I don’t mean to be biased, being Egyptian and all, but isn’t Mediterranean cuisine just so mouthwateringly delicious? With the olives and the hummus and the pita bread and olive oil. There’s extra spices, herbs and savory flavors in everything you eat! I grew up eating Egyptian food morning, noon and night thanks to my mom and her amazing cooking. And as I got older, I learned that there are so many other Mediterranean countries with very similar food. But they all include their own twists, ingredients, variations and flavors. Just across the Mediterranean Sea from Egypt, we have a beautiful neighbor known as Greece. And that’s where I got the inspiration for this Oven Baked Pork Souvlaki recipe!

Souvlaki is quite simply, a Greek dish consisting of meat on a skewer. Pork is the most common type of meat used although chicken and lamb are seen often as well. I didn’t eat much pork growing up because Egypt is more about beef, chicken and fish. So those are the dishes my mom learned from her mom and passed on to me. It’s been great experimenting with so many different pork recipes that I never had the chance to try before. Can you believe I’ve never even had a pork chop until adulthood? So, if you notice an abundance of pork recipes on my blog, now you know why. 😉

THE MARINADE FOR THE PORK SOUVLAKI

The marinade for this recipe is what gives the pork all its final juicy flavor. It includes olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and several spices. I’m a firm believer in marinating your meat for a long time before cooking. This gives the marinade a chance to soak through and gives the pork souvlaki a deeper flavor once baked. My suggestion would be at least 2 hours OR overnight if time permits. If you’re short on time, then try to at least aim for 30 minutes of marinating if you can!

BAKING INSTEAD OF GRILLING

Egyptian food includes its fair share of kabob recipes. My favorite meat for kabobs has always been Kofta. So, it was a pleasant surprise having pork souvlaki for the first time and realizing how scrumptious it is! In my research I noticed two consistencies in traditional pork souvlaki recipes: 1) They’re USUALLY cooked on the grill and 2) They usually consist of only meat on the skewer. So, I kind of changed things up with my recipe turning them into oven baked pork souvlaki and also adding some bell peppers and onions to the skewers. Baking the pork in the oven was mostly for convenience because let’s face it, there are days we just don’t feel like dealing with the grill. And since there aren’t as many oven-baked recipes for souvlaki out there, I thought I’d make one of my own.

I loved the ease that came with baking instead of grilling. I was able to place them all on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake them fairly quickly (12 minutes EACH SIDE). My favorite part was clean up though. Quick, easy and no grill to wash! The final product was tender, juicy, deliciously marinated pork and vegetables. Serve them up with some hummus, pita bread or lemon slices for a full, mouthwatering Mediterranean meal. Hope you all enjoy my take on Oven Baked Pork Souvlaki! Let me know you’re results in the comments below. 😊

CHECK OUT THESE GREAT SIDE DISHES FOR SOME INSPIRATION!

Oven Baked Pork Souvlaki (Kabobs)

Course: MainCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

kabobs

Prep time

hours

Bake time

minutes

Calories per kabob

186

kcal

This Oven Baked Pork Souvlaki recipe is deliciously marinated resulting in the most tender, juicy and flavorful pork kabobs.

Ingredients

2 lbs pork loin, cut into large cubes (trim the fat)
2 bell peppers, diced into large squares
1 red onion, diced into large squares
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
ALSO NEEDED
About 15 skewers

Directions

Put all the cut-up pork, bell peppers and onions in a large Ziploc bag or deep baking dish
Prepare the marinade by mixing together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl
Once mixed, pour the marinade all over the pork, bell peppers and onions. Mix thoroughly until everything is coated well
Cover and place in the fridge to continue marinating for AT LEAST 30 minutes but preferably 2 hours or overnight
When you’re ready to cook, preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you’re using wooden skewers, you can soak them in cold water for 15 minutes before adding the pork and veggies to them (this will prevent the skewers from burning in the oven)
Remove the marinated pork and veggies from the fridge and start threading them through the soaked skewers. You can use any pattern you like when adding them to the skewers
Place the kabobs side by side on the prepared baking sheet making sure there is some space in between each kabob (this will ensure better heat distribution and even cooking). You can use a second baking sheet if you don’t have enough space
Place the kabobs in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. Then flip all the kabobs and bake for an additional 12 minutes
Serve immediately with pita bread, hummus, lemon slices or your choice of salad!

Notes

Calories & Nutritional Info may vary based on different brands and ingredients used. Nutritional Info below was calculated using Very Fit Well’s Nutrition Calculator.

Nutrition Facts

15 servings per container

Calories186

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11.9g 19%
- Saturated Fat 3.7g 19%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 39mg 2%

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
Potassium 308mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 2.4g 1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5g 2%
- Sugars 1.2g
Protein 16.9g 34%

Calcium 1%
Iron 4%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.