Beef shawarma is a very popular fast food in Middle Eastern restaurants, and if you’re lucky, you can find a delicious shawarma truck nearby. However, it’s so easy to make at home that you don’t need to venture out to find it. The best thing about shawarma at home is that you can customize the flavors to what your family likes best. Also, it just tastes so much more fresh and flavorful that way. I’ve included the recipe for two popular sauces served with shawarma, tahini, and shawarma sauce, as well as quick pickled onions. It may be a requirement to the pickled onions with shawarma, but don’t hold me to that!
The best beef for beef shawarma
I think the best cut of beef to use for beef shawarma is ribeye steak. It has the perfect amount of fat marbled throughout, giving you the most tender a juicy beef shawarma possible. I know that it tends to be on the pricey side, so you can use other cuts of meat. It will be seasoned well, so it’s going to have tons of flavor no matter what cut you use. Try a flank steak or flap for more cost-effective options.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 and 1/2 pounds (680g) rib-eye steak, flank, or flap
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or plain vinegar
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
The Spices:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika (not smoked)
- 1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground dried turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- optional: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon sumac, 1/4 teaspoon allspice
The Pickled Onions:
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
Tahini Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/4c-1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons yogurt
- warm water
- salt, to taste
- garnish: parsley and sumac
Shawarma Sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove grated
Instructions
Marinate the Beef:
Cut the beef against the grain into thin slices. Place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, spices, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and yogurt. Mix it all together and set aside at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Make the Pickled Onions:
In a small sauce pan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and immerse the onion slices in the water for a minute. Drain the water. In a bowl or container that the onions will be stored in, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt and mix together. Add the onions and toss in the vinegar. Once they come to room temperature, refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Tahini or Shawarma sauce:
by combining the ingredients in 2 bowls and whisking them together. Taste the sauces and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Cook the Shawarma:
Place a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Cook the shawarma in two batches as to not overcrowd the pan. Cook the meat approximately 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Serve the beef shawarma with pita, rice, or a salad, and with pickles.
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