Homemade Shawarma Seasoning

This easy homemade shawarma Seasoning blend is made with aromatic warm spices like cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric & more. It's a must-have for your spice collection and it tastes way better than any store-bought blend.

You must make a big batch of this homemade shawarma seasoning blend! Double it or triple it, cause you can use it with all sorts of stuff like chicken, beef, lamb, and even VEGGIES!

My shawarma spice blend has been a labour of love, I wanted to make sure it was perfect before posting it, and also so I could unapologetically say my shawarma spice is the BEST SHAWARMA SEASONING BLEND you'll ever try.

I don't like to say something is the best, but this blend of shawarma spice is SO SO SO good...

What is Shawarma Seasoning made of?

The spices used to make Shawarma seasoning differ by region and family preference. The signature flavours are savoury and aromatic with ingredients such as cloves and allspice. Even though this blend has a total of 11 spices; don't be scared of the ingredient list, each and every spice works harmoniously together to create this exotic spice blend.

• Paprika: you can choose either smoked or regular paprika for this recipe.
• Allspice: I really believe that allspice gives a shawarma recipe its signature flavour, it's warming with a hint of sweet spicy notes.
• Cumin & Coriander: I think you can create an authentic middle eastern recipe without this two. You'll always find one with the other.
• Cinnamon: Another middle eastern flavour essential. It pairs perfectly with the allspice.
• Cardamon: With its complex aroma and a piney, fruity flavour. This spice is very potent, so be careful not to use too much, it can be slightly astringent and overpowering.
• Tumeric: This spice gives the best light golden hue. I didn't always add it to my shawarma blend over the years but now it's a must-have.
• Onion & Garlic powder: It's just not a shawarma blend without it. Choose the powder, not the salt variety.
• Ginger: I will omit, I'm not the biggest fan of ginger in my cooking but it very harmonizing in many spice blends and it gives this blend an elevated flavour note that would be missed if left out.
• Aleppo pepper: ok, this may not be the easiest ingredient to find. So, feel free to swap it with regular chilli flakes or cayenne. A word of caution with the cayenne you'll need to reduce the amount unless you want it really spicy.
• Vegeta: It's my favourite flavour booster for any recipe, it gives the spice blend a bit of umami element that takes the spice to the next level. If you can't find Vegeta you can use Msg or any bouillon powder and still have great results.

How to use shawarma seasoning?

There are so many uses for this spice blend! I've found it's the best spice mixture for a marinade, try it with chicken, beef, lamb, or grilled vegetables. Surprisingly, it's also delicious with fish too.

To make the Marinade, you'll need a few pantry ingredients like olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, tomato paste and extra garlic. You can find my marinade recipe (here)

Try this Shawarma Seasoning with:

• Oven-baked Shawarma Chicken Breast

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