Shashlik has been part of Central Asian food culture for thousands of years. It is traditionally made using lamb or goat meat, but variations include pork, chicken, and beef. It's made by marinating cubes of meat in a yogurt or vinegar-based sauce that penetrates the meat due to its acidity, infusing the flavor and tenderizing the meat. The cubes are threaded on a skewer and then grilled over hot wood or coals until cooked through and slightly charred on the outside.

Depending on the region, vegetables such as onion, bell pepper, tomato, or mushrooms are added to the skewer to create a variety of flavors. Variations include vegetarian kebabs and those using ground meat shaped into balls or small patties instead of cubed meat.

Shashlik is usually served with flatbread or rice.