Whether you’re craving something sweet, spicy or fruity, we’ve got skewer flavour inspiration and a tantalizing collection of recipes to suit any mood.
Spice is nice
Sometimes the best cure for the summer heat is more heat. Go subtle by dusting ingredients with spice powders like smoked paprika, cumin or jerk seasoning. Prepared sauces and marinades made with chili peppers like habanero or chipotle add punch to meats and vegetables with the shake of a bottle. For more direct heat, add fresh produce to skewers. De-seeded jalapeños, sweet-hot red chilies and garlic cloves all grill up nicely.
- Tequila Lime Habanero Chicken Kabobs
- Peruvian-Style Beef & Potato Kabobs with Mint Chimichurri
- Grilled Mini Potato & Garlic Skewers
Sweet eats
Dessert is served: skewered-style, so no sticky fingers! Choose one sweet fruit to thread or a colourful combo. Bite-sized pieces of brownies, pound cake chunks or marshmallows are great to add another dimension of flavour and texture to fruit kabobs. Drizzle with melted chocolate or honey, or serve with a dipping sauce. To add some extra visual appeal, sprinkle the dessert skewers with nuts, crushed cookies, chocolate chips or toasted coconut.
- Glazed Fruit Skewers with Strawberry Yogourt Dip
- Grilled Pineapple Skewers & Rum Caramel Sauce
- Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs
- Barbecue Pie Pops
- Cheesecake Truffle Skewers
- S’Mores Skewers
- Banana Split Kabobs
Tropical twist
It’s all about flavour combinations when you’re talking skewers — and when it comes to mouthwatering meat and seafood, well-paired fruits can really brighten their flavours. Pineapple and mango are two of our favourites. They’re a match made in heaven with almost any poultry, meat or seafood of your choice. Pair the skewers with the bright notes of citrus, fresh herbs and chili for some bite. To ensure the fruit maintains their shape when grilled, pick produce that has some give but is not too soft.
Something salty
For that salty craving, you have a buffet of ingredients to pick from at the deli counter. Everything from cured meats like salami and prosciutto to salty cheeses like Roquefort and feta fill the bill. Alternatively, harness the marinade potential of kitchen staples like soy sauce or Greek dressing with feta cheese and kalamata olives to add a touch of salt to your dinner.
Balanced bites
A hearty supper doesn’t have to be square — add fun with skewers and satisfy everyone’s palates with some flavour harmony. Start by choosing ingredients with different taste profiles (sweet, salty, spicy, umami) and then mix and match textures to your liking. Also, think outside the box: Aside from produce and protein items, ingredients like bread, pizza dough and even pasta can make interesting skewers.
Assembly Line
Whatever you choose, mix and match these ingredients for impressive and original flavour combos, both savoury and sweet. Note: If using bamboo skewers, remember to soak them for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent them from burning on the grill. For more tips and inspiration, read Tips for Killer Kabobs.
Savoury Skewers
| Protein | Produce | Sauces/ Seasonings |
Garnish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
Shrimp Pork Sirloin steak Tofu Bacon Sausage Cured meats (like prosciutto, salami, and ham) |
Avocado
Red onion Peppers Pineapple Tomatoes Mushrooms Zucchini Greek mammoth stuffed olives |
Tequila lime habanero sauce
Sweet onion chipotle barbecue sauce Ginger/garlic seasoning pastes Fresh apricot jam Dijon mustard Lemon/lime juice Yogourt |
Sesame seeds
Green onions Fresh herbs |
Sweet Skewers
| Base | Fruit | Sauces | Garnish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pound cake pieces
Waffle pieces Doughnut pieces Pancake pieces Brownies Cookies Marshmallows |
Berries
Banana Stone fruits (mango, nectarines, plums, peaches, apricots) Apples Grapes Pineapple Melon Kiwi Navel orange Watermelon |
Chocolate
Maple syrup Honey Dulce de leche Fruit preserves/ marmalade Greek yogourt Jam |
Citrus rind
Cookie crumbs Chocolate chips Sprinkles Shredded coconut Nuts |
