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Beef & Vegetable Kebabs with Quinoa Tabbouleh
Recipe

Beef & Vegetable Kebabs with Quinoa Tabbouleh

Dinner • South Africa

Tender beef and vegetable kebabs seasoned with warm spices, paired with a bright quinoa tabbouleh loaded with herbs, tomato and cucumber.

Why smarter

Uses lean beef and plenty of vegetables, with quinoa tabbouleh for a filling whole-grain-style side. Flavour comes from spices, lemon and herbs rather than heavy sauces.

Chef tip

Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes so they don’t burn, and keep beef pieces similar size for even cooking.

Soft line

Big flavour, lighter feel—perfect for an easy weeknight braai vibe.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Quinoa, rinsed 1.000 cup Quinoa
2 Water 2.000 cups Water for cooking quinoa
3 Salt 0.500 tsp Salt divided
4 Tomatoes, deseeded and diced 2.000 medium Tomatoes
5 Cucumber, diced 0.500 large Cucumber
6 Spring onions, thinly sliced 3.000 Spring onions
7 Fresh parsley, chopped 0.500 cup Parsley
8 Fresh mint, chopped (optional but great) 0.250 cup Mint optional
9 Fresh lemon juice 3.000 tbsp Lemon juice
10 Extra-virgin olive oil 1.000 tbsp Olive oil for tabbouleh dressing
11 Lean beef steak (sirloin or rump), cut into 3 cm cubes 600.000 g Lean beef steak trim visible fat
12 Red onion, cut into chunks 1.000 medium Red onion
13 Red pepper, cut into chunks 1.000 large Red pepper robot pepper (capsicum)
14 Courgettes, thickly sliced 2.000 small Courgettes zucchini
15 Canola oil 2.000 tsp Canola oil for brushing/grilling
16 Garlic, crushed 2.000 cloves Garlic
17 Ground cumin 1.000 tsp Ground cumin
18 Smoked paprika 1.000 tsp Smoked paprika or regular paprika
19 Ground coriander 0.500 tsp Ground coriander
20 Black pepper 0.250 tsp Black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Cook the quinoa: add quinoa, water and 1/4 tsp salt to a pot. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer on low for 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Rest 5 minutes, then fluff and cool slightly.
  2. Marinate the beef: in a bowl mix garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, black pepper, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 2 tsp canola oil. Toss with beef cubes and set aside while you prep the veg.
  3. Thread kebabs: divide beef, onion, pepper and courgette among skewers, alternating pieces for even cooking.
  4. Make tabbouleh: in a bowl combine cooked quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, parsley and mint (if using).
  5. Dress tabbouleh: add lemon juice and olive oil, toss well and season to taste (a pinch of salt and pepper if needed).
  6. Cook kebabs: heat a grill pan or braai to medium-high. Grill kebabs 8–12 minutes total, turning every 2–3 minutes, until beef is cooked to your liking and veg is tender-crisp.
  7. Rest kebabs for 2–3 minutes, then serve with quinoa tabbouleh (spoon any resting juices over the meat if you like).
  8. Optional: add extra lemon wedges and a sprinkle of chopped herbs at the table for a fresh finish.