Iskender Kebab is a famous Turkish dish. It is warm, juicy, and full of flavour. Thin slices of meat go on soft bread. Hot tomato sauce and melted butter are poured on top. Yoghurt is served on the side. This dish comes from a city called Bursa in Turkey. People still love it everywhere. You can make it at home. In this guide, you’ll learn three easy ways to make it: with lamb, chicken, or doner meat. You’ll also see the best sides and drinks to enjoy with it.
Ingredients You Will Need
How to cook Iskender kebab
Iskender Kebab is easy to make at home. The key is to cook the meat well and serve it hot over soft bread. Below are three simple options: lamb, doner, and chicken. Follow the steps that match your choice of meat.
1-lamb iskender kebab
This is the classic version of the Iskender Kebab recipe. Lamb gives a rich and soft taste.
Steps:
- Put the sliced lamb in a bowl.
- Add olive oil, paprika, cumin, black pepper, and garlic.
- Mix well and let it sit for 15–30 minutes.
- Heat a pan on medium heat.
- Cook the lamb for 8–10 minutes, until it is browned and tender.
- In another pan, melt the butter. Add tomato sauce and a pinch of salt. Let it warm up.
- Cut the bread into small squares and toast them lightly.
- Place the bread on a plate. Add the lamb on top.
- Pour the hot tomato sauce and melted butter over the meat.
- Serve with a spoonful of plain yoghurt on the side.
That’s how to make lamb Iskender Kebab at home, tender, juicy, and full of flavour.
2-Doner iskender kebab
Doner Iskender Kebab is excellent if you want to save time. You can use ready-made doner or homemade slices.
If using ready-made doner:
- Heat the doner slices in a pan until warm and slightly crispy.
- Warm up the tomato sauce with butter and salt.
- Toast the bread cubes in a dry pan or oven.
- Put the bread on a plate, and add the doner meat on top.
- Pour the sauce and butter over it.
- Add yoghurt on the side.
- If making your doner:
- Season your thin meat slices with oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook in a hot pan for 6 to 8 minutes until browned.
- Then follow the same steps to assemble the dish.
This version offers the taste of a restaurant-style Iskender Kebab right at home.
3-Chicken iskender kebab
Chicken Iskender Kebab is a lighter version of the classic. It’s tasty and easy to cook
Steps:
- Put sliced chicken in a bowl.
- Add olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Let it rest for 15–20 minutes.
- Cook the chicken in a pan for 7–9 minutes until golden.
- Toast your bread and make your butter-tomato sauce.
- Place the bread on a plate, top it with the chicken, and then pour the sauce.
- Add yoghurt on the side.
This is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a quick and easy Iskender Kebab recipe.
What type of Bread should you use?
Use soft, airy pide bread for the most authentic taste, or lightly toasted pita bread for a quick and easy alternative.
1- Pide Bread
Pide bread is a traditional Turkish flatbread. It’s soft inside with a slightly crisp crust. Pide soaks up the butter, meat juices, and tomato sauce without becoming too soggy. That’s why it’s the most authentic bread for serving Iskender Kebab. It’s easy to tear into pieces and makes every bite rich and tasty.
2- Pita Bread
Pita is a common flatbread with a pocket inside. It’s thinner than pide but still works if you can’t find traditional bread. Just toast the pita lightly and cut it into small pieces. Pita will soak up some sauce, too, though it may not hold as much flavour as pide. Even so, it’s a quick and easy option for making your own Iskender Kebab at home.
How to serve iskender kebab
Iskender Kebab is best served hot and fresh. Once your meat is cooked and the sauce is ready, it’s time to assemble everything.
Follow these easy steps:
Start with the bread.
Cut Turkish bread into small cubes. Toast them lightly in a pan or oven. Spread them on the serving plate.
Add the meat
Place the hot lamb, doner, or chicken slices on top of the bread. This makes the base of your Iskender Kebab.
Pour the sauce
Spoon hot tomato sauce and melted butter all over the meat and bread. This step adds rich flavour and keeps the dish juicy.
Add yogurt
Put a big spoonful of plain yoghurt on the side of the plate. It cools the mouth and goes well with the warm meat.
Serve right away
Iskender Kebab should be eaten hot. That’s when the bread is still soft, the sauce is warm, and the yoghurt is fresh.
Best Side Dishes to Serve with Iskender Kebab
1-Cacık (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumber and Mint)
Cacık is a cold yoghurt dip. It’s made with grated cucumber, fresh mint, and a pinch of salt. You can also add a little garlic if you like. This side cools your mouth and tastes great with hot meat. It makes every bite of Iskender Kebab feel light and fresh.
2-Shepherd’s Salad (Çoban Salatası)
This is a classic Turkish salad. It has chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and green peppers. A little olive oil and lemon juice are added on top. It’s crunchy and fresh. This salad is fresh and light. It goes well with lamb, chicken, or doner Iskender Kebab.
3-Pickled Vegetables (Turşu)
Pickled veggies bring a sharp and sour taste. You can use pickled cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, or peppers. They help cut the richness of the meat and butter in the Iskender Kebab recipe. A small bowl of turşu on the side makes the meal more exciting.
Best Drinks to Pair with Iskender Kebab
A tasty drink can make your Iskender Kebab even more enjoyable. Some drinks are cool and light. Others are smooth and bold. All of them go well with every kind of Iskender Kebab. You can explore all of them on our restaurant drink menu and choose your favourite to enjoy with your meal.
1-Ayran
Ayran is a cold yoghurt drink. It’s salty, smooth, and very refreshing. It helps cool your mouth and balances the strong flavours in the kebab. In Turkey, people usually drink Ayran with lamb or chicken Iskender Kebab.
2-Red Wine
Red wine has a deep, rich taste. It matches well with the meat and warm tomato sauce in the Iskender Kebab recipe. Choose a soft red wine to make the flavours even better.
3-Rosé Wine
Rosé wine is light and fruity. It tastes excellent with doner Iskender Kebab or chicken. Serve it cold for a fresh and smooth drink.
Conclusion
In this article, we talked about Iskender Kebab and why people love it. You learned a bit about its history. You also learned what ingredients you need. We showed you how to make it at home with lamb, chicken, or doner meat. You also learned how to serve it with warm bread, yummy sides like cacık and salad, and drinks like ayran and wine. Now you know all you need to make this tasty dish. If you still want to taste it the restaurant way? Enjoy real Turkish food and your favourite drink at Ihlara Valley Restaurant.
FAQ’s
1. Can I use other meats for Iskender Kebab?
Yes! While lamb is traditional, you can easily use beef, chicken, or doner meat. Many cooks use a mix of lamb and beef for a richer taste. If you use chicken, follow the Chicken Iskender Kebab steps in the recipe above. It still tastes delicious and keeps the meal light.
2. How thin should the meat be for iskender kebab?
The slices should be very thin, approximately 2-4 mm thick. Thin pieces cook fast and stay tender. You can ask the butcher to slice it, or slightly freeze the meat to make cutting easier.
3. Is Iskender Kebab spicy?
Not by itself. The sauce is mildly flavoured with paprika and a little pepper. You can adjust the heat by adding red pepper flakes if you prefer a spicier flavour. Most restaurants serve it mild, but you can make yours as hot as you want.
4. Can I make the tomato sauce and meat ahead of time?
Yes, you can! Prepare and cook the meat a day in advance, then store it in the refrigerator for later use. The sauce can also be made ahead. When you’re ready, reheat both, toast fresh bread, and assemble just before serving. This saves time and keeps everything fresh.
5. What is the difference between Döner and Iskender Kebab?
Döner is meat cooked on a vertical spit and sliced thin. Iskender Kebab is a complete meal. It has thin slices of doner, lamb, or chicken served on bread. Hot tomato sauce, melted butter, and yoghurt are added on top. Iskender is the dish, döner is the cooking style.
