There are always debates between which bread is better for shawarma: a wrap or a bun. In USA, it is usually wrapped in a pita bread. Believe me that is not even close to what it should be. Wrap means crispy from outside, buttery and soft inside when you bite into it. Or a burger bun that is very small, in taste it is close to the hawaiian bread. Anyway, I consider myself a Shawarma expert considering the number of calroies being consumed in my body eating it. So, I wrote down a recipe that will get you as close as possible to the real deal. It is missing one thing: lamb fat! Yes, it is fat from the lamb. This recipe is an effort to get the flavors close to the best place on earth that is Abu Haidar in Ruxy, Cairo. Nothing is better than eating a shawarma sandwich with fresh mango Juice on the street curb by Abu Haidar at Cairo.
Ingredients
2 pounds Beef (it has to be milanesa cut, since it is very thin)
1 Onion
1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 lime juice
2 tablespoon mint
4 tablespoons of Shawarma spices (you can buy this from any Armenian store or amazon.com, it will get you the best flavor. If not available use 7 spices and paprika and use a lot to cover the meat like 3 tablespoons of 7 spices and 1 tablespoon of paprika or more)
1 tsp Paprila
Olive oil
salt and pepper
2 diced tomatoes
Chopped parsley
Flour tortilla to wrap the sandwich
Cut the beef steak in thin long slices and set aside (you can roll then slice).
Prepare the marinate (all mixed in the kitchen machine): onion + 1 cup of greek yogurt+ lemon juice+ vinegar and spices like shawerma spice+ dried mint+paprika+ salt and pepper+2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix them all together.
Pour the marinating sauce on beef and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours (best if left overnight).
Get a flat pan then put some olive oil ( not too much).
Fry the beef when brown add the sliced tomatoes and chopped parsley and cook for few more minutes.
Repeat 4 and 5 until u finish.
Spread the tahini sauce on the tortilla bread.
Add the beef shawarma on the edge of the wrap and roll.
On a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to warm.
Add the wrap with the folded piece facing the oil.
Do not flip until it is golden color, it takes 1 minute for each side.
Tahini sauce recipe is below, if not available add some garlic mayo.
Tahini sauce Recipe
- 1 cup tahini sesame paste, you can buy this from Armenian store
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water or more for consistency
- 2 cloves raw garlic
- 1/2 Jalapeno pepper (only half and it will be minced with the garlic)
- 1 lime juice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper (start with 1/2 tsp each and taste it)
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, minced (optional)
Blend all the above. Add more lime or lukewarm water for consistency

Hey,
Thank you for shawarma recipe, I really really like the way you explained it, Me and my family like shawarma when we ate it in asian restaurant so i’m going to try this one in upcoming weekend where we set together once in a week so this will be amazing can you please tell me if i use persian saffron in it ? Because i have purchased saffron in good saffron price that is why thinking to make a twist in it, this will be perfect or not give me some suggestion
Thanks
Debra
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Egyptian shawerma is the best because it is not too heavy specially in the hawian roll we call it petite bun
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