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    Home » Mediterranean recipes

    Best Ever Beef Shawarma

    Published: Jul 15, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    652 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Beef shawarma is a classic Middle Eastern street food. Tender slices of beef are marinated in olive oil and warm shawarma spices and cooked to perfection, then wrapped in a pita bread with vegetables and fries. Learn how to make beef shawarma at home with my tips and tricks.

    overhead shot of beef shawarma with fixings on a backdrop.

    You probably know of popular Middle Eastern street foods such as doner kebab, falafel, kofta kebab and hummus. One of the most well-known Middle Eastern street foods is beef shawarma and today I'm going to show you how to make it at home! It's easy and calls for just a few ingredients.

    Table Of Contents:
    • What is shawarma?
    • Shawarma seasoning
    • What cut of beef should I use?
    • Tips for the perfect beef shawarma
    • Preparation instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Optional: oven preparation 
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More Lebanese recipes
    • Step-by-Step Recipe

    What is shawarma?

    Shawarma is one of the most popular Middle Eastern street foods that's known all around the world. The warm spices used to make beef shawarma are pretty similar to chicken shawarma, however, you can also buy shawarma spice mix at many Middle Eastern shops.

    Classic shawarma is made on of pieces of meat layered on a vertical rotating spit. Since this is not available at every house, I have developed a recipe for homemade beef shawarma that you can make in a skillet and it tastes just as good!

    Shawarma is usually wrapped in a pita or lavash with toum or tahini sauce, vegetables and pickles. It's always a treat to grab some shawarma when you're in the Middle East!

    close up shot of beef shawarma wrapped in pita.

    Shawarma seasoning

    The flavor of shawarma lies within the seasoning. You can find shawarma spice mixes in many Middle Eastern or Mediterranean stores; however, I have a homemade shawarma spice mix recipe for you to keep on hand in case you'd like to make it at home:

    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon coriander
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon allspice
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cardamom

    What cut of beef should I use?

    There are different cuts of beef including flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin, sirloin tip or ribeye that you can use for this recipe. It's best if there is some marbling in the meat, this would result in juicier shawarma.

    You don't have to splurge on any special cut of meat to make shawarma. It's important to cut the beef into thin slices before marinating. To slice the beef easily, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes.

    To make this middle eastern street food you need beef, spices, onion, lemon, garlic, olive oil and vinegar.

    Tips for the perfect beef shawarma

    • Don't skip the vinegar - Vinegar acts as a tenderizer and balances the flavor.
    • Seasoning - Be generous with the spices since that's where all the flavor is.
    • Don't marinate for too long - Long marination can make the meat tough, therefore it's best to cook the meat within 1 or 2 hours. However, the meat will still be good if marinated for up to 8 hours in the fridge.

    Preparation instructions

    season and marinate the beef then cook in a skillet and serve with all the fixings.
    1. Slice the beef thinly and place it in a large bowl. Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil.
    2. Season with the shawarma spice mix and toss the beef to make sure all pieces are well coated. You can use your hands or a pair of tongs to mix the beef with the seasoning.
    3. Cover with a plastic wrap and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
    4. When you're ready to cook, heat a wide cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Transfer the beef to the pan and sear until fully cooked, about 8 to 12 minutes. If your pan is not large enough, cook the beef in batches.
    5. Make the tahini sauce and then prepare the beef shawarma sandwiches or bowls.

    Serving suggestions

    There are so many ways to serve beef shawarma. You can make it into a shawarma wrap, a bowl or a platter. Make sure to have plenty of toum (Lebanese garlic sauce) and tahini sauce, you can use my Middle Eastern tahini sauce recipe or the one added to the recipe card below.

    • Beef shawarma sandwich: Wrap the shawarma in a pita bread with tahini sauce, pickled turnips, sumac onion, fries, pickled cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce.
    • Beef shawarma platter or bowl: You serve the shawarma on a platter with the fixings mentioned above. You can also turn it into a bowl with some lettuce or salad topped with the shawarma on top.
    serve shawarma beef with pita.

    Optional: oven preparation 

    If you don't want to use a skillet to make beef shawarma, you can use your oven. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and place the baking sheet in the oven to make it very hot. When the oven is heated, take the baking sheet out and spread the beef on it. Return it to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once or twice until the beef is cooked completely.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the difference between shawarma and gyro?

    Shawarma and Greek gyro have a lot in common. They're both made on a spit and both are usually served as a wrap. However, gyro has a different flavor and marinade. Gyro is usually served with tzatziki, vegetables and fries.

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    You can marinate the meat for up to 8 hours in advance. In this case, make sure the meat is fully covered with plastic wrap and then refrigerate it.

    close up shot of the final recipe.

    More Lebanese recipes

    • Lebanese Kibbeh Recipe (Video Tutorial)
    • Fattoush Salad Recipe
    • Easy Lebanese Rice with Vermicelli
    • Batata Harra (Lebanese Spicy Potatoes)

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

    Step-by-Step Recipe

    Beef Shawarma Recipe

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Beef shawarma is a classic Middle Eastern street food. Tender slices of beef are marinated in olive oil and warm shawarma spices and cooked to perfection, then wrapped in a pita bread with vegetables and fries. Learn how to make beef shawarma at home with my tips and tricks.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine middle eastern
    Servings 6
    Calories 458 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Beef shawarma

    • 1 ½ lb beef sirloin sliced thinly
    • 1 onion sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 lemon juice of
    • 2 tbsp white vinegar
    • ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ tsp turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon coriander
    • ½ tsp cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon allspice
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cardamom
    • 1 tsp kosher salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper

    Tahini sauce

    • ¼ cup tahini
    • 1 lemon juice of
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

    To serve

    • 6 pita bread
    • turnip pickles
    • pickled cucumbers
    • tahini sauce
    • 2 cups sumac onion
    • fries
    • lettuce
    • tomatoes

    Instructions
     

    • Place the beef in a bowl and add the onion, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Add in the cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, paprika, cardamom, salt and pepper. Using your hands or a pair of tongs, mix the beef with the spices and olive oil mixture and make sure all pieces are well coated. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
    • Heat a large cast iron skillet or a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, transfer the beef to the pan and sear until fully cooked, about 8 to 12 minutes. If your pan is not large enough, cook the beef in batches.
    • To make the tahini sauce, mix the tahini with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. If you like the sauce runnier, add a little bit of water.
    • Once the beef shawarma is ready, start assembling the sandwich. Start by placing the beef shawarma on the pita, top with tahini sauce, turnip pickles, cucumber pickles, sumac onion, fries, lettuce and tomatoes. Wrap tightly and cut in half if preferred.

    Video

    Notes

    • You can store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 
    • Make ahead: You can marinate the beef for up to 24 hours in advance. 
    • Make the tahini sauce for up to 3 days in advance. 
    • Here are the recipes for pita, pickled turnips and sumac onion. 
    • You can also use pita pockets for this recipe and stuff them with the beef shawarma and the rest of the fixings. 
    • To save time, you can use store-bought shawarma spice mix (available at Middle Eastern or Mediterranean shops). 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 458kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 32gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 857mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 187IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!

     

    « Batata Harra (Lebanese Spicy Potatoes)
    Fasolakia - Greek Green Beans »
    652 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Renay Metzger

      July 22, 2022 at 11:35 am

      Could I use rib eye or lamb shoulder instead of sirloin?

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        July 22, 2022 at 11:55 am

        You sure can!

        Reply
    2. Natalie

      July 18, 2022 at 4:41 am

      5 stars
      Wow, we loved your beef shawarma! It was something new to me but definitely making it soon again. I had no leftovers, LOL, thanks!

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        July 18, 2022 at 8:53 am

        Thank you Natatlie! This recipe is a keeper!

        Reply
    3. Brandy

      July 17, 2022 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the great recipe. This really was the best! My husband and I really enjoyed this for our dinner. It was so easy to make and very tasty!

      Reply

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    652 shares