Featured Review
5 from 18 reviews

This Easy Shawarma Marinade was so yummy! I used it to marinate chicken breasts for four hours and then grilled them. They tasted phenomenal! Thanks for pinning the recipe.

Theresa
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The EASIEST Shawarma at Home – No Vertical Spit Necessary!

If you’ve never had shawarma before, you’re in for such a treat!

Traditionally made by layering seasoned chicken, beef, or lamb on a vertical spit, shawarma takes on gloriously charred edges, as the spit rotates, before being carved and served on steamed flatbread or pita with all kinds of sides like hummus, tahini, veggies, and more.

This easy shawarma marinade recipe is the result of a strong desire to recreate the flavors and textures of my favorite restaurant shawarma using only the ingredients and equipment I have at home. While it’s not traditional, it still serves up a big, bold punch of flavor!

Shawarma marinade shown in a small ball jar, sitting atop a light blue surface with a lemon wedge in the foreground & a lemon wedge & fresh turmeric in the background. this Recipe for Later!
Bright, sweet, and spiced shawarma marinade is the perfect way to add instant flavor to just about any meat or veggies you love most!

It’s one of my all-time favorite recipes we’ve shared and PWWB readers agree. This simple marinade has been saved and loved by over 17 thousand readers and it’s featured in two of the most popular recipes here on PWWB, Easy Shawarma Hummus Bowls and Sheet Pan Veggie Shawarma!

The secret to this homemade marinade lies in using simple ingredients like warm spices, lemon, and honey, for shawarma that is perfectly balanced in flavor – spiced with a kiss of sweetness.

Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to make and is so versatile you can use it on just about anything. I love using it to grill marinated chicken, lamb, beef, veggies or chickpeas for a smoky and caramelized finish right at home (no vertical spit necessary!).

Once you give it a try, you’ll be shawarma-ing everything! 😋

Want more marinades for grilling season? We’ve got you covered! Check out PWWB’s 15 Go-To Grilling Marinades.

Key Ingredients

At the heart of the marinade is a homemade shawarma seasoning blend. It packs a huge punch of flavor with earthy, smoky, warm, and spicy notes.

Plus, it’s made with spices that you probably already have on your spice rack!

Olive oil, lemon, garlic, honey, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, dried oregano, ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, & pepper arranged on a light blue surface.
A number of pantry spices, garlic, lemon, honey and olive oil combine to form a thick paste-like marinade with concentrated flavor.

You will need…

  • Cumin
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Oregano
  • Turmeric
  • Cayenne pepper

Once the shawarma spice blend is mixed up, the marinade comes together with the addition of a few staple ingredients that help balance out the warm, earthy flavor of the spices – lemon juice for brightness, honey (or agave, or pure maple syrup)for subtle sweetness, garlic (because duh *wink!*), and a little bit of olive oil to bring it all together.

Shawarma Marinade Must-Haves

How to Make Shawarma Marinade

With the ingredients gathered, prepping this homemade shawarma marinade is really simple – a one bowl, 5-minute operation!

Chicken thighs in a large glass mixing bowl, marinating in Shawarma marinade. The bowl sits atop a light blue surface.
Shawarma marinade pairs best with chicken, beef, and lamb or…
Sweet potato, cauliflower and chickpeas are tossed in shawarma marinade inside of a large glass bowl.
…for a plant-based shawarma toss with your favorite veggies or chickpeas!

To make this easy shawarma spice marinade, simply add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl, whisk to combine, and add your protein or veggies of choice. That’s it!

Suggested Marinating Time: Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you use:

  • Resilient proteins (e.g. chicken, beef, lamb) should soak in the shawarma marinade for at least 8 hours and no more than 3 days.
  • Veggies will last even longer – you can marinate them for up to 5 days.
  • Delicate proteins (i.e. seafood – salmon, shrimp, flaky white fish) have a shorter marinade time – aim for at least 2 hours and no more than 12 hours.

A Note on Texture and Consistency

When combined the ingredients in this marinade will have a paste-like consistency, similar to a wet rub. It won’t seem like you have enough to marinate a couple of pounds of meat, but trust me – you do! Because it’s such a concentrated flavor from all of those great spices, a little shawarma paste really goes a long way.

Chicken thighs in a Ziploc bag, marinating in Shawarma marinade. The bag sits atop a light blue surface. “Shawarma Marinade" is penned in the bag's memo area.
The flavors of this homemade shawarma marinade meld together, even more, the longer it sits! Refer to the notes above for suggested marinade times.

Meal Prep

Despite the suggested marinating times for this shawarma marinade, you can still get ahead on your dinner by prepping the marinade in advance. Prep the marinade and store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. When you’re ready to start marinating, simply pour the marinade over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy!

Serving Suggestions

You can use this easy shawarma marinade on pretty much anything – that’s one of the reasons we love it so much! (As Chris would say, it would make a shoe taste good! *wink!*) 😉

Grilled Shawarma marinated chicken thighs shown on a white speckled plate atop a light blue surface. The chicken is garnished with fresh herbs & ribbons of pickled red onion.
Grilled chicken shawarma is perfectly caramelized and totally craveable.

I suggest cooking your shawarma marinated goodies on the grill or in a grill pan to create similar smoky, crispy, caramelization of traditional shawarma that’s cooked on a vertical spit.

  • My ideal plate? ⇢ Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma Bowls served over turmeric rice, with pickled red onions and a drizzle of shawarma sauce!
  • For easy chicken shawarma, try boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. You can also grill a whole chicken!
  • For beef shawarma, go for tender cuts with nice marbling, like flank steak, sirloin, or ribeye.
  • Lamb shawarma is typically prepared with leg of lamb, so thinly slice for faster cooking times. You can also use this shawarma marinade on kebabs, with any combination of meat and veggies you like best.
  • For plant-loving friends, prep vegan shawarma with hearty vegetables (like cauliflower or sweet potatoes) or chickpeas.

No Grill? Use the Oven!

If you do not have access to a grill, you can create a similar effect by baking in the oven and finishing under the broiler. Check out my Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma for my go-to method!

Chicken Shawarma Hummus Bowl with quinoa, cucumbers, pickled red onion, shredded cabbage, & naan bread shown in a speckled gray ceramic bowl. The bowl sits atop a creamy cement surface, surrounded by lemon wedges, fresh basil leaves, a small bowl of pickled red onions, & a pink linen napkin.
This simple marinade is the star in so many PWWB reader favorites, like our hummus bowls!
Print
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Grilled Shawarma marinated chicken thighs shown on a white speckled plate atop a light blue surface. The chicken is garnished with fresh herbs & ribbons of pickled red onion.

Easy 5-Minute Shawarma Marinade

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 18 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
  • Category: Sauces & Condiments
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Lebanese
Print Recipe

Description

This 5-minute Shawarma Marinade recipe has been loved by thousands of readers!

It starts with a homemade shawarma spice blend of aromatic warm spices like cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, and more combined, in a single bowl, with a little bit of lemon and honey. The resulting marinade is a thick paste with concentrated bright, sweet, and spiced flavor – perfect for coating meat or veggies.

Use it for easy chicken shawarma hummus bowls, or to marinate lamb, beef, veggies, and more!

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds meat or veggies of choice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or pure maple syrup or agave, if vegan)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • optional: up to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Mix the shawarma marinade: Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, ginger, oregano, turmeric, and cayenne to a bowl or jar. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Whisk or shake to combine.Shawarma marinade shown in a small ball jar, sitting atop a light blue surface with a lemon wedge in the foreground & a lemon wedge & fresh turmeric in the background.
  2. Marinate: Pour the shawarma marinade over your meat or veggies of choice. Marinate for at least 6 hours or for up to 2 days.Chicken thighs in a large glass mixing bowl, marinating in Shawarma marinade. The bowl sits atop a light blue surface.
  3. Grill as desired. Enjoy!Grilled Shawarma marinated chicken thighs shown on a white speckled plate atop a light blue surface. The chicken is garnished with fresh herbs & ribbons of pickled red onion.

Equipment

Notes

  • Suggested marinade time: Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you’d like to use. Because of the amount of lemon juice used in the marinade, it’s important not to marinate for too long, as it will really negatively affect the texture of meat. Having tested this shawarma marinade on a variety of different proteins with a variety of different marinating times, here’s what we suggest:
    • Seafood – at least 20 minutes and no more than 1 hour.
    • Chicken and pork – at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours for maximum flavor.
    • Beef and lamb – at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
    • Veggies – at least 20 minutes and up to 24 hours.
  • 10-Minute Meal Prep: If you’d like to marinate something later in the week, I suggest making the marinade in advance, whenever you’re meal prepping for the week. Store it in a jar or an airtight container for up to 5 days—the flavors meld together even more as the marinade sits. At least 4 hours before you’re ready to hit the grill, simply pour the marinade over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy peasy!
  • Not sure how to serve shawarma? Make a hummus bowl! This is one of the most popular recipes here on PWWB, for good reason!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 717
  • Sugar: 41.7 g
  • Sodium: 634.7 mg
  • Fat: 58 g
  • Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 62.9 g
  • Fiber: 4.7 g
  • Protein: 3.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
Grilled Shawarma marinated chicken thighs shown on a white speckled plate atop a light blue surface. The chicken is garnished with fresh herbs & ribbons of pickled red onion.

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