Shawarma

Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food made from seasoned meat that is stacked on a tall, spinning spit. As the meat slowly rotates and cooks, thin slices are shaved off and served in warm flatbread or pita. Shawarma is topped with vegetables, pickles, and tasty sauces. It is one of the most popular street foods in the Middle East.

How Shawarma Is Made

Thin slices of seasoned meat, usually chicken or lamb, are stacked on a vertical spit. The spit rotates slowly next to a heat source, cooking the meat from the outside in. As the outer layer gets crispy and golden, thin slices are shaved off with a long knife. The sliced meat is piled into flatbread along with tomatoes, onions, and pickled turnips. Garlic sauce, tahini, or hummus is drizzled on top.

Shawarma Around the World

Shawarma is enjoyed in many countries with slightly different names and styles. In Turkey, a similar food is called doner kebab. In Greece, it is called gyros. In Mexico, a similar dish called tacos al pastor was inspired by Lebanese immigrants who brought shawarma-style cooking. All these dishes share the idea of meat cooked on a rotating spit and served in bread.

Fun Facts

• The word shawarma comes from a Turkish word meaning "turning."
• Shawarma, doner kebab, and gyros are all related foods cooked on a rotating spit.
• Lebanese immigrants brought shawarma to Mexico, which inspired tacos al pastor.

Did You Know?

Tacos al pastor in Mexico were invented by Lebanese immigrants who used the shawarma cooking method but replaced lamb with pork and added pineapple!