Grilled Beef & Summer Squash Skewers
Savory spiced beef, charred summer squash and red onion come together for an easy grill-forward dinner with warm Caribbean-inspired flavor.
Some meals don't need a complicated sauce or a long list of ingredients to deliver big flavor. These grilled skewers rely on warm spices, savory beef and the natural sweetness that develops when summer squash and red onion meet a hot grill.
A touch of dark brown sugar helps encourage caramelization, while Worcestershire sauce adds savory depth to the beef without overpowering the allspice and clove. Finish everything with fresh basil and cilantro, and you've got a dinner that feels a little more interesting than the usual backyard skewer.
Ingredients
For the Spiced Beef
- ¾ pound ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Vegetables & Finish
- 1 medium yellow squash, cut into thick half-moons
- 1 medium red onion, cut into large wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Metal skewers or wooden skewers, soaked if needed
Method
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before grilling.
In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, allspice, cloves, brown sugar, kosher salt and black pepper. Mix gently just until evenly incorporated. Avoid overworking the meat.
Divide the beef mixture into even portions and shape each portion into a small oval or kofta-style cylinder around the skewers. Press gently so the beef holds securely without becoming overly compact.
Place the squash and red onion in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with kosher salt and toss until evenly coated. Thread the vegetables onto separate skewers.
Place the beef skewers over medium-high heat and grill for approximately 3–4 minutes per side, turning as needed, until deeply browned and cooked through. Ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Grill the squash and onion skewers for approximately 3–4 minutes per side. Look for distinct grill marks, lightly caramelized edges and squash that is tender while still holding its shape.
Let the beef rest for 2–3 minutes after grilling. Arrange the beef and vegetables together and finish with fresh basil and cilantro just before serving.
Once they hit the grill, give the beef and vegetables enough uninterrupted contact with the heat to actually brown. Those caramelized edges are doing just as much flavor work as the seasoning.
Keep the Beef Tender
Mix the beef only until the seasonings are distributed. Overworking ground beef can make the finished skewers dense. If the mixture feels soft after shaping, refrigerate the skewers for 10–15 minutes before grilling.
Allspice Isn't a Spice Blend
Despite its name, allspice comes from a single dried berry. Its warm flavor can suggest cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and pepper, which is why it works so well in Caribbean-inspired marinades and meat dishes.
Warm • Savory • Charred
Allspice and clove provide warm aromatic spice, Worcestershire deepens the savory beef, and brown sugar encourages caramelization. Charred squash and red onion bring sweetness while basil and cilantro brighten the finish.
Want to push the seasoning a little further?
Add a light touch of Forks & Flavors Louisiana Creole Seasoning to the beef mixture for another layer of herbs, spice and savory flavor. If you're working from the pantry, a combination of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and thyme can take you in a similar direction.
Explore Chef David's Spices →Learn why the grill changes flavor.
Recipes tell you what to do. Kitchen Studio helps you understand why it works. Explore Meal After Meal: Foundations for practical lessons on heat, browning, seasoning, texture and the techniques that help you cook with more confidence.
Explore Kitchen Studio → From Forks247 • Learn the technique. Build the instinct.A Quick Note from Chef David
One thing I always tell cooks is this:
Recipes teach you what to cook. Foundations teach you how to cook.
That’s why I created Kitchen Studio.
It’s a place where I break down the real cooking principles behind the recipes you see here on Forks24/7—things like seasoning, flavor balance, and building meals that actually work. Explore the Meal After Meal Foundations inside Kitchen Studio.
If you're interested in learning the deeper side of cooking and want to cook with moreconfidence, I invite you to take a look.
Visit Kitchen Studio →
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