Beef Shawarma Recipe

Beef shawarma on a platter with tahini sauce and vegetables.

5 from 1 vote

Learn how to make the best beef shawarma at home with tender, juicy marinated beef, aromatic shawarma spices, and delicious toppings. Perfect for shawarma platters or stuffing into warm pita pockets for an authentic Middle Eastern experience!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Marinading Time8

Total Time8 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Author: Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Beef

2 pounds flank steak or skirt steak
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For The Shawarma Seasoning

½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

For The Marinade

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
1 small onion thinly sliced

Tahini Sauce

½ cup Tahini paste
¼ cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves pressed or grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4-6 tablespoons water

Optional Wraps

4 Pita bread or Lavash (or more)
½ cup Pickled red onions
2 fresh tomatoes sliced
1 cucumber peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup pickles sliced
2 cups green curly lettuce roughly chopped
Slices of a lemon optional

Instructions

Pat dry the flank steak on both sides and cut it into 1/4-inch strips, each measuring 3 inches long (lengthwise), against the grain. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and set it aside.
Make the shawarma seasoning: In a medium bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamon until thoroughly combined.
Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and shawarma seasoning until incorporated.
Add the flank steak strips and onions to the bowl and toss to fully coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Make the lemon tahini sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and kosher salt until blended. Slowly add the water while whisking until you reach your desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
Cook the meat: Remove the flank steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a large skillet (a cast iron skillet works best) on medium-high. Remove the flank steak and onions from the bowl and place on the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally as it browns. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until you achieve your desired doneness. Do not overcrowd the skillet. You may have to cook in 2-3 batches. Once cooked, place it on a plate or platter, loosely tent it with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
To serve as a wrap: Spread the tahini sauce on the bread (or inside of a pita pocket) and layer it with sliced tomatoes, pickles, cucumbers, lettuce and beef shawarma. Drizzle with more tahini sauce and if preferred with a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving.

Notes

Yields: This recipe serves 4 people if you serve it with the toppings/veggies, but if you decide to turn it into sandwiches/wraps, it will be enough for 6 servings.
Shawarma Seasoning: We used our own homemade shawarma seasoning mix, but if you prefer to use a storebought brand, I recommend using 3 tablespoons of seasoning.
The longer you marinate, the better: Technically, you can cook it after it has marinated for an hour, but like most meat recipes, the longer the beef stays in the marinade, the more delicious it becomes. If you have the time, I recommend marinating your meat overnight for the most profound flavor. This is one of those recipes where planning ahead pays dividends.
Store: You can store leftover steak shawarma in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Freeze: If you plan on preparing a few batches in advance, I highly recommend freezing the raw marinated meat (with the marinade) in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag until ready to use. However, you can also freeze the cooked meat in an airtight container for 2-3 months.
Thaw: To thaw your shawarma steak, place it in the fridge overnight and cook as directed in the recipe.

Nutrition

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