Join me as I share the secrets of a mouthwatering Lamb Shawarma Salad. This delightful dish combines tender marinated lamb, a vibrant array of fresh veggies, and a creamy tahini dressing.
Type of Cuisine:
Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 30 minutes.
Cook Time: 15 minutes
How Many Servings?
4 servings
Table of Contents
This shawarma Lamb Salad features an authentic marinade inspired by the shawarma shops that can be found on every corner of my hometown in Jordan. Instead of the traditional wrap or pita bread, we’ve opted for a fresh and hearty salad that’s both flavorful and healthy. The thinly sliced lamb is expertly marinated with aromatic spices, creating flavors that perfectly complement the bed of crisp greens and fresh veggies.
Bringing all these wonderful spices, succulent lamb, and fresh veggies together creates a delightful symphony of flavors in this shawarma salad. To top it off, I’ve added a zesty tahini dressing that perfectly complements the flavors of the shawarma. With only a few simple ingredients, this quick and easy meal is perfect for lunch or dinner and will become a new favorite in your recipe collection.
What is Shawarma Salad?
A salad likely doesn’t come to mind when considering a shawarma recipe. However, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that shawarma tastes splendid with salad, not just wraps. Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern dish consisting of thinly sliced meat, typically lamb, chicken, or beef, seasoned with aromatic spices and cooked on a rotating spit. As the meat cooks, it is sliced off in thin strips and served in a wrap or pita bread, along with toppings such as tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and a variety of sauces like Tahini, tzatziki, or hummus. All of which are classic choices for shawarma salad dressing. I love Tahini; it’s one of my favorite Mediterranean salad dressing options. This is why I featured it in this recipe!
Key Ingredients for Your Shawarma Salad
- Bold and Aromatic Marinade: Combine paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, fenugreek, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt for a rich, warm spice blend. It imparts savory, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy flavors to the lamb.
- Sautéed Red Onion: Sauté red onions in olive oil with a touch of sumac for a delightful sweetness and tanginess. Sumac adds a citrusy note to the onions.
- Shawarma – Tahini Sauce: Blend creamy tahini paste with yogurt, minced garlic, and fresh lemon juice for a nutty, tangy, and slightly garlicky sauce. It’s a creamy and zesty addition to the salad.
- Herbaceous Salad Mix: Combine freshly chopped mint, dill, and Italian parsley with crisp romaine lettuce, sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and optional pickles. The salad is a medley of refreshing Mediterranean flavors.
Choosing the Right Lamb Cut
When making your lamb shawarma salad, choosing the right cut of lamb is crucial. Lamb loin works excellent for this recipe due to its leanness and the availability of thinly sliced cuts. Lamb shoulder is another option, known for its tender meat, but it may require marinating for added tenderness.
Now, let’s talk about enhancing the flavor and tenderness of your lamb. Consider incorporating grass-fed lamb tallow into your recipe. This high-quality cooking fat is derived from the fat of grass-fed lambs, offering a rich and delightful depth of flavor. You can easily find grass-fed lamb tallow on Amazon or at specialty stores like Whole Foods.
Serving Lamb Shawarma Salad
I often serve this Middle Eastern salad with complementary dishes like Tunisian couscous. This hearty side dish pairs well with the flavorful Tahini dressing from the salad. And speaking of dressings, you can’t go wrong with some classic dips like hummus, baba ganoush, or muhammara. Moreover, these dips are perfect for dipping your taboon or pita bread into and are sure to be crowd-pleasers. Each of these dips makes for the ideal Middle Eastern salad dressing.
Preparation
Remove the marinated lamb from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.
Heat a cast-iron or heavy-duty pan over high heat until it's hot.
In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the lamb tallow to the pan and stir it around the lamb slices. This will help to add extra flavor and tenderness to the lamb.
Remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it into bite-sized pieces.
Keep warm until ready to assemble the Shawarma salad
Heat Olive Oil in a Large Pan over Medium-High Heat and Add Sliced Red Onion to Coat. Sprinkle over Sumac and Stir until Evenly Coated. Cook Onions, Occasionally Stirring, for 5-7 Minutes or until Tender and Caramelized. Once Cooked to your Liking, Remove Pan from Heat and Set aside - Ready to be used as a Delicious and Flavorful Topping for Your Lamb Shawarma Salad!
Mix 1 1/2 Cup Tahini Paste, 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt, 2 Cloves Garlic (Minced), and 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice in a small bowl. Season with Salt and Pepper to Taste
Start by tossing the chopped romaine with fresh mint and dill on a serving platter, and then drizzle with some tahini sauce.
Arrange the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, sautéed onion, and cooked lamb on top of the romaine, pickled turnip, and cucumber.
This will result in a beautifully presented lamb shawarma salad, with all the elements arranged neatly on top of the romaine lettuce. The combination of fresh herbs, tangy pickled vegetables, and creamy tahini sauce will add depth of flavor to the dish, making it healthy and delicious.
This recipe offers a harmonious blend of textures, vibrant colors, and aromatic spices, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. Follow the simple steps below and unleash your inner chef with this delightful Lamb Shawarma Salad.
Type of Cuisine:
Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 30 minutes.
Cook Time: 15 minutes
How Many Servings?
4 servings
Ingredients:
Adjust Servings
| 2 roamain lettuce washed and pat dry chopped roughly | |
| 1 cup of fresh herbs roughly chopped like mint and dill | |
| 1 english cucumber peeled and sliced thin or 4 persian cucumber peeled and sliced thin | |
| 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half | |
| 1 cup kalamati olives | |
| 1 cup of fresh herbs roughly chopped mint and dill | |
| ¼ cup chopped italian parsley | |
| Some turnip and cucumber pickles ( optional ) |
For the Lamb Marinade:
| ¼ cup yogurt | |
| 2 tablespoons water | |
| 1 tablespoons lemon juice | |
| 2 teaspoons vinegar | |
| 1 tablespoon olive oil | |
| 1 teaspoon paprika | |
| 1/4 teaspoon turmeric | |
| ½ teaspoon cumin | |
| 1/4 teaspoon coriander | |
| 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon | |
| 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek | |
| 1/4 teaspoon ginger | |
| 1 teaspoon cardamom | |
| 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg | |
| ½ tablespoon garlic powder | |
| ½ teaspoon black pepper | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | |
| 2 tablespoons lamb tallow | |
| 1/2 lb lamb loin boneless and sliced thinly |
For the Saute Red Onion
| One large red onion sliced | |
| 1 tablespoon olive oil | |
| ½ teaspoon sumac |
Sauce for Shawarma Recipe - Tahini Sauce
| 1 1/2 cup tahini paste | |
| ½ cup plain yogurt | |
| 2 cloves garlic minced | |
| 2 lemon juice about ¼ cups | |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
Preparation
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
Tip for evenly spread dressing:
Nutrition Information
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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I would love to hear your experience!
I invite you to try this incredible Lamb Shawarma Salad recipe and experience a burst of flavors like never before! Don’t forget to comment below and let me know your thoughts. I can’t wait to hear about your culinary adventures and how this recipe has brought joy to your table. Happy cooking!