Chefs Reveal How to Create Restaurant-Quality Shawarma at Home

There are street foods, and then there is the shawarma — the culinary equivalent of being crowned homecoming king, star athlete of the year, and prom king all at once. A leisurely stroll down any Middle Eastern street will bring you face to face with a vertical rotisserie, rotating languidly as juicy stacks of meat hold onlookers in a hypnotic spell. A hush falls over the crowd as the chef reaches up with a carving knife and thin, charred shavings of slow-roasted meat hit the pillowy base of flatbread, before being served along with veggies and sauce in a wrap. This isn’t just food — this is culinary theater.

With its origins in the Ottoman Empire around the 1800s, shawarma is today best enjoyed while rubbing elbows with strangers in a crowded restaurant. But you can bring the same flavors to your dinner table with a little help from the experts: chef Sufyan Marikkar, executive chef at JA Hatta Fort Hotel, and chef Stanley Coelho, sous chef at Moxy Bengaluru Airport Prestige Tech Cloud. From finding the right substitute for a vertical rotisserie to inventive sauces that will have your guests drooling, these expert chefs spill all of their hard-earned lessons.

Any shawarma is only as memorable as its meat and, to be specific, the choice of meat. If you are partial to the slightly sweeter taste of beef, top round, brisket, and sirloin are a good place to begin. “These cuts offer a balance of lean meat and fat, ensuring the meat remains juicy after long cooking times,” chef Stanley Coelho says. For that irresistibly tender bite of meat, leg of lamb makes for another winning candidate. The tenderness stems from the fat that this cut renders while it cooks, thereby creating a less chewy bite.

If you have chicken shawarma on the dinner menu, chef Sufyan Marikkar believes that boneless and skinless chicken thighs are good options. “Thighs have more flavor than breasts and maintain tenderness even when cooked for longer periods or on high heat, mimicking the rotisserie style,” he explains.

However, while some cuts of meat lend themselves well to this dish, not all are created alike. In addition to chicken breast, both chefs also recommend against opting other overly lean cuts of meat, such as beef tenderloin. “These cuts lack sufficient marbling and fat, causing them to dry out quickly and produce a final product that is tougher and less flavorful, which can be particularly disappointing in a dish like shawarma where succulence is key,” Coelho cautions.

Once you have found the right cut of meat, you will want to treat it to a flavorful marinade. After all, shawarma is no wallflower — this dish is all about the bold flavors. Marinating the meat for the right amount of time can level up the flavor while also unlocking the key to those wispy, tender strips.

When stripped back to the basics, any marinade offers up certain key elements. Acids, such as those present in lemon juice, yogurt, and vinegar, tenderize the meat by breaking down its proteins. The dairy present in yogurt also caramelizes when exposed to heat to infuse softness into the meat. Lastly, the fragrance from aromatics, such as spices and herbs, will have everyone crowding hungrily at your elbow when the meat first touches the skillet.

Chef Sufyan Marikkar agrees. “Ideally, the meat should be marinated overnight, around 8–12 hours. This gives the spices, yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, or other acids in the marinade enough time to break down muscle fibers and deeply infuse the meat with flavor,” he says. While you may be tempted to rush the process when working on a tight clock, less than 6 hours of marination effort will compromise the dish’s rich, complex flavor profile. “The seasoning will only coat the surface of the meat rather than penetrating through,” Marikkar explains. “As a result, the shawarma may taste bland or unevenly seasoned, with no distinction in flavor after the first few bites.”

With your first bite of a shawarma, you’ll find that the meat and the spices both shine through equally. There’s no squabbling over the spotlight here; both elements work together in tandem to create a one-two punch of flavor. “The spice mix is the soul of a great shawarma,” chef Stanley Coelho affirms. For getting the assignment right, it helps to stay cautious with your choice of spices.

While shawarma boasts of a rich spice profile, this does not stem purely from chili powder — although it is possible to fix any excess by compensating with the cooling touch of dairy to tone down the heat. “Also, avoid spice blends that contain MSG or artificial flavor enhancers — these tend to mask the natural flavors of the meat and introduce a synthetic aftertaste,” chef Sufyan Marikkar says. Instead, it helps to look for shawarma staples, such as cumin and coriander, that can lend an earthy aroma that pairs well with the roasted meat. “Sumac is another valuable addition, lending a citrusy brightness, while turmeric adds color and regional authenticity,” he adds.

Once you have narrowed down your selection of spices, it helps to bear in mind that freshly ground spices hold the upper hand over store-bought iterations. If you are looking to prolong the shelf life and freshness of your spices, consider storing them out of the sunlight and away from areas that witness high heat in the kitchen.

There’s something about the sight of a vertical rotisserie rotating with stacked layers of meat that can make you stop dead in your tracks on a crowded street. While the process of making shawarma in an indoor kitchen can be devoid of the theatrical element of the dish, you can still bring the same flavors to life with clever substitutes. 

Don’t happen to have a spare vertical rotisserie lying at hand? Fret not, for there are other alternatives to be explored, such as a cast-iron skillet — which both chef Stanley Coelho and chef Sufyan Marikkar recommend — or even a heavy-duty griddle pan. “Cast iron retains heat exceptionally well and helps achieve the caramelization and crispy bits that make shawarma so flavorful,” Marikkar explains. If you aren’t used to cooking with this kind of a skillet, it helps to keep yourself armed with this round-up of the most common mistakes to avoid with cast-iron skillets — preheating, for example, will prove to be a game-changer.

However, Marikkar is less enthused about the prospect of using non-stick pans. “They don’t hold high heat well and often create a steaming effect rather than searing, which leads to pale, soggy meat with no texture,” he notes.

Your meat is marinated, and your cast-iron skillet is heated. The only question that remains to be asked is: which oil will serve as the right choice for enhancing the flavor of the meat? “Choosing the right oil is crucial for carrying spices and supporting high-heat cooking without burning,” chef Sufyan Marikkar advises.

His winning candidates for the task? Neutral oils that have high smoke points. For those who don’t find themselves grilling meats often, the term smoke point refers to the ability of a cooking oil to withstand high temperatures before it begins to smoke. Needless to say, oils with a higher smoke point lend themselves well to frying on high heat. Marikkar’s selection includes sunflower oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, and avocado oil. “These oils don’t interfere with the flavor of the marinade and can withstand the heat required to sear the meat properly,” he explains. “They allow spices to bloom and caramelize without developing bitterness.”

However, when cooking shawarma meat, certain options are better left on the pantry shelf. “Olive oil has a low smoke point and can burn quickly, turning acrid and bitter,” Marikkar cautions. Butter also has a relatively low smoke point, clocking in at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which means that it can burn quickly if subjected to heat over prolonged periods of time. “Save flavorful oils for drizzling after cooking or incorporating into cold sauces,” he adds.

You may have perfected your sauces and your choice of spices, but the smoky flavor of the meat in your shawarma is what your dinner guests will be raving about for years to come. The last thing you want is for someone to bite into theirs and be confronted with a chewy slab of meat. The key for avoiding the latter is mastering the cook time for your chosen protein.

“For chicken shawarma, boneless thighs generally take about 5–6 minutes per side on medium-high heat,” chef Sufyan Marikkar advises. “The goal is to get a golden-brown sear and internal doneness of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.” Overcooking chicken won’t earn you brownie points either, since the texture can turn chewy. Hoping to recreate that same rotisserie-style result? You’ll want to put in the effort of making a trip to the broiler oven for roasting the chicken through direct heat from above it. Chef Stanley Coelho recommends doing this in the last few minutes, as long cooking times are the crucial timing mistake you’ll want to avoid with the broiler. 

Meanwhile, mutton doesn’t take too kindly to a rushed cooking process. “Roast at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for around 4.5 hours. This long, gentle cooking process breaks down connective tissues, ensuring the meat becomes tender, juicy, and richly flavored,” Coelho says.

There is endless literature devoted to heat management for roasting meat — the topic of pre-heating alone can spark hours’ worth of heated conversation. However, the crucial practice of resting the meat after cooking often slips by invisibly to the sidelines — wrongfully written off as a good-to-have measure if you can spare the time rather than a need-to-have step. 

This isn’t a mistake you’ll find chef Sufyan Marikkar guilty of. It’s important to rest the meat, he explains, because “this pause allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat fibers rather than escaping the moment you slice into it.” In addition to retaining those crucial juices that are packing in all the flavor, Marikkar notes, “Resting also firms up the meat slightly, making it easier to slice thinly and cleanly, which enhances presentation and texture.” Once you have wised up on why it is essential to let meat rest after cooking it, you’ll be wondering what the ideal time is to let it rest uninterrupted. As a rule of thumb, you can allow it to rest for 10-20 minutes depending on the size of the meat you are working with.

Once your carefully marinated meat is cooked and rested, you’ll want to dress it up with a flavorful dash of sauce. The first order of business? Put down the ketchup bottle and back away slowly. Beyond lacking any cultural connection with Middle Eastern cuisine, its overly sweet flavor profile can also overpower the flavors that shawarma meat is authentically known for.

Sesame-based tahini sauce is the most common shawarma accompaniment you’ll find on a bustling Middle Eastern street, but there are several other saucy options begging to be explored. “A roasted red pepper tahini sauce blends sweetness and smokiness with the creamy base, pairing beautifully with both chicken and beef,” chef Sufyan Marikkar says. If you are looking to move beyond the usual suspects, you’ll also want to try your hand at a black bean hummus or spicy moutabel. “For those who love heat, zhoug, a spicy Yemeni green chili sauce, can be mixed with labneh to create a rich and herby condiment,” he adds. The former is a dynamite Yemeni green sauce you can use to add a spicy kick to your shawarma. You can also take heart in the fact that homemade labneh requires only two ingredients: yogurt and salt.

Looking to add some color to your plate? Marikkar suggests a beetroot garlic aioli, with the classic garlicky bite of aioli making for a worthy canvas for the root veggie’s saturated, purple-reddish shade and earthy tasting notes. He explains, “These inventive twists bring new character to shawarma, while still respecting its traditional roots.”

If you are looking to shave some time off your cooking time when entertaining guests, making the sauce ahead of time makes for a convenient solution. The good news is that shawarma sauce doesn’t make for an immensely perishable pantry staple. 

“Homemade shawarma sauces, especially those made with yoghurt, tahini, or garlic, typically last around three to four days when properly stored in the refrigerator,” chef Sufyan Marikkar says. If you’d like to open the sauce at the end of this period and discover the same flavorful freshness as when you had packed it, you’ll want to store it in an airtight container. Chef Stanley Coelho advises, “Before storing, ensure the sauce has cooled to room temperature if it was made using cooked ingredients.”

Marikkar also has some handy tricks up his sleeve to help retain the flavor of the sauce. “For even better preservation, press a layer of plastic wrap or cling film directly against the surface of the sauce before sealing the lid,” he advises. “This helps minimize air exposure, which can cause separation or oxidation.” When you are ready to dazzle your dinner guests, you’ll want to stir the sauce well before each use — especially if it’s been sitting for a day or two.

While the scent of charred meat and spicy sauces will draw a line around your backyard, vegetables are also a star in the cast of the ideal shawarma — and you don’t have to take our word for it, either. “Vegetables play a critical role in adding freshness, crunch, and contrast to the rich, spiced meat of shawarma,” chef Stanley Coelho confirms.

Peeking out from a freshly wrapped shawarma, you’ll most often see shredded lettuce, purple cabbage, red onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers. But it isn’t just the choice of vegetable that matters, but also how it is served. Chef Sufyan Marikkar says, “Thin slicing is essential — this keeps the wrap neat, ensures even bites, and allows the veggies to complement rather than overwhelm.” Coelho has found that “thin slicing also prevents tearing the flatbread.”

So, how do you get your veggies ready to be wrapped? For achieving the perfect julienne cut with cabbage, lettuce, and onions, it helps to invest in a sharp chef’s knife and cutting board. But a food processor with a mandoline cutting blade will take some of the elbow grease out of the task. For tomatoes, you’ll want to scrape out the seeds with your thumb and then slice them into matchstick-like slices. “Uniform size and consistency make the final wrap easier to eat and help each ingredient play its part without overpowering the others,” Marikkar notes.

With all your ingredients ready to hit the stage, the final step comes in using the right variety of flatbread to bring the ensemble together. For chef Stanley Coelho’s money, pita bread or homemade flatbread serve as the best finishing touch for achieving restaurant-quality shawarma at home.

“Pita bread, with its soft texture and handy pocket, is ideal for holding generous fillings without tearing,” he says. “It offers just the right balance between sturdiness and flexibility, ensuring that the wrap stays intact while eating.” If you are partial to the smell of freshly baked flatbread — and who wouldn’t be? — Coelho advises opting for the right flavorings. For example, za’atar and sumac are both culturally authentic options to try for a restaurant-style shawarma. 

If you have chosen to buy your flatbread in advance or the unforgettable taste has your guests begging for seconds the next morning, you’ll want to ensure that you are reheating cautiously. The stovetop method makes for a no-brainer, and it is easy to see why. “Simply heat the flatbread on a skillet over medium heat for a few seconds on each side,” chef Stanley Coelho suggests. “This technique revives its soft, pillowy texture without drying it out.”

However, in your quest for reviving refrigerated flatbread, you’ll want to avoid making eye contact with the microwave, regardless of how tempting it may seem. The collateral damage from reheating flatbread in the microwave comes in the form of forgoing on its crispy crust as the texture becomes dry and chewy. “Also, steer clear of toasting or grilling it too much — it may seem like a good idea for texture, but over-toasting makes it brittle and difficult to fold or bite through, especially with fillings inside,” chef Sufyan Marikkar adds.

Once all elements have their game face on, the only mountain that remains to be conquered is mastering the art of wrapping everything together in the flatbread. If you accomplish the task successfully, you will guarantee a secure home for all of the ingredients while living up the visual appeal that shawarma is known for. Chef Sufyan Marikkar’s advice is simple: “Start by laying the flatbread flat on a surface, then spread your chosen sauce evenly, followed by a layer of the cooked meat and thinly cut vegetables.” 

A common pitfall that can occur at this stage is stuffing in more ingredients to create a heartier wrap, but this can unnecessarily complicate the rolling of the flatbread. “Fold the sides of the bread inward first to hold in the filling, then roll tightly from the bottom up,” Marikkar suggests. A beginner-friendly hack is to roll a layer of aluminum foil on the outer edge of the wrap for that snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug finish. “A secure wrap maintains structure and makes the eating experience much more enjoyable,” he concludes.