Beef and Lamb Shawarma with Lebanese Tarator Tahini Sauce

Beef and lamb shawarma with tarator sauce is a dish that truly captures the essence of Middle Eastern flavors.

This recipe combines the richness of beef and pronounced taste of lamb in harmony of spices and flavors.

The crown of this dish is the Tarator sauce, creamy and tangy, perfectly complementing the spiced meat.

As an alternative to this dish you can serve other favorite sauces – aioli, tartar or regular mayonnaise.

If you are a fan of Middle Eastern cuisine or just want to try something new, this beef and lamb shawarma with tarator sauce will surely be a delightful treat for you.

⏱ Cooking time —2 hours 40 minutes overall + marinating time. Includes 30 minutes of preparation and cooking + 2 hours 10 minutes unattended.

🔪 Ingredients

For 4 servings:

For the marinade:

• 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) beef (tenderloin, flank steak, or other steak cuts)
• 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) lamb (leg or shoulder)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 70 g (5 tbsp.) Greek yogurt (or any plain yogurt)
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar (or apple vinegar)
• ¼ lemon (juice)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

To serving:

• lavash, pita or tortillas
• vegetables (cucumber, tomato, pickled onion, pickles, etc.)
• tarator sauce (can be replaced with another favorite sauce like aioli, tartar, or just mayonnaise)

🥣 Directions

👉 Jump to Short Version of Recipe

Preparing the ingredients for the marinade and cutting the meat

Peel and finely chop 4 garlic cloves (or grate/crush in a mortar).

Put the garlic in a large plate or bowl and set aside.

Cut 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) of beef (sirloin, flank steak or other steak cuts) and 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) of lamb (leg or shoulder) into thin slices.

Preparing the marinade and mixing it with the meat

Squeeze the juice of ¼ lemon into the bowl with the garlic.

Add 70 g (about 5 tbsp) Greek yogurt (or any plain yogurt), 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), 1 tsp ground zither, 1 tsp ground paprika, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp olive oil.

Mix all the marinade ingredients and add the sliced meat, mixing everything together thoroughly.

Cover with food wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Roasting meat

Take the marinated meat out of the refrigerator, salt and mix. Place on a baking tray in a single layer.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (400 °F) for 10 minutes.

Preparation of vegetables and herbs

Prepare the vegetables: peel the cucumbers, if desired, and slice or slice thinly.

Slice the tomatoes, removing the core to reduce the amount of moisture in the shawarma.

Peel the white onions and slice them from root to stem/slices.

Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with sumac and stir, and marinate the onion if desired.

Slice the pickled cucumbers into straws. I also use fermented pineapple kimchi, but that’s optional, you can use other veggies/additives at your discretion.

Finely chop the herbs (cilantro, parsley, mint).

Roasting the meat and assembling the shawarma

Take the meat out of the oven and put it in a colander to drain off the excess liquid.

The meat is ready, but for a richer flavor I recommend frying it in butter for 1 minute on each side.

Assemble the shawarma: take a lavash or tortilla and brush with sauce.

Add meat stuffing, chopped vegetables, herbs. Pour the sauce over it.

Twist at one or both ends, wrap tightly, pan-fry if desired.

📌 Pin it!