You can make delicious beef shawarma at home—no rotisserie required.


How to Make Beef Shawarma at Home: Easy Shawarma Recipe

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern style of cooking that involves stacking slices of marinated meat on a vertical rotisserie. The caramelized outer layer of meat is shaved off and served over rice or in a flatbread sandwich. The word *shawarma* comes from the Arabic *šāwirma*, which comes from Turkish *çevirme*, "to rotate." Although lamb is perhaps the most common traditional shawarma meat, you can make shawarma with beef, [chicken](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-shawarma), turkey, and even fish.

The vertical spit emerged in the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century and remains prevalent in Turkey, where it is [known as doner kebab](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-doner-kebab). Doner kebab spread throughout the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, where it's now known as shawarma. The Greek interpretation of doner kebab is [the gyro](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-chicken-gyros), served on pita bread [with tzatziki sauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-greek-tzatziki). In Mexico, [tacos al pastor](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-gabriela-camaras-tacos-al-pastor-recipe) feature sliced pork cooked on the same vertical rotisserie.

You can make delicious beef shawarma at home—no rotisserie required.


Shawarma is a Middle Eastern style of cooking that involves stacking slices of marinated meat on a vertical rotisserie. The caramelized outer layer of meat is shaved off and served over rice or in a flatbread sandwich. The word shawarma comes from the Arabic šāwirma, which comes from Turkish çevirme, &quot;to rotate.&quot; Although lamb is perhaps the most common traditional shawarma meat, you can make shawarma with beef, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-shawarma' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-shawarma","linkCopy":"chicken","category":null}'>chicken</a>, turkey, and even fish.

What Is Shawarma?

The vertical spit emerged in the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century and remains prevalent in Turkey, where it is <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-doner-kebab' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-doner-kebab","linkCopy":"known as doner kebab","category":null}'>known as doner kebab</a>. Doner kebab spread throughout the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, where it&#39;s now known as shawarma. The Greek interpretation of doner kebab is <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-chicken-gyros' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-chicken-gyros","linkCopy":"the gyro","category":null}'>the gyro</a>, served on pita bread <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-greek-tzatziki' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-greek-tzatziki","linkCopy":"with tzatziki sauce","category":null}'>with tzatziki sauce</a>. In Mexico, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-gabriela-camaras-tacos-al-pastor-recipe' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-gabriela-camaras-tacos-al-pastor-recipe","linkCopy":"tacos al pastor","category":null}'>tacos al pastor</a> feature sliced pork cooked on the same vertical rotisserie.

A Brief History of Shawarma

Easy Beef Shawarma Recipe

You can make delicious beef shawarma at home—no rotisserie required.