end with the handle.
- Repeat with additional steak and vegetables until the skewer is full, then repeat with additional skewers until all steak and veggies have been skewered. Season generously with salt and pepper (I use at least 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper).
To grill the kabobs:
- Preheat grill over medium-high heat for 10 minutes and clean and iil grates. Grill the skewers directly over high heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to indirect heat and continue to cook until your desired doneness is reached, about 3 to 7 minutes longer.
- While the skewers are grilling, brush slices of crusty bread with olive oil. Add to the grill and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. To serve, arrange skewers on a platter and serve with the bread.
Notes
- Ribeye: Trim away any especially thick sections of fat if possible. Or substitute sirloin steak or filet mignon which are leaner cuts.
- Tomatoes: I tested this recipe with Campari tomatoes (too big), grape tomatoes (too small), and cherry tomatoes (just right). They were closest in size to my chunks of steak. Whatever tomato you choose, try to cut your ingredients to a similar size.
- Yield: This recipe starts with 2 pounds of ribeye which cooks down to about 24 ounces. That’s enough for 4 servings with 3 ounces steak and veggies per serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Can I make them using the broiler in my oven?
Hi Sue, I haven’t tested that, but I don’t see why not. Make sure to use metal or soaked wood skewers, and broil on HIGH about 6 or so inches from the heating element, turning the skewers every 3 to 4 minutes until they reach your desired doneness. I hope you love them! – Meggan