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Greek Pork Souvlaki Skewers

Heidi Larsenby Published: Aug 26, 2025

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An easy marinade with classic the Greek flavors of fruity olive oil, lemon, and oregano gives a tangy, fresh taste to grilled pork souvlaki skewers. When served with lemon rice, this is a Greek meal the whole family can get behind.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“We have made this repeatedly since I discovered it on Pinterest. We LOVE this recipe so much and have made it with chicken breast as well as pork. It has become a staple in our house. Thank You!” -Anne, FoodieCrush reader

Pork Souvlaki with Lemon Rice on plate and in bowl

Souvlaki Skewers Easy Enough for Busy Weeknights

Photo of Heidi from FoodieCrush

Bring Greece to you by loading up your plate with a few of these succulent pork souvlaki skewers and a big ol’ pile of lemon rice.

To make the skewers, chunks of pork tenderloin take a dip in a simple lemon marinade, then are threaded onto skewers and grilled until lightly charred and juicy.

This recipe is so simple for family weeknight meals but is a goodie to have ready to go for weekend grilling, too. It makes the perfect dinner for guests because there’s no last-minute fuss besides tossing the skewers on the grill and giving the rice a stir and fluff.

And if you don’t own a grill, that’s okay too. Just fire up that stovetop grill pan and preheat it over medium-high heat before you start cooking.

Heidi

Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success

Never marinate in a metal container. The metal can react with the acid (in this case, lemon juice) so always use glass or take the easy route and use the freezer bag method. And ALWAYS marinate in the refrigerator.

You can use either wooden skewers or metal skewers like these. If you choose to use wooden skewers, soak the skewers for about 20 minutes before threading the meat on them so they don’t burn when grilled.

Thread the pork on tightly. I thread mine on so tight that it forms more of a meaty brick. I’ve found this method keeps the pork super juicy and makes for easier flipping.

What You’ll Need for the Pork and Marinade

What's in Pork Souvlaki with Lemon Rice ingredients

The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Pork tenderloin — Since we’re marinating the pork for just 2ish hours, we can get away with using an already very tender cut of meat. Trim all of the extra fat from the pork and then simply cut it into chunks the size you’d like for your skewers.
  • Lemons — For this marinade, the acid component comes in the form of Meyer lemon juice. If you don’t have Meyer lemons on hand, regular lemons will work just fine. (Either way, save the zest for using in the lemon rice!)
  • Olive oil — Choose a fruity olive oil to play up the citrus flavor from the lemon.
  • Seasonings — Oregano and garlic round out our flavorings with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How to Make Pork Souvlaki at Home

Marinade for pork souvlaki
  1. Whisk together the marinade. The marinade is a simple blend of lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Be sure to zest the lemons before juicing them if you plan on making the lemon rice!
  2. Marinate the pork. I marinate the pork in a gallon freezer bag for at least 2 hours, and sometimes for 2 to 3 days as long as the pork is fresh before I marinate it. I’ve found that the longer I can marinate it, the better it tastes.

Heidi’s Tip: Pork has a shelf life of 2-3 days, and marinating doesn’t extend its expiration date, so keep that in mind for this recipe.

Pork Souvlaki on skewers before and after grilling
  1. Assemble the skewers. I prefer using metal skewers when grilling, but wooden skewers that have been soaked in water beforehand may also be used. Really pack the meat onto the skewers for maximum juiciness.
  2. Grill the souvlaki. These Greek pork skewers need to cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate them every few minutes, then pull them off the grill when they reach 155ºF. A quick 5-minute rest before serving will allow the carryover heat to bring them up to 160ºF.
Lemon rice ingredients in saucepan
  1. Make the lemon rice. I like to rinse my white rice a few times under cold tap water until the water runs clean. Then, I’ll combine it with the lemon juice and zest, a little butter, and some salt before topping it off with the water.
  2. Rest before fluffing with a fork. After 20 minutes of simmering, the rice should be tender. Leave the lid on but remove the pot from the heat for a final 10-minute steam to create super fluffy rice that won’t clump together.
Pork Souvlaki on skewers on platter

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.

Pork Souvlaki with Lemon Rice on plate and in bowl
4.73 from 11 votes

Pork Souvlaki Recipe With Lemon Rice

For the juiciest, most flavorful pork souvlaki, I suggest marinating the pork for at least 2 hours. The lemon rice on the side is optional, but it's a non-negotiable in our house!
Print
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Keyword pork souvlaki
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinate Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6 skewers

Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 3 Meyer lemons, divided (or 4 regular lemons)
  • ½ cup fruity olive oil
  • 6 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons oregano
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

Instructions

  • Prepare the pork. Trim the fat from 2 pounds of pork tenderloin and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
  • Make the souvlaki marinade. Zest 2 lemons and set the zest aside for the lemon rice. In a small bowl, mix ½ cup olive oil with the juice of 2 Meyer lemons or 3 regular lemons. Reserve one lemon to juice for the lemon rice. Whisk in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 6 cloves pressed garlic, 3 tablespoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
  • Marinate the pork. Pour the marinade into a plastic bag with the pork and seal tightly, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for 2 hours but preferably overnight.
  • Prepare the grill and skewer the meat. When ready to cook, heat a grill to medium high. Remove the pork from the plastic bag and discard the marinade. Thread the pork on metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 20 minutes to avoid flare-ups.
  • Make the lemon rice. While the grill is heating, rinse 1 cup of white rice in cold water, stirring with your hand, drain, and repeat two more times until the water runs mostly clear. Add the rice to a medium saucepan fitted with a lid. Add 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon butter, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir, then bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover with the lid. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the minced parsley. Add more salt and butter to taste.
  • Grill the pork. Grill the pork until browned on all sides, turning every few minutes, and cook to 160°F, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a platter, cover with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, another squeeze of lemon, and serve with the lemon rice.

Notes

Rice is from my Lemon Rice recipe. 

Sides to Serve with Pork Souvlaki

These souvlaki skewers are certainly filling enough, but sometimes you just need that extra somethin’ somethin’ to complete the meal.

Ways to Customize Your Skewers

  • Replace the marinade with my yogurt-based Greek chicken marinade for a different flavor profile.
  • Thread bell pepper and onion slices between the chunks of pork for a meal-in-one.
  • Use chicken instead of pork to create Greek chicken skewers.
  • Skip the lemon rice and serve in warm pita bread slathered with tzatziki sauce instead.

More Easy Greek Dinners You’ll Love

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Hi! I’m Heidi and I cook real good, real food I hope you’ll love to make, too.

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  1. Anne Lorber

    We have made this repeatedly since I discovered it on Pinterest. We LOVE this recipe so much and have made it with chicken breast as well as pork. It has become a staple in our house. Thank You!

    Reply

  2. Jessica

    Hello!! The other day I happened to stumble onto your blog & recipe for your Best Greek Chicken Marinade…..lucky me!!! As I write this, my chicken is marinating in the fridge. I cannot wait to cook and enjoy dinner tonight!! We LOVE greek food and I have made my own greek marinade but just had to try yours. Anyways I couldn’t resist peeking at this souvlaki recipe (which is on next week’s menu). The lemon rice looks easy but I do have a question. It may just be me but I didn’t see what time of rice you used. Minute rice? If so, do I add the lemon when I add the rice to the boiling water? I promise I’ve looked at this several times to make sure I didn’t miss it but I still can’t see anything other than rice. I apologize in advance if you have it listed and I missed it. Oh & one other question if I bake this pork souvlaki what temp & time would be best? Can’t wait to hear back from you. And I will let you know how the chicken turns out. Thanks so much!!

    Reply

    • Laura

      Jessica, the white rice listed in the ingredients would be plain, raw rice, either medium or long grain. If Minute Rice was indicated, it would be listed as “instant” or “quick-cooking”. Also, if you use your oven for this, I would think the broiler would be the best option, maybe 5 minutes on each side. At least, that’s what I would do.

      Reply

  7. Vicky

    I’m thinking add a little dill to the rice and make some tzatziki for dipping. Will be making this soon. Thank you.

    Vicky

    Reply

  11. Lisa @ Wine & Glue

    I am SO EXCITED for the movie that just reading your post gives me the chills and makes me giddy! I watched the original about 80 gagillion times. And this recipe! It looks like such a perfect dinner!

    Reply

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