Minimalist Baker

DIY Shawarma Spice Blend

GFVGVDFNS
Jump to Recipe
Cutting board with spices for making our DIY Shawarma Spice Blend

What is Shawarma?

Shawarma is a classic Levantine Arab dish of meat (lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats) seasoned and placed vertically on a spit and slow roasted. It’s typically sliced thinly and served with tabbouleh, fattoush salad, bread, tomato, and cucumber and various sauces.

The word “shawarma” is an Arabic rendering of Turkish çevirme ‘turning’, in reference to the rotisserie cooking of the meat, which turns around an axis. Though considered a Turkish dish by origin, it’s enjoyed through the Middle East and Mediterranean region in various forms. (source)

How to Make Shawarma Spice Mix

Shawarma spice blends were created in the Middle East and used to add flavor and spice to the rotisserie meats. Common spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, all spice, and cayenne. Find a more authentic version of shawarma spice blend here.

This is our inspired, personal go-to DIY shawarma spice blend that’s perfect for adding to all of your favorite chickpea dishes, scrambles, salads, vegetables, and more!

DELICIOUS Shawarma Roasted Cauliflower STEAK! 30 minutes, BIG flavor, served with Chutney! #vegan #glutenfree #cauliflower #recipe #plantbased #minimalistbaker

DIY Shawarma Spice Blend

A quick and flavorful take on the classic Middle Eastern shawarma spice blend that's smoky, spicy, and incredibly versatile! Perfect for seasoning crispy chickpeas, falafel, curries, scrambles, vegetables, and more!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Easy DIY Shawarma Spice Blend! Simple ingredients, BIG flavor! #vegan #glutenfree #shawarma #recipe #minimalistbaker
5 from 10 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 (1-Tbsp servings)
Course Spice Blend
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Several months.

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom (or cloves)
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper // amount as original recipe is written)

Instructions

Video

Notes

*Recipe makes ~1/4 cup shawarma spice blend.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 tablespoon Calories: 6.3 Carbohydrates: 0.9 g Protein: 0.2 g Fat: 0.2 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.14 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1.8 mg Potassium: 28 mg Fiber: 0.3 g Sugar: 0 g Vitamin A: 154 IU Vitamin C: 0.11 mg Calcium: 11.32 mg Iron: 0.91 mg

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

My Rating:




All commentsI made thisQuestions

  1. Jess says

    This is a really easy and delicious blend! I use it on roasted veggies and in the marinade for a shawarma inspired chicken and rice bowl *chef’s kiss*

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Elsa, yes, it is! Cloves can be overwhelming though so we’d suggest starting with less.

      Reply

  3. Zhou says

    The shwarma spice is really Indian spices aka garam masala. It consists of the same ingredients. India was conquered by Arabs for hundreds of years and another 300 years by the Brits. The same masala spice can be found in any country or continent where there are Indians such as Africa, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Guyana, USA and Canada. The origin isn’t Arab/Middle Eastern.

    Reply

    • Laura says

      I’m with you. We have lots of New Mexican and Mexican, but have to cut down on the cumin, it can overwhelm.

      Reply

      • MelanieRu says

        Not us; we love extra cumin on everything! haha! :D
        BTW, I just got some BLACK cumin because it is recommended by a lot of nutrition experts, like Dr. Greger. Can’t wait to start using it. Can it be used in this shwarma recipe, you think?
        Thanks!

        Reply

        • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

          We haven’t experimented with black cumin, but we think it could work. Let us know how it goes!

          Reply

        • Kate says

          I have black cumin seeds and they have a unique flavor, one I don’t associate with the cumin we’re used to. If you have found a way to use them, let us know! Mine are in the freezer! Kate

          Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Carrie! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

      Reply

  7. s says

    It is very much like garam masala (I make) – so why a new name? What does it mean?

    Also, if you roast the mixed ingredients for a few minutes, the flavor is better!

    S

    Reply

  8. Steve says

    I use this mix with dry sizzled beef mince, (drain off fat as you fry and brown the mince)
    I buy some sambal oelek to add on the side and serve the mince inside pitta breads

    Reply

  9. :D says

    Do you prefer using cardamom or cloves? I hav ed both spices. Use dried ground ginger or fresh? Your fresh ginger in the photo threw me off.

    Reply

  10. Qweenie says

    Would the spice blend be totally off, or not worth making, if I were to omit the cardamom/cloves? It’s the only ingredient in the recipe that I don’t have, and since it is one that I don’t typically cook with, I don’t want to buy it just to make this spice blend. Your thoughts?

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      It would probably still be great! Let us know if you give it a try! Another idea- you could purchase cardamom or cloves from the bulk spice section to get just the amount you need.

      Reply

  11. Andy P. says

    I made this tonight and really enjoyed it, I had homemade coleslaw so had this with the steak, It’s a recipe that you could probably play around with to suit your taste, very nice with the syrup. I have tried to make this before but this was the better recipe. I’m not a Veggie but I do like to have veggie meals 4 to 5 nights per week. I’ve downloaded the recipe book and look forward to trying more recipes from Dana @ Minimalist Baker.

    Reply

  12. Leah says

    I made this last night and everyone loved it. It was delicious I would definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  15. Franklin Colbert says

    I’d like to add some ground sumac to this blend. How much would you suggest and would you substitute for one or more of the other spices?

    Reply

  16. morgan says

    Hey, Just wondering if im doing the perfectly roasted chickpeas, how many table spoons of this spice mix should i use? The spice mix is vapidly becoming a firm favourite.

    Reply