Shawarma seasoning that will make your heart sing. Shawarma has got to be one of the most popular middle eastern dishes out there! This one has been a long time coming. Not only are the two of us big shawarma fans, we’re also picky shawarma eaters. That means just any old thing won’t do. It has to be the best. So it took some tinkering on my part when I set out to make the best homemade shawarma seasoning. And friends, it’s here! This is seriously amazing stuff. What I love most about homemade seasonings is that you’re in the driver’s seat. You have full control. And that control comes into play most when it comes to the amount of sodium in your seasonings. Stating the obvious here but store-bought seasonings are loaded with salt and/or sugar. But not our homemade version. I’ve modeled this shawarma seasoning off of one that we absolutely love and I have to say, it’s pretty close to perfect! Shawarma has got to be one of the most popular middle eastern dishes out there! Essentially, shawarma seasoning mixture is a dry rub used to marinade chicken, lamb or beef in homemade spices. Load your grilled chicken or beef into warm pitas top with pickles, shredded lettuce, garlic sauce, tahini, slice tomatoes, and sometimes, we’ll even pop in a few french fries right in there with the meat!
Ingredients in shawarma spice blend:
Black PepperAll SpiceGarlic PowderGround CloveGround CinnamonGround NutmegGround CardamomChili PowderDried OreganoKosher salt
How to make homemade shawarma seasoning blend:
Making homemade shawarma seasoning in large batches isn’t difficult to make. You just grab fresh spices, combine them in a bowl and that’s it. With this recipe, you’ll make enough seasoning for 21-23 lbs of meat. So it’ll certainly last you a while if you make the entire batch. Which, we go through easily in about 6 months. I just store my shawarma spice mix in an airtight jar and keep it in a cool, dry place. Now, if you’re wondering if you can use cayenne pepper, rosemary, cumin, or coriander as these are ingredients that are sometimes used in other shawarma recipes, the answer is yes! Remember this is your blend so if there’s an ingredient that your favorite shawarma seasoning usually contains, you can use it! I’d say start in the 2-3 teaspoon range and work your way up. The spices I used are what my favorite Middle Eastern grocery store uses in their spice blend and we love it this way.
Have I mentioned we love shawarma?
…now would probably be a good time to do so. Sometimes I’ll make a batch and split it with my mom and sis. It’s perfect to keep in a jar in a cool dry place in the pantry so you can just grab and marinate your protein of choice. This shawarma seasoning is ideal for marinating chicken with. Just grill it up outdoors or on a grill pan and serve it with a big Shirazi or fattoush salad and voila! Lunch in a flash. If you’re into meal prepping, use it on veggies with a little olive oil and roast them off. Serve it over rice or fluffy couscous. I know it may seem like a lot of individual spices but if you’re passionate about your shawarmas, this is definitely a must-try!
Using this shawarma seasoning blend:
When you want to prep the shawarma meat, combine 1 tablespoon of seasoning with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Add a little salt, and a pound of meat or poultry. Let the chicken marinate for 10-20 minutes. For beef shawarmas like this bowl, let marinate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours. The flavors just really absorb right into the steak and it’s melt-in-your-mouth good. I’ve even used this homemade spice blends to season roasted vegetables with! Serve it up with tahini sauce – it’s so good!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pitas (Arayes)Spicy Lebanese Potatoes (Batata Harra)Homemade Vermicelli RiceLebanese Meat Pies (Sfeehas)Beef Shawarma Bowls
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This makes enough to season about 21 pounds of meat. Use about 1 tablespoon of seasoning per pound of chicken or beef. The batch can even be made larger by simply doubling or tripling the recipe. You can also halve the recipe for a smaller batch.
