🍢 Cağ kebabı
Cağ kebabı is a lamb kebab from eastern Türkiye: thin slices of lamb marinated with onion and spices are stacked on a horizontal spit and turned slowly beside a wood fire. As the outside chars, the cook slices it off onto thin metal skewers (cağ), so every portion is juicy with crisp, smoky edges. It is served straight off the skewer.
Diets
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens in a typical recipe.
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 g boneless lamb leg or shoulder, thinly sliced
- 2 onions, grated
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- Salt
- Sliced onion and parsley to serve
Method
- Mix the lamb slices with grated onion juice, pepper, cumin, chilli and salt; marinate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Stack the slices tightly on a long horizontal skewer, or thread them onto several flat skewers.
- Grill close to a hot charcoal fire, turning steadily, for 10–15 minutes.
- Slice off the charred outer layer onto small skewers and keep grilling the rest. Serve with sliced onion and parsley.
How to make it lighter
- Choose lean leg meat and trim visible fat before marinating.
- Fill half the plate with onion, parsley and tomato salad alongside the meat.
- A 150 g portion of meat is a filling, high-protein main.
History
Cağ kebabı is a specialty of Erzurum and the surrounding Oltu area in eastern Anatolia, where it is cooked over wood. It has become known across Türkiye in recent decades, with dedicated cağ kebab restaurants in Istanbul and other cities.
Count it in one photo
Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Cağ kebabı and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.
Download on the App StoreSimilar dishes
Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →