How to Make Beef Shawarma at Home: Easy Shawarma Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jul 14, 2024 • 2 min read
You can make delicious beef shawarma at home—no rotisserie required.
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What Is Shawarma?
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, turkey, and even fish.
A Brief History of Shawarma
The vertical spit emerged in the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century and remains prevalent in Turkey, where it is known as 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, served on pita bread with tzatziki sauce. In Mexico, tacos al pastor feature sliced pork cooked on the same vertical rotisserie.
Easy Beef Shawarma Recipe
makes
prep time
30 mintotal time
10 hr 40 mincook time
2 hr 10 minIngredients
- 1
The day before you plan to cook, make the shawarma spice mix. In a small pan over low heat, gently toast the whole spices until fragrant. Remove from the heat and grind with a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle. Combine ground whole spices with ground spices.
- 2
Make the marinade. In a large container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the shawarma seasoning with 1 teaspoon salt, vinegar, ½ cup lemon juice, olive oil, and half of the minced garlic. Marinate the steaks overnight.
- 3
When you’re ready to make the shawarma, preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the steaks in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, and discard any extra marinade. Bake the steaks until tender, about 2 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove from the oven and let cool, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce. In a small bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice, the remaining minced garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add water if needed to achieve a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- 5
In a griddle or large skillet over high heat, cook the steaks until slightly browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Let rest 10 minutes, then cut into thin slices.
- 6
Serve beef shawarma over rice or with pita bread, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes, and drizzle with tahini sauce.
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