Shawarma Spice Blend

A warm earthy combination of spices perfect for roasted meat and vegetables

by Justina Sullivan

With This Beautiful Blend of Spices, You Can Experience the Flavours of Shawarma at Home

Making your own shawarma spice blend is easy and delivers a deeper, more aromatic flavour than most shop-bought versions. This spice blend adds instant warmth and depth to mushrooms, cauliflower, chickpeas and more. It’s one of the best spice blends to keep ready-made in the cupboard for quick vegetarian dinners or a flavour boost in soups, salads or even omelettes. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for recipes that use this shawarma spice blend.

What Is Shawarma?

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish made from thin slices of meat stacked in the shape of an inverted cone and slowly roasted on a rotating vertical spit. The word shawarma comes from Arabic and refers to this distinctive cooking method. The dish is thought to have originated in the Ottoman Empire and was traditionally made with lamb or mutton.

As shawarma spread across countries such as Syria, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, it also began to be prepared with chicken, turkey, beef or veal. Shawarma is similar to Greek gyros and Turkish döner kebab, which use the same vertical spit cooking method but different spice blends and flavour profiles.

What Makes Shawarma Taste Like Shawarma?

Shawarma meat gets its distinctive flavour from a fragrant blend of spices, rubbed onto the meat and left to marinate for several hours. As shawarma spread across the Middle East, the spice mixes began to vary widely, with each country developing its own unique blend.

What Goes Into Shawarma Seasoning?

One of the main reasons people love shawarma so much is due to its warm and earthy flavour profile. The ingredients that make up a shawarma spice blend include cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, paprika, ginger, garlic, and onion.

Other Spices Used in Shawarma

Some spice mixes include regional ingredients such as sumac and black lime, which bring a bright, tangy flavour. This citrusy note can also be achieved by adding lemon juice, an essential element in shawarma marinades. Additionally, smoked paprika can be used to introduce a layer of smoky depth, balancing the sharpness of the tang with warmth and complexity

Chicken Shawarma Recipe: One of the best ways to use this shawarma spice blend is with chicken. For a delicious dinner at home, reminiscent of your favourite shawarma restaurant.

How to Use Shawarma Spice Blend

Shawarma spice blend is incredibly versatile and can be used in many different dishes beyond traditional shawarma. The warm spices pair beautifully with both meat and vegetables. You can find recipes using this shawarma spice blend at the bottom of the page.

  • chicken thighs or chicken breast for homemade shawarma
  • mushrooms or cauliflower for vegetarian shawarma
  • chickpeas or lentils for quick plant-based meals
  • roasted potatoes or vegetables
  • yoghurt marinades or salad dressings
dark grey ceramic bowl filled with bright mustard coloured shawarma spice mix
Print Recipe

Shawarma Spice Blend

A warm earthy combination of spices perfect for roasted meat and vegetables
Total Time15 minutes
Servings: 4 tbsp (approx.)

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp cumin seeds, or 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, or 1.5 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns, or 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

  • Heat a frying pan over medium heat and dry roast green and black cardamon (as well as cumin seeds and coriander seeds if using the seeds rather than the pre-prepared powder). Gently toss seeds around the pan until fragrant. 
  • Transfer seeds along with all other ingredients to a small grinder or pestle & mortar and grind into a powder.
  • Store in an airtight jar somewhere cool and preferably dark for up to 1 month.

Notes

Add 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to give the spice mix a deeper, smoky flavor.

Recipes on Flaevor Using Shawarma Spice Blend

Perfectly seared shawarma-spiced beef sirloin, thinly sliced and drizzled with creamy tarator sauce, paired with lemon wedges and a vibrant side salad of parsley, tomatoes, and cucumber

Shawarma Beef with Lemon Potatoes

Thick cut sirloin steak marinated in shawarma spice blend, cooked to perfection and served with roasted lemon potatoes and tarator sauce. Shawarma Beef with Lemon Potatoes Recipe

A ceramic beige plate piled with shredded Chicken shawarma pieces an tzatziki

Homemade Chicken Shawarma in the Oven (Easy & Juicy)

Juicy oven-roasted chicken thigh fillets coated in a warming, earthy shawarma spice blend and served with tangy pickle tzatziki. Homemade Chicken Shawarma in the Oven (Easy & Juicy)

Open sandwich with shawarma-spiced mushrooms, fresh tomato, shredded lettuce, cucumber salad, and creamy yoghurt spread on toasted sourdough

Mushroom Shawarma Open Sandwich

A vegetarian shawarma sandwich made with crispy spiced mushrooms, youghurt and quick pickles. Perfect for an easy brunch or light dinner. Mushroom Shawarma Open Sandwich

Shawarma-Roast-Potatoes-with-Homemade-Hot-Sauce

Shawarma Roast Potatoes with Homemade Hot Sauce

This mushroom shawarma sandwich is a fast-tracked and flavour-packed version of the traditional spit-roasted or home-oven-roasted shawarma Shawarma Roast Potatoes with Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe