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What to Serve with Homemade Shawarma (14 Sides and Ideas)

By | Updated: | May contain affiliate links.

Two words: Shawarma Platter! Ok, so hear me out. A big platter with homemade chicken or beef shawarma with all the sides right there for people to make their own bowls of wraps. It’s so much less work for you. Put your guests or your family to work!

Chicken shawarma platter with all the sides and toppings.
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I’ve broken up this post into sections. You’ll find the basics like rice, pita and sauces. But I have included some more ideas to help you take this to the next level.

  • Sauces and Toppings
  • Bases and Starches
  • Sides and Salads

Let's start off with my homemade shawarma recipe! And as you can see in the photo, I served it up on a large baking sheet!

Chicken shawarma platter with all the sides and toppings.
Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe (Wrap or Bowl)
You don’t need a vertical spit to make your own homemade Lebanese chicken shawarma wraps and bowls. This recipe is straightforward and uses your oven. It’s a perfect weeknight meal and comes together in very little time.
Pair it with vermicelli rice, Lebanese pita bread, Toum (garlic sauce), Tahini Sauce, pickled turnips or shatta (chili paste).
Chicken Shawarma Recipe!

Shawarma Sauces and Toppings

Some of the standard shawarma toppings include shredded romaine lettuce, sliced red onions, tomatoes and fresh herbs (mint, green onion, and parsley). Some people will also include sliced bell pepper. These are pretty straightforward but other standard toppings may require some prep work.

In terms of sauces, tahini lemon sauce works really well but yogurt-based sauces like Tzatziki sauce and Turkish Cacik are also popular.

Pink pickled turnips in a bowl on a board.
Lebanese Pickles (Pickled Turnips)
Lebanese pickles, or as I like to call them, shawarma pickles or pink pickles are a Middle Eastern staple that brings color and a sweet and sour touch to any dish. If you’ve ever had a shawarma or falafel wrap, chances are you have tried, and loved these pickled turnips!
Pickled Turnips Recipe!
A bowl with sumac onions and parsley.
Sumac Onions (Turkish Marinated Onion Salad)
Sumac Onions (Turkish Marinated Onion Salad) is a traditional Middle Eastern condiment perfect for grilled meats, fish, or a mezze platter. It’s not only popular in Turkey, but in The Levant as well. Best of all, it comes together in less than 15 minutes!
Sumac Onions Recipe!
Creamy tahini sauce garnished with sumac in a bowl with a spoon.
How to Make Lemon Tahini Sauce (Authentic and Easy)
A classic Middle Eastern condiment, Lemon Tahini Sauce is used to dress shawarma, grilled meats, falafels, and more. It’s rich, unctuous and nutty. And best of all, this creamy sauce comes together in under 5 minutes and with only 5 ingredients!
Lemon Tahini Sauce Recipe!
Mint yogurt sauce in a bowl with mint garnish.
Mint Yogurt Sauce (with Garlic and Lemon)
This mint yogurt sauce with garlic and lemon is a refreshing side or dip. It comes together in under 10 minutes and with 5 ingredients. The perfect accompaniment for heavy dishes like pulled lamb, beef kebabs, chicken shish tawook, Musakhan rolls
Mint Yogurt Sauce Recipe!
Turkish cacik in a bowl garnished with mint and olive oil.
Cacik (Turkish Cucumber Yogurt Dip Recipe)
Cacik (Turkish cucumber and yogurt dip) is a classic side dish, closely related to tzatziki and other yogurt dips from the Eastern Mediterranean. This refreshing and delicious dip pairs perfectly with rice dishes and grilled meats and vegetables. And it comes together in under 15 minutes!
Cacik Recipe!

Shawarma Bases and Starches

Shawarma meat can be served in a wrap using Lebanese-style pita bread (you can also use Greek Pita of course). Or with rice in a bowl.

Here you will find some recipes for homemade pita (both Lebanese and Greek) as well as Vermicelli rice, which is a very flavorful and traditional rice recipe from the Levant. You can of course use standard steamed rice or even cauliflower rice if you prefer.

A stack of pita bread held in a hand.
Lebanese Pita Bread (Traditional Khubz)
Making your own Lebanese Pita Bread is not as difficult as you may think! This recipe includes 3 different methods to make this quintessential Levantine flatbread.
Lebanese Pita Recipe!
Rice with nuts and parsley on a plate.
Vermicelli Rice
Whether you call this Lebanese Rice or Vermicelli rice, this an extremely flavorful, versatile and easy-to-make Middle Eastern rice side dish. Vermicelli pasta is toasted in butter with a cinnamon stick and cooked with long grain Basmati rice to make a fluffy and delicious side to serve with stews, curries, and grilled or roasted proteins.
Vermicelli Rice Recipe!
A bowl with a stack of freshly made Greek pitas.
Homemade Greek Pita Bread Recipe
Homemade Greek Pita Bread is incredibly easy to make and so rewarding. The whole process can be done in under 90 minutes. This recipe uses standard pantry staples. Enjoy with your favorite dips or make your own wraps.
Greek Pita Recipe!
A plate with saffron rice garnished with pomegranate seeds, parsley and nuts.
How to Make Saffron Rice (Middle Eastern Recipe)
This Middle Eastern-style Saffron Rice recipe is delicious, fragrant, and incredibly versatile. It pairs well with many of my other recipes (stews, grilled proteins, and fish). Best of all, it comes together in less than 30 minutes, and most of the time is inactive!
Saffron Rice Recipe!

Shawarma Sides and Salads

When making a large sharing platter, consider including sides like French fries or roast potatoes and salads to help complete a meal. Batata Harra (spicy Lebanese potatoes are a must). I've also included some salad recipes that will pair well with homemade shawarma.

Bowl of spicy and herby potatoes with lemon wedges on the side.
Batata Harra (Spicy Lebanese Potatoes)
This 5-ingredient recipe for Spicy Lebanese Potatoes, also known as Batata Harra, is incredibly easy to prepare and comes together in under 30 minutes. It works great as a side dish or as part of a meze board.
Batata Harra Recipe!
Bowl of chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs.
Jerusalem Salad (Cucumber Tomato Salad)
This Palestinian Cucumber Tomato Salad, also known as Jerusalem Salad is a delicious and simple chopped salad that comes together in under 20 minutes! It's a perfect side for heavy and rich mains.
Jerusalem Salad Recipe!
Chopped salad with lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes in a bowl with crispy pita chips.
Authentic Lebanese Fattoush Salad
Fresh, refreshing and delicious, this authentic Lebanese Fattoush salad recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its tangy dressing. Enjoy it as a side dish, an appetizer, or on its own. Best of all, it can be prepared in under 30 minutes!
Fattoush Salad Recipe!
Bowl of tahini chopped salad with sumac garnish.
Tahini Salad (Levantine Salata with Cucumber and Tomato)
This tahini salad recipe is so incredibly easy to make it comes together in under 15 minutes. Pair it with a hearty main dish or grilled and fried seafood. It’s also very adaptable and you can modify it to suit your tastes.
Tahini Salad Recipe!
A bowl with pickled pink cauliflower florets.
Levantine Pickled Cauliflower (Refrigerator Pickle)
Levantine pickled cauliflower is an easy and delicious entry into the wonderful world of preservation and pickling. This recipe comes together with just a few simple ingredients. The deep pink color is so gorgeous and fun you might even get your kids to eat cauliflower!
Pickled Cauliflower Recipe!

If you make any of these recipes, please make sure to leave a rating and review. It's so helpful to other readers.

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More Levantine Recipes

Comments

  1. Linda Edelblut says

    Have made your sumac onions twice now and they are FANTASTIC! great addition to a package of schwarma from Trader Joe's! Today I'm also trying your vermicelli rice! Serving it all up with: roasted cauliflower, tahini sauce, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and feta.

    Reply

    • Luay Ghafari says

      Thank you, Linda!

  2. Lorrie says

    Dear Chef Luay Ghafari,

    I stumbled on your blog because I was looking for a recipe for Schiacciata. I made it according to your instructions today and it is marvelous! I can't wait to try more recipes. Thank you ever so much!

    Keep cooking!
    Lorrie

    Reply

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