Shawarma isn’t just street food—it’s comfort, flavor, and culture wrapped in soft bread. From juicy beef to cheesy wraps, making shawarma at home is easier than you think. This guide brings you delicious recipes and nutrition insights to enjoy shawarma guilt-free.
1. Homemade beef shawarma in lavash
Ingredients for Beef Shawarma with Lavash
- 🍖 Beef pulp – for grinding (ground beef);
- 🌶️ Ground paprika – for seasoning;
- 🛢️ Vegetable oil – for frying;
- 🧄 Garlic – 1–2 cloves, pressed;
- 🧂 Salt – to taste;
- ⚫ Black pepper – to taste;
- 🥒 Fresh cucumbers – 1–2 pieces, sliced into strips;
- 🍅 Tomatoes – 1–2 pieces, seeds removed and cut into strips;
- 🧅 Red onion – 1 small, cut into thin rings;
- 🥬 Lettuce leaves – a few pieces, washed and dried;
- 🌿 Fresh parsley – a small bunch, finely chopped;
- 🧀 Cheese – grated (hard cheese of your choice);
- 🥖 Lavash bread – thin sheets for wrapping;
- 🥛 Sour cream – for sauce base;
- 🍅 Tomato sauce – for mixing with sour cream;
- 🥄 Mustard – small amount for sauce.
✅ How to make Homemade beef shawarma in lavash: Preparation
🥩 Prepare Meat: Make grounded meat. Pass the beef pulp through a meat grinder with a fine grid into a small bowl.
🌶️ Season & Fry: Season the meat with ground paprika. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the meat, break up lumps, and fry over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
🧄 Add Garlic & Spices: Peel the garlic, press it, and add to the pan with the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3 minutes. Let it cool.
🥒 Prepare Cucumbers: Wash cucumbers and cut into long thin slices, then into strips. Remove seeds if cucumbers are large.
🍅 Prepare Tomatoes & Onion: Cut tomatoes in half, remove juice and seeds, and slice the remaining pulp. Peel red onion and cut into thin rings.
🥬 Prepare Greens & Cheese: Wash and dry lettuce leaves and parsley. Chop parsley finely and grate cheese on a coarse grater.
🥛 Make Sauce: Mix sour cream, tomato sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper thoroughly in a small bowl.
🫓 Assemble Shawarma: Lay out lavash sheets, grease with sauce leaving edges free. Add lettuce, meat, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley.
🧀 Add Cheese & Wrap: Sprinkle with grated cheese, fold edges inward, and carefully wrap the filling so it is sealed.
🔥 Cook & Serve: Fry shawarma on a dry grill pan on all sides and serve immediately. Cut in half if desired for easier eating.
👉 Helpful advice: For the shawarma filling in this recipe, we suggest using mixed ground, the so-called “homemade” (beef and chicken). You can take any, even mutton.
nutrition table for Homemade Beef Shawarma in Lavash based on the ingredients and standard serving sizes
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving (1 Lavash Wrap) |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~510 kcal |
| Protein | ~26 g |
| Carbohydrates | ~40 g |
| Fat | ~25 g |
| Saturated Fat | ~8 g |
| Fiber | ~4 g |
| Sugar | ~5 g |
| Sodium | ~850 mg |
| Cholesterol | ~75 mg |
🔆 Notes:
✓ Values are approximate averages.
✓ Includes the beef, vegetables, lavash, cheese, and sauce as described.
✓ Cooking oils and seasoning are included in moderate amounts.
✓ Actual values may vary depending on the type of cheese, lavash, and exact quantities used.
2. Homemade chicken shawarma
Thinly slice the chicken breast, quickly fry it and combine it with other ingredients. We are sure that you will get a good portion of pleasure from such homemade fast food such as chicken shawarma. So, to prepare 2 servings you will need:
Ingredients for Homemade chicken shawarma
- 🍗 Chicken breast – 400 gm;
- 🧄 Garlic – 1 clove;
- 🌿 Turmeric – 1 tsp;
- 🌶️ Ground smoked paprika – 1 tsp;
- 🫚 Ground ginger – 1 tsp;
- 🛢️ Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp;
- ⚫ Freshly ground black pepper.
To serve:
- 🥖 Thin lavash – 2 pc
- 🍅 Tomatoes – 200 gm;
- 🥒 Cucumbers – 100 gm;
- 🧅 Red onion – 80 gm;
- 🌶️ Red sweet pepper – 80 gm;
- 🥬 Chinese cabbage – 100 gm;
- 🌿 Parsley – 2 sprigs;
- 🧀 Hard cheese – 100 gm;
- 🥄 Light mayonnaise – 60 gm.
For the sauce:
- 🍅 Tomato sauce – 25 gm;
- 🟡 Mustard – 10 gm;
- 🧄 Garlic – 1 clove;
- 🧂 Salt – to taste;
- ⚫ Freshly ground black pepper.
✅ How to make Homemade Chicken shawarma: Preparation
🍗 Prepare Chicken: Cut the chicken breast into thin strips and place in a small bowl. Peel the garlic clove and press it through a press. Add to the meat.
🌿 Season Meat: Season the sliced chicken with ground turmeric, paprika, ginger, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.
🔥 Cook Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Add meat and fry, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. The chicken should be completely cooked. Let cool.
🥒 Prep Cucumbers: Wash the cucumbers for shawarma, dry them with paper towels. Cut off the ends, and cut the fruits into thin strips. Remove seeds if necessary.
🍅 Prep Tomatoes & Onion: Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the stems, and slice. Cut the red onion and sweet pepper into thin rings.
🥬 Chop Vegetables & Cheese: Chop the Chinese cabbage. Wash and dry parsley, then chop finely. Grate the hard cheese on a coarse grater.
🥣 Make Sauce: Press the garlic into a small bowl. Add tomato sauce and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.
🌯 Assemble Shawarma: Lay out thin lavash sheets, grease with sauce, leaving free edges. Spread fried chicken, cabbage, onions, sweet peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley on top.
🧀 Add Cheese & Wrap: Sprinkle filling with grated cheese and a little mayonnaise. Fold the edges of lavash inward and wrap to “seal” the shawarma.
🍳 Grill Shawarma: Fry the shawarma on a dry grill pan on all sides until golden stripes appear. Serve immediately.
👉 Helpful advice: If you don’t like the idea of making the meat for the shawarma filling spicy, season the chicken breast with only salt and ground pepper, excluding all the spices suggested in the recipe.
nutrition table for Homemade Chicken Shawarma in Lavash (per serving, 1 wrap)
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~600 kcal |
| Protein | ~48 g |
| Carbohydrates | ~45 g |
| Fat | ~26 g |
| Saturated Fat | ~6 g |
| Fiber | ~5 g |
| Sugar | ~6 g |
| Sodium | ~900 mg |
| Cholesterol | ~110 mg |
🔆 Notes:
✓ Values are approximate and based on standard portion sizes of the listed ingredients.
✓ Includes chicken, vegetables, lavash, cheese, mayonnaise, and sauce.
✓ Moderate use of oils and seasoning is considered.
✓ Actual nutrition can vary depending on exact quantities and type of cheese or lavash used.
Craving authentic shawarma?
3. Shawarma with red fish
An excellent alternative to chicken, meat or grounded meat in shawarma is red fish. You can take lightly salted salmon, trout or pink salmon. Or you can bake fresh fish in the oven – it will also be delicious. To prepare 2 servings you will need:
Ingredients for shawarma with red fish
- 🥖 Thin lavash – 2 pcs;
- 🥑 Avocado – 1 pc;
- 🌶 Bell pepper – 1 pc;
- 🥒 Cucumbers – 2 pcs;
- 🍅 Tomatoes – 2 pcs;
- 🐟 Lightly salted salmon – 150 g;
- 🍋 Lemon – 0.5 pcs;
- 🥬 Lettuce.
For the sauce:
- 🥣 Sour cream – 200 g;
- 🌿 Dill – 3–4 sprigs;
- 🧂 Salt – to taste;
- ⚫ Freshly ground black pepper.
✅ Shawarma with red fish: preparation
- 🥣 Make the Sauce: Combine sour cream with salt and pepper to taste. Finely chop the dill and add it to the sour cream, mix;
- 🥗 Prepare Vegetables: Wash all the vegetables. Remove the stem from the bell pepper, clean out the seeds, cut the fresh tomato and cucumber into thin strips;
- 🍽️ Assemble Shawarma: Spread out a sheet of lavash, apply sour cream sauce. Put lettuce leaves and some vegetables on them. Add fish slices and avocado on top. Pour a little sauce;
- 🌯 Roll & Grill: Fold the open edges inward and roll up the lavash. If desired, grill for 2–3 minutes or fry in a frying pan.
👉 Helpful advice: You can make a delicious shawarma with shrimps using the same principle. If you use freshly frozen shrimps, fry them very quickly in a frying pan with butter.
nutrition values table for Shawarma with Red Fish
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~520 kcal |
| Protein | ~30 g |
| Carbohydrates | ~42 g |
| Fat | ~22 g |
| Fiber | ~6 g |
| Sodium | ~450 mg |
| Sugar | ~4 g |
🔆 This table considers the salmon, vegetables, avocado, lavash, and sour cream sauce used in the recipe. It’s suitable for general dietary guidance and menu labeling.
4. Homemade shawarma with sausage in lavash
Compared to other shawarma recipes, this one may seem frivolous, and classics fans may even question its right to exist. But don’t jump to conclusions! Yes, the taste of shawarma with sausage differs from the traditional one, but it will definitely have its fans. Besides, let’s admit it: sausage is one of the most affordable products, which often ends up in the center of unexpected culinary experiments. To prepare 2 servings you will need:
ingredients: shawarma with sausage in lavash
- 🥖 Thin lavash – 2 pcs;
- 🌭 Boiled sausage – 200 gm;
- 🥒 Cucumbers – 150 gm;
- 🍅 Tomatoes – 150 gm;
- 🥕 Spicy carrots ready – 100 gm;
- 🧅 Red onion – 80 gm;
- 🥬 Cabbage – 80 gm;
- 🥗 Green salad – 6 leaves;
- 🌿 Parsley – 2 sprigs;
- 🧄 Garlic – 1 clove;
- 🧀 Hard cheese – 100 gm;
- 🥄 Olive mayonnaise – 60 gm;
- 🍅 Tomato sauce – 60 gm;
- 🛢️ Refined vegetable oil – 1 tbsp;
- ⚫ Freshly ground black pepper.
✅ Homemade shawarma with sausage in lavash: Preparation
🔪 Prepare Sausage: Cut the cooked sausage first into circles and then into strips. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Put the sausage in and lightly brown it on all sides over medium heat. Let the sausage cool down a little.
🥒 Slice Cucumbers: Wash and dry the cucumbers for the shawarma. Cut off the ends. Slice first into long longitudinal slices, then into thin strips.
🍅 Prep Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half, remove stems. If there’s too much juice and pulp, remove them. Cut the remaining part into strips.
🧅 Prepare Onions & Herbs: Peel the red onion and cut into rings. Wash the parsley and lettuce leaves, dry them well. Tear parsley leaves from stems and chop finely.
🥬 Chop Cabbage & Carrots: Finely chop the cabbage. Squeeze the carrots slightly to remove excess liquid. Grate the hard cheese.
🥄 Make Sauce: Peel the garlic and press into a bowl. Add mayonnaise and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
🫓 Prepare Lavash: Lay out the lavash sheets. Grease half of each with sauce, leaving 7 cm edges free. Place the lettuce leaves slightly overlapping.
🥗 Assemble Filling: Spread onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, cabbage, carrots, and sausage on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold edges inward and wrap tightly to seal.
🔥 Cook Shawarma: Fry the shawarma on a dry grill pan on all sides until stripes appear. Serve immediately. Additional sauce can be served on the side.
👉 Helpful advice: Instead of sausage, you can add hot dogs to this shawarma. They should be cut into three parts, then each into quarters, then fried in a frying pan and then used according to the recipe – you will get a simple and quick shawarma with sausages.
nutrition values table for the Sausage Shawarma in Lavash (2 servings)
| Nutrition Component | Per Serving (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 980 kcal |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Fat | 71 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sodium | 1,450 mg |
Unlock the secrets of homemade shawarma—from beef to chicken to cheese!
5. Egg Shawarma in Lavash
A quick and affordable vegetarian twist on traditional shawarma, egg shawarma is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. This recipe combines simple boiled eggs with crisp veggies and a tangy yogurt sauce, all wrapped in soft lavash. To prepare 2 servings you will need:
ingredients for Egg Shawarma in Lavash
- 🥙 Thin lavash – 2 pcs;
- 🥚 Hard-boiled eggs – 4 pcs;
- 🍅 Tomatoes – 1 medium;
- 🥒 Cucumbers – 1 medium;
- 🧅 Red onion – ½ pc;
- 🥬 Lettuce or cabbage – 80 gm;
- 🌿 Fresh parsley – 2 sprigs;
- 🧀 Hard cheese – 80 gm;
- 🛢️ Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp (optional).
For the sauce
- 🥛 Plain yogurt – 100 gm;
- 🧄 Garlic – 1 clove;
- 🍋 Lemon juice – 1 tsp;
- 🧂 Salt – to taste;
- ⚫ Ground black pepper – to taste.
✅ How to make Egg Shawarma in Lavash: Preparation
- 🥚 Step 1 – Boil & Slice the Eggs: Boil the eggs until firm, let them cool, then peel and cut into thin rounds or halves. Set aside.
- 🥒 Step 2 – Prepare the Fresh Vegetables: Wash and dry tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Slice them into thin strips or rings. If using lettuce, tear into small pieces; if using cabbage, shred finely.
- 🌿 Step 3 – Chop Herbs & Grate Cheese: Finely chop parsley and grate cheese to add extra flavor. Keep all fillings ready for easy layering.
- 🥛 Step 4 – Mix the Creamy Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, combine yogurt with pressed garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- 🫓 Step 5 – Spread the Sauce on Lavash: Lay lavash sheets flat and spread the yogurt sauce evenly on half of each sheet, leaving a 7 cm border on the edges.
- 🥗 Step 6 – Layer the Shawarma Fillings: Start with lettuce or cabbage, then add egg slices, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, parsley, and cheese. Add extra sauce for richer flavor.
- 🌯 Step 7 – Wrap the Shawarma Roll: Fold the edges inward and roll tightly so the fillings stay secure.
- 🔥 Step 8 – Grill for a Crispy Finish: Grill or fry the shawarma in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes per side until golden stripes appear. Serve hot or warm for the best taste.
👉 Helpful advice: For added flavor, you can lightly sauté the boiled eggs with a pinch of turmeric and black salt before assembling the shawarma. Want extra heat? Add a dash of hot sauce or chopped green chilies to the yogurt dressing.
nutrition values table for egg shawarma in lavash 2 servings total (1 lavash wrap each)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 480 kcal |
| Protein | 27 g |
| Total Fat | 23 g |
| – Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| – Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| – Sugars | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 375 mg |
| Sodium | 640 mg |
| Calcium | 220 mg |
| Iron | 3.5 mg |
6. Cheese Shawarma
Cheese shawarma differs by replacing only one ingredient, otherwise it is the same: with mayonnaise-tomato sauce, salad, tomatoes and in lavash, and it is also delicious! It is worth trying once to appreciate and guaranteed to return to this recipe again. To prepare 4 servings you will need:
ingredients for Cheese Shawarma
- 🥙 Lavash – 4 small sheets;
- 🧀 Cheese – 400 gm;
- 🥬 Cabbage – 4 large leaves (200 gm);
- 🥕 Carrots – 1 pc. (200 gm);
- 🍅 Tomato – 1 pc. (100 gm);
- 🧄 Garlic – 2 cloves (10 gm);
- 🌿 Cilantro or parsley – 4–5 sprigs (15 gm);
- 🥄 Mayonnaise – 50 gm;
- 🥫 Tomato sauce – 70 gm;
- 🛢️ Vegetable oil – as needed;
- 🧂 Salt – to taste;
- ⚫ Ground black pepper – to taste.
✅ How to cheese shawarma: Preparation
- 🥗 Prepare the Salad: Thinly slice the cabbage. Peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. Peel the garlic and grate it on the smallest grater. Mix the cabbage, carrots, and garlic, then season with oil, salt, and pepper.
- 🥣 Make the Sauce: Finely chop the greens. Mix mayonnaise and tomato sauce with the greens. Add a little salt and pepper if desired.
- 🧀 Fry the Cheese: Cut the cheese into 1.5 cm thick slices, brush with oil, and fry in a preheated pan until golden brown on both sides.
- 🌯 Assemble the Wrap: Lay a sheet of lavash flat, spread the sauce evenly, place a quarter of the cheese on the edge closest to you, and add a quarter of the salad on top.
- 🔥 Grill the Shawarma: Roll it up, tuck in the ends, and fry in a hot grill, sandwich maker, or dry pan, pressing on both sides. Serve hot.
👉 Helpful advice: This shawarma is also good to make not in thin lavash, but in pita. Cut off the top third of the pita, open the flatbread to create an empty space inside, grease the inside with sauce and fill with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.
Shawarma Nutrition Comparison: Which One Wins?
🥙 Shawarma Nutrition Comparison (per serving)
Shawarma Type | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
Beef Shawarma | ~510 kcal | ~26 g | ~40 g | ~25 g |
Chicken Shawarma | ~600 kcal | ~48 g | ~45 g | ~26 g |
Red Fish Shawarma | ~520 kcal | ~30 g | ~42 g | ~22 g |
Sausage Shawarma | ~680 kcal | ~28 g | ~50 g | ~40 g |
Cheese Shawarma | ~570 kcal | ~22 g | ~42 g | ~34 g |
Egg Shawarma | ~480 kcal | ~27 g | ~38 g | ~22 g |
🔥 Quick Insights:
- Lowest Calories: 🥚 Egg Shawarma (~480 kcal)
- Highest Protein: 🍗 Chicken Shawarma (~48 g)
- Lightest in Fat: 🥚 Egg Shawarma & 🐟 Red Fish Shawarma (~22 g)
- Heaviest Overall: 🌭 Sausage Shawarma (~680 kcal, 40 g fat).
✅ Healthiest Choice Recommendation
- Best for Weight Loss: 🥗 Diet Chicken Shawarma – lower calories, higher protein, and less fat.
- Best for Muscle Gain: 💪 Beef Shawarma – higher protein and calories to support muscle recovery.
- Best for Balanced Diet: 🍴 Regular Chicken Shawarma – a middle ground, but watch portion size and pair with veggies.
👉 Pro Tip: If you want a healthier shawarma anytime, ask for whole wheat pita, extra veggies, less oil, and grilled meat.
Final Wrap: Your Guide to Flavorful & Nutritious Shawarma at Home
Shawarma brings together bold flavors and balanced nutrition in every bite. From beef and chicken to egg, cheese, and salmon, there’s a recipe for every taste and diet. Enjoy a perfectly wrapped shawarma—delicious, satisfying, and wholesome every time.
Freqently Asked Questions About shawarma
What are the most popular types of shawarma?
Popular shawarma varieties include beef, chicken, red fish (salmon), sausage, cheese, and egg shawarma. Each type offers unique flavors and nutritional values, making it easy to choose based on taste preferences or dietary needs. Check the shawarma menu of AJ Greek & Gyro.
How many calories are in a serving of shawarma?
Calories vary by type: beef shawarma (~510 kcal), chicken (~600 kcal), red fish (~520 kcal), sausage (~680 kcal), cheese (~570 kcal), and egg shawarma (~480 kcal) per serving. Portion size and sauces affect total calorie content.
Which shawarma is the healthiest option?
Egg shawarma and red fish (salmon) shawarma are the lightest in fat (~22 g) and lower in calories. For a balanced diet, choose lean protein, minimal oil, and extra vegetables.
Can I make shawarma suitable for weight loss?
Yes, opt for lean meats like chicken or egg shawarma, use less oil and sauce, and include plenty of fresh vegetables. Whole wheat lavash or pita also makes it healthier.
How can I add extra protein to my shawarma?
Beef or chicken shawarma provides high protein (~26–48 g per serving). You can also add extra eggs, cheese, or legumes for a protein boost without sacrificing flavor.
Can shawarma be made vegetarian?
Absolutely! Egg shawarma or cheese shawarma is perfect for a vegetarian-friendly option, delivering great taste and satisfying nutrition.
How can I enhance the flavor of my shawarma?
Use fresh herbs, spices like paprika and turmeric, garlic, and a balanced sauce of yogurt, mayonnaise, or tomato sauce. Grilling or lightly frying the shawarma adds delicious texture and aroma.
Are shawarma sauces healthy?
Shawarma sauces like yogurt-based, tomato-mustard, or lightly spiced mayonnaise add flavor while contributing moderate calories. Using smaller amounts or low-fat alternatives makes them healthier.
