Homemade Beef Shawarma

This mouthwatering skirt steak Homemade Beef Shawarma is deeply savoury, warmly spiced, and rich with aromatic notes of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, and allspice. Use the oven broil setting to create extra tasty, caramelized edges and smoky char while the inside stays juicy and tender.

If you are looking for more tender beef recipes, try this Instant Pot Mexican Salpicón (shredded beef salad) featuring skirt steak. Or, try Milanesa de Res, a thinly sliced steak, perfectly seasoned, then coated in flour and breadcrumbs before being fried to golden perfection.

Homemade Beef Shawarma

If you’re wondering how to make delicious beef shawarma at home, this is the recipe for you. It all starts with the perfect Shawarma Seasoning recipe and a skirt or flank steak.

When you broil the marinated steak in the oven, the outside becomes crispy while juices are locked inside. It’s like having a perfectly seared steak flavoured with shawarma spices.

Serve the steak thinly sliced on fresh pita bread with tahini sauce, vegetables, and Tabbouleh for the ultimate beef shawarma sandwich.

While restaurant style beef shawarma is slow roasted for hours (ensuring it is fully cooked and fork tender), this homestyle version creates juicy, tender meat cooked to medium rare. The flavour is the same but the cooking time is greatly reduced.

It’s a whole new shawarma experience… no vertical rotisserie required!

Shawarma Magic

Part of the magic of middle eastern beef shawarma is the cooking method. The marinated meat cooks slowly on a vertical rotisserie or spit resulting in tender meat with a slight crust on the outer edge.

The smoky flavour, tender meat and caramelized texture from traditional methods aren’t easily replicated at home. However, the flavour and caramelization of broiled shawarma come close. The bonus is medium rare, flavourful steak that melts in your mouth.

Ingredients for Beef Shawarma

For this Beef Shawarma recipe, you’ll need a shallow dish for marinating, two baking sheets, aluminum foil, and measuring spoons.

• Skirt Steak
• Shawarma Spice Blend
• Garlic
• Lemon Juice
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Plain Yogurt
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

Feel free to use either a skirt steak or flank steak. Both cuts are delicious when cooked quickly using the oven broiling method. 

For the marinade you’ll need minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, plain Greek yogurt, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and shawarma spice blend. 

Shawarma spice blend is a warm, earthy Middle Eastern-inspired spice mix containing allspice, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, ground ginger, onion powder, smoked pepper, sweet paprika, ground turmeric, salt and freshly ground black pepper. It’s great on beef, lamb, chicken, or roasted vegetables.

Additional Ingredients: To make Tahini Sauce combine 1/2 cup tahini paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 heaping teaspoon of sumac, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 large garlic clove (minced) together. Thin in out by stirring in 1/4 cup ice water, or more as needed depending on your preferred thickness.

How to Make Beef Shawarma at Home

To begin, prepare the skirt steak. If it is very long, cut it into manageable sections then pat it dry with paper towels. Next, start the marinade by combining the shawarma spice blend, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, salt, and pepper together in a shallow dish.

Place the skirt steak in the marinade and turn to coat thoroughly. Place it in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably 6 to 12 hours.

Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Prepare the oven by positioning an oven rack about 4 to 6 inches below the broiler element.

Place an aluminum foil lined heavy sheet pan or cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat the broiler for at least 5 minutes. Before broiling, lightly scrape away excess marinade. NOTE: The broiler can produce smoke due to the yogurt and oil in the marinade. Good ventilation is helpful.

Carefully place the steak onto the hot pan then broil on high for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and broil for another 2 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness.

Aim for an internal temperature of 125–130°F for medium-rare OR 130–135°F for medium. Avoid overcooking skirt steak, as it can become tough and chewy. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest for 10 minutes then slice very thinly against the grain.

To create extra crispy edges, spread the sliced beef back onto the pan in a loose layer.

Return to the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, just until some of the edges become deeply browned and lightly crisped. This second broil helps recreate the caramelized texture associated with traditional shawarma.

Transfer the cooked meat to a serving dish. Use in pita wraps, salads, grain bowls, etc.

Storing the Leftovers

Allow leftover beef shawarma to cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. The leftovers are perfect for sandwiches, steak and eggs, and wraps.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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