You can have your favorite beef shawarma sandwich right at home, this easy recipe is all you need! I’m sharing my family’s secrets complete with the shawarma seasoning, which makes all the difference. Be sure to check out the tips and video below.
Like hummus, falafel, and kofta Kebab, shawarma is another popular Middle Eastern street food that has become widely known throughout the world! And the good news is, beef shawarma is easy to make right at home, no special equipment needed.
Since I shared my chicken shawarma recipe earlier, many have reached out asking for the beef version. I’m excited to share yet another family favorite with you today, and will be answering all your questions including: what’s the shawarma seasoning? What kind of meat is best? Plus, how to make the BEST shawarma sandwich!
What is shawarma?
This famous Middle Eastern street food is basically heavily-marinated meat (or chicken), layered on a vertical rotisserie or spit where it is slow-roasted for days until perfectly tender and extra flavorful! To serve it, thin layers of meat are shaved off the spit and piled up into a warm pita pocket with heaps of fresh toppings and a good drizzle of tahini sauce.
You do not need a special rotisserie or spit to make it at home. In this easy homemade shawarma recipe, you just need a large skillet or cast iron grill pan. And to make sure we get as close as possible to the texture and authentic flavor of beef shawarma, slice up your meat very thinly and toss it in the tantalizing shawarma seasoning with a bit of garlic, onions, lemon juice and olive oil.
Shawarma seasoning
You may not have special equipment to make authentic shawarma like they make on the streets of the Middle East, but you can come very close to the flavors by using the right spices! This shawarma seasoning makes all the difference, and you may already have these spices on hand (but if not, check out our online shop). What’s in it?
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
What kind of meat to use for beef shawarma?
Several kinds of meat can be used to make shawarma at home. In this recipe, I used 1 1/2 pounds of beef flap steak, which is a thin, relatively lean steak that is part of the sirloin butt. Depending on where you live, flap steak goes by other names like sirloin tip or bavette. It is not an expensive cut of beef and has just enough fat for flavor.
Flank steak will work here as well, although flap meat has a little bit more marbling which makes it juicer and more tender. If you have the budget and want to splurge for a beef rib eye steak that will work as well.
On the streets of the Middle East, you’ll find chicken shawarma, beef shawarma (or a combination of beef and lamb) layered on top of each other. So feel free to try different variations using the shawarma seasoning in this recipe.
How to make beef shawarma: Step-by-step
- Prepare the shawarma spices and marinade
Grab one large mixing bowl and mix together the shawarma seasoning (listed above) with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar and zest and juice of one lemon. This makes your marinade for the meat. - Slice up the meat
Thinly slice your meat against the grain (this is especially helpful if you’re using flap steak or flank steak, which can be chewy if cut incorrectly). The pieces of meat need to be a good bite size (3-inches or so) but more importantly, they need to be fairly thin for the best texture.
- Marinate the meat
Put the sliced meat in the big bowl the marinade. Season well with a big dash of kosher salt and black pepper, then add fresh garlic and onion slices. Using a pair of tongs, give everything a good toss to make sure the meat is well-coated. At this point, you can let it marinate at room temperature for a few minutes (20 to 30 or so), or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. - Cook the beef shawarma
I like to use a large cast iron pan or skillet, but if you don’t have one any large pan will work. Heat the pan over high heat, and using your tongs, add the meat in. Spread the meat out so that as much of it is touching the hot surface as possible (and if you need to, do this in batches). Cook for 8 to 15 minutes, flipping and tossing occasionally (if you like less juice and for the meat to be more charred, you will likely go 15 minutes)
Make a mean shawarma sandwich!
If you’re wondering how to serve it at home, you can serve it a couple of different ways:
- Shawarma sandwiches. What you need for this are some warm pita bread (halved to create pockets). Load up each pita pocket with the cooked beef shawarma, my lazy 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad (which is basically tomato and cucumber salad with parsley), and finish with a big drizzle of tahini sauce. If you like, add some pickled onions, pickled cucumbers or thin slices of preserved lemons, totally optional.
- Dinner bowls. If you’re looking to cut the carbs, try something like I did with my chicken shawarma salad bowls. Grab some dinner bowls (or plates), spoon some beef, add a Mediterranean salad of your choice (tabouli is great), then add a bit of hummus on the side
Equipment and special ingredients used in this recipe
- I use this large cast iron pan or a 14-inch cast iron skillet–for a full meat tower shawarma, check out my grilled chicken shawarma on a spit.
- For the spices used in the shawarma seasoning, visit our our online shop spice selection
More sandwiches and wraps you may like
Browse more Middle Eastern recipes. You may also enjoy 50+ Top Mediterranean diet recipes.
Beef Shawarma Recipe
Ingredients
For Shawarma Spices
For Shawarma + Marinade
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 lb beef flap steak or flank steak, cut very thinly against the grain into bite size pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced
To Serve
- 4 Pita bread loaves, halved (8 pita pockets)
- 3-Ingredient Mediterranean salad, (or sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and chopped parsley)
- 1 Homemade Tahini Sauce, follow this tahini sauce recipe
- Pickled Cucumbers, optional.
Instructions
- In the bottom of large mixing bowl, add the shawarma spices. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and zest and juice of one lemon. Using a spoon, mix to combine.
- Using a chef’s knife, cut the flap steak against the grain into thin bite-size slices (no more than ¼-inch in thickness).
- Add the sliced meat to the bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add the garlic and onions. Using a pair of tongs, toss very well to make sure the meat is well-coated with the marinade. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for a few minutes (or, if you have the time, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours).
- Heat a large cast iron grill pan or skillet over high heat. Using a pair of tongs, add the meat pieces, spreading them as much as you are able. Cook over high heat for anywhere between 8 and 15 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked. (If you like less liquid in your pan and extra char on the meat, you'll likely cook it for about 15 minutes. And if your pan is not large enough, cook the meat in batches).
- While the meat is cooking, prepare the pita pockets and fixings. Make my 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley. Make the tahini sauce. And prepare your pickled cucumbers, if using.
- Assemble the shawarma sandwiches. Open up your pita pockets and load them up with the beef shawarma, salad, and finish with a generous drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve immediately!
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes 8 pita pocket sandwiches. The serving size is 1 pita pocket sandwich.
- For spices and olive oil used in this recipe, visit our online shop here.
- Storage: allow any leftover beef shawarma to cool completely, then store separately in the fridge in a tight-lid glass container. It should keep well for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
*This post and recipe first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2018 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.
I made this for the first time last night for company. We loved it! I used a flank steak that was in the marinade about 6 hours. Soo tender. So full of flavor! Can’t wait to make it again!
I loved the recipe. I added 1 tsp of salt to the marinade. I swapped out black pepper for the cayenne pepper because some family members cannot handle anything spicy. We grilled the meat/onions and warmed the pita on the grill. I will make it again! I served it with a salad (cucumbers, tomatoes and parsley with chopped romaine lettuce) and Israeli pearl cous cous.
This is just unbelievable – it’s incredibly easy to make and the flavor is awesome! We couldn’t be happier. Another Suzie win!!!
First time trying this tonight, great recipe! Due to our family taste, I cut out the clove. I also halved the cinnamon and substituted the other half with a little bit of sugar. Used flank steak, cut against the grain of course, and served with some quick pickled red onions and yogurt/cucumber salad. It was bomb! My dream kitchen may include a spit to cook shawerma, but in the meantime this is awesome, thank you for the great recipe.
So my family bought “shawerma meat” from some store and I was like hmm..how do I cook this…just raw neat stripes. Decided to try this recipe thinking..meh I don’t think it’ll wow anyone.
But god dang! This so flavorful…delicious! This recipe def made me a fan of that purchase and it’s a relativley easy meal to put together if you invite people over…just some salad/breads/sauces. So good! Thanks for sharing! I did only use one small lemon and like a tablespoon of vinegar instead of 1/4 cup.
To be honest before I don’t like shawarma but when I try this recipe my mindset was change. From now on beef Shawarma is my new favorite.
Hi, I love to try your recipe but is there any other spice I can I use in place of cinnamon?
Hi, Tricia. You can just omit it here if you prefer.
Very good. I would suggest reducing the amount of lemon juice and vinegar by about 20%. Will try again. You can do this on the grill if you have a 1/2 sheet size baker’s cooling rack dedicated to your grill.
Thanks for sharing, Jerry!
I love shawarma! I’ve had it numerous times at a local Lebanese restaurant and I’m excited to try your version! I’m curious as to what spices are used in Lebanon that you didn’t add?
This is the best recipe! I’ve made it numerous times, exactly as written…making it now!☺️ thanks so much! In the last 6 yrs, I’ve been drawn into a whole new world of spices from the Middle East…Amazing!😋🤤😁
So so so good. I make this with your tahini sauce and your 3 ingredient salad on the side. Thank you!!!
Yum!! Thanks, Ro!
Hi. Do you cook the meat alone or with all the spices and juices?
Hi, Michelina. I typically discard the marinade before cooking.
I love love LOVE this recipe! *and the chicken too!
I have to ask though- is it possible to freeze the marinated beef? (BTW, could I freeze the chicken shawarma too?)
That way i could make a bigger load and portion out/meal prep, and just toss on the pan when thawed?
Kind Regards
Laila
Hi, Laila. It’s a little bit hard to say. Other blog readers have frozen these recipes in the marinade and said it turned out fine. I always worry about freezing meat in marinades containing lemon though…. sometimes it can affect the texture of the meat. Just something to be aware of.
Another outstanding recipe! I love this. Made it as directed and added caramelized mushrooms and some homemade sweet pepper relish. The only thing that wasn’t just great was the store bought pita pockets. I have got to either find a good bakery in our area or learn to make my own.
Thanks for sharing! Caramelized mushrooms and sweet pepper relish sound like fabulous additions here!
Made these tonight with homemade pita, tahini sauce, and the Mediterranean salad. I was amazed at how delicious these sandwiches were. My husband said they were better than the ones he gets from a Lebanese restaurant! This batch of pita (my third try) also turned out better than ever. I’m getting the hang of it:)
Yay!! Thanks, Cathy.
I think I’m getting the hang of it! Another healthy and delicious meal. In my case with tzatziki which I never can get enough of. Thank you Suzy for the inspiration.
Suzy, what do you recommend to use in place of garlic? I LOVE garlic but my “system” can not tolerate it any more … I love your cooking style and have been cooking this way (everyday) since I found you 2 years ago!!! I have learned so much from you and cook all from scratch … you have been a life saver, thank you so much!! Shelley
Hi, Shelley. That’s a toughy, because it really would depend on the recipe. Sometimes, just simply omitting it and increasing the amount of the other seasonings in a recipe is they way to go. I’ve also seen chives and shallots mentioned as possible substitutes as well. I hope that helps at least a little bit.
Can you leave the beef in marinade over night?
Yes, Michael. That should be fine.