Homemade Shawarma Spice Blend
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Make a big batch of this quick and easy DIY shawarma spice blend to add to all of your favorite dishes including falafel, chicken, beef, lamb, fish, or sauteed chickpeas!
I had my first real bite of shawarma a few months ago in Israel and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I knew once I returned home I would have to recreate that smokey, spicy, tangy spice blend.
You can add this shawarma spice to basically anything that you want to taste delicious 😉
Like:
- The Ultimate Grass-Fed Beef Shawarma Burger
- Beef
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Grilled fish
- Burgers
- Chickpeas
- Falafels
- Veggies
- Grain dishes
- and on and on
For Easter this year I made a shawarma spiced leg of lamb that was out of this world from the Ottolenghi cookbook, “Jerusalem”. I loosely based this spice blend off of that recipe, tested several times in typical Abra’s Kitchen fashion until I landed on the perfect blend.
Make a big batch, store in a glass jar, and it will keep for several months. If you like a spicier version you can add cayenne, but I found this blend to be the perfect balance between warming, smokey, and tangy spices. If I use this for protein (chicken, fish, lamb, or beef) I will also season the protein well with salt.
More tasty recipes:
- Cajun Spice Mix
- Moroccan Inspired Spice Blend
- Nashville Style Hot Chicken Spice Mix
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
Homemade Shawarma Spice Blend
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground clove
Instructions
- Combine all dried spices and stir well. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Meet Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN
Abra is a licensed nutritionist, seasoned home cook, and forever flavor-chaser. She’s spent more than two decades exploring the connection between food and health—and just as long obsessing over what makes something truly delicious. Abra’s Kitchen is where those two loves meet, with recipes that celebrate vegetables, follow the seasons, and make you excited to cook.
Hi there,
What kind of paprika do you recommend using for this spice blend or which brand/type do you use?
I have a few different kinds!
I use Hungarian sweet paprika, my brand is Szeged. Any sweet paprika would work you just don’t want to use smoked paprika in this recipe 🙂