Beef Shawarma — Full Recipe 🌯🥩
Yield: 6–8 servings
Style: Middle Eastern-style tender, juicy, spiced beef with beautifully caramelized edges
Prep time: 20 minutes
Marinating: 6 hours to overnight
Cooking time: 10–15 minutes
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1 kg beef top round or sirloin, thinly sliced
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 40 ml fresh lemon juice
- 100 g plain yogurt
- 25 g garlic, minced
- 80 g onion, finely grated
Shawarma Spice Mix
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 12 g salt
Marinade & Preparation
- Prepare the marinade. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, vegetable oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, grated onion, cumin, coriander, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, turmeric, cayenne, and salt.
- Add the beef. Add the thinly sliced beef and toss thoroughly until every piece is well coated with the marinade.
- Marinate. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight for deeper flavor and more tender meat.
- Before cooking, remove the beef from the refrigerator and let it sit for about 20–30 minutes.
Cooking the Beef
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy frying pan over high heat.
- Once very hot, add the marinated beef in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
- Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes without moving it too much, allowing the beef to develop browned, caramelized edges.
- Turn or toss the beef and cook for another 2–4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices, until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.
- For extra shawarma-style caramelization, return all the cooked beef to the hot pan for 30–60 seconds and toss over high heat.
To Make Shawarma Wraps 🌯
Warm pita or flatbread and fill with:
- Beef shawarma
- Garlic sauce or tahini sauce
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Lettuce
- Sliced red onion
- Pickles
- Fresh parsley
- Optional hot sauce
Roll tightly and, for an extra restaurant-style finish, toast the assembled wrap in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes per side.
Chef’s Tips 👨🍳
- Slice against the grain for more tender beef.
- Partially freezing the beef for 30–45 minutes makes it much easier to cut into thin slices.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. A crowded pan traps steam and prevents those delicious browned edges from developing.
- A very hot skillet is the secret to achieving a slightly charred, shawarma-style exterior.
- Overnight marinating gives the beef a much deeper flavor.
- Adjust the cayenne according to your preferred level of heat.
- Serve immediately for the juiciest texture.
Storage
Store leftover cooked beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat quickly in a very hot skillet to help restore the caramelized edges.
