Grilled Rosemary Olive Steak Kabobs

The warmer weather that arrives with the Spring and Summer months means that it’s ever-more tempting to fire up the grill for the occasional neighborhood cook-out or special weekday meal, so be sure to prepare a batch of these “Rosemary Olive Steak Kabobs” from Simply Recipes for your next grilling adventure to offer up an entree that all can enjoy.

Ingredients for Steak Kabobs

1 pound of sirloin steak, cut into 2-in. strips

1 ½ cups mixed black & green-pitted olives

⅓ of a large red onion, cut into pieces

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, minced

½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of black pepper

Flat-leaf parsley, for serving 

Directions for Steak Kabobs

  1. You’ll begin this recipe by marinating your steak. Combine the steak strips, olives, pieces of onion, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Stir the ingredients to combine it all together, getting the steak pieces fully covered in the marinade. Place this in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before grilling. For additional flavor, keep the marinating steak in the fridge for several hours. If you’re using wooden skewers, place them in a bowl of water 30 minutes before grilling.
  2. After the steak is sufficiently marinated, you’ll assemble your individual skewers by threading pieces of beef, onion, and olives in a repeated pattern onto the wooden skewers. If any pieces of beef are especially long, fold them into the shape of an “S” as you thread them atop the skewers.
  3. Fire up your preferred gas or charcoal grill to high heat, about 500°F. When you can’t hold your hand over the grill’s grate for more than 2 seconds, use tongs to oil the grill grates with a small, folded piece of paper towel that’s been dipped in oil. Place your skewers on the hot grill and cook, turning them only once or twice throughout the cooking process. Cook until it’s charred and the steak is cooked to your preferred level of “doneness.” For a medium-rare steak, this takes approximately six minutes and up to ten minutes for a well-done steak.
  4. Once you’re satisfied with the cooked steak, remove the skewers from the grill, place them on a clean serving platter and sprinkle them with fresh parsley before serving.

Additional Notes:

  • This recipe pairs the flavors of steak, olive, and rosemary for a unique intersection of flavor profiles that complement one another. The hint of saltiness and mild flavor of the olives does a lot to accentuate the richness of the charred, sirloin steak that is made even more noticeably rich by the fresh, herbal aroma and palette of the fresh rosemary leaf.
  • If you like this recipe and see yourself wanting to kabob more often, then be sure to pick up some stainless steel skewers, as they don’t need the additional step of pre-soaking them in water like bamboo skewers; plus they’re reusable throughout your summer grilling adventures.
  • While this recipe specifies sirloin steak for its quick grilling time and rich flavor that pairs well with the olives, any steak could work for this recipe, including pre-cut steak that’s labeled “stir-fry beef” for those nights when you’re short on time.
  • When buying your olives, it’s always best to scope out the grocery’s olive bar, if available, trying to pick pre-pitted olives that are generally the same size and shape.
  • Lastly, once you’re done grilling, leftover skewers can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, served as an easy salad dish, pizza topping, or pasta sauce.

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