Beef Shawarma
Beef shawarma is one of the popular street foods in the Middle East, a classic wrap, warmly spiced, tangy and so tender. This beef shawarma comes with a special spice blend that will kick your sad lunchmeat sandwich to the curb.
Servings: 8
Calories: 232kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds beef steak thin slices, Note1
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil for cooking.
For the marinade:
- 1 Tablespoon homemade Shawarma spice blend recipe follows.
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste.
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard.
- 2 Tablespoons tahini paste.
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1 ½ tablespoon onion powder.
- ½ cup oil.
- ¾ cup vinegar.
- ½ teaspoon sugar.
Shawarma spice blend:
- 1 Tablespoon paprika.
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin.
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger.
- 1 Tablespoon ground coriander.
- 1 Tablespoon ground cloves.
- 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon sumac.
- 1 teaspoon allspice.
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- ½ teaspoon cardamom.
- ½ teaspoon turmeric.
For serving (Choose from and combine)
- Lightly sautéed fresh vegetables: 1 large onion 1 cup bell peppers, sliced and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Note2
- Lebanese bread / flatbread / pita bread
- Garlic sauce (Toum).
- Hummus
- Tahini spread.
- Tabbouleh.
- Fresh tomato slices.
- Red onions.
- Finely sliced iceberg lettuce
- French fries.
Instructions
- Start by grinding all the shawarma spic ingredients together then place in a jar and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix all the shawarma marinade well.
- Pour over the beef slices and toss well to coat the beef slices with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and start cooking the beef in batches. Do not cram the skillet.
- If you are making the lightly sautéed onion and pepper place them in the pan after the beef has cooked and stir for a couple of minutes we want them still crunchy and crisp.
- Spread a generous dollop of garlic dip or hummus on pita bread or any flatbread you are using. Top that with you favorite toppings from the list above and beef. Wrap tightly and enjoy.
Notes
- What steak cut to use for the Shawarma meat, tougher steak cuts like flank steak, skirt, sirloin and round are best for marinating long hours.
- Allergy note: this marinade includes tahini paste which, although not a tree nut, might cause allergy in some people. You can still make it without the paste but it is highly recommended.
- How long to marinate the shawarma: If you have a tender beef cut, then a 30 minutes to 2 hours is enough to add flavors. But if tenderizing is required then I recommend overnight and up to 24 hours.
- Make a head tip: prepare the marinade ahead of time and refrigerate for up to2 days or freeze up to two months.
- Lightly sautéed vegetables are the Egyptian version on shawarma, it is not authentic to the Lebanese one. If you are not making them then try to add some fresh parsley to your wrap it is really a nice addition.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1621IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg