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5 from 6 votes

Beef Shawarma 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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: middle eastern
Servings: 6
Calories: 458kcal

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
  • teaspoon black pepper

To serve

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: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 857mg | Potassium: 606mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 4mg