Mushroom Shawarma Recipe with 2 Sauces

A vegetarian twist on a classic favorite, this mushroom shawarma includes two different sauces, giving your taste buds options and your belly joy.

Are you craving all the flavors of shawarma but looking for a meatless option? We’ve got you covered! Enter mushroom shawarma, a delicious and satisfying vegetarian version of the classic dish that is easy to make at home and sure to please both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.

Get a quick summary of the recipe with this video:

Why Make This Mushroom Shawarma

Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern dish consisting of marinated meat cooked on a spit and served in a wrap or pita bread with vegetables and a flavorful sauce. This is a delicious and satisfying meal, but there aren’t typical plant-based alternatives. This is where mushrooms come in!

Culinary mushrooms like oysters, shiitake, and maitake are packed with health benefits. They are substantial and satisfying meat alternatives that deliver both nutrition and flavor.

Not only did we create a recipe that replaces the meat with mushrooms, keeping all the delicious meaty flavor and texture, but we also gave you two different sauces. Whether you make one or both, you won’t be disappointed!

To make mushroom shawarma, you will need a few key ingredients, including mushrooms, vegetables, spices, and pita bread.

Ingredients Breakdown

The mushrooms are the star of the dish, and you can use any variety you like, although oyster mushrooms work particularly well because of their meaty texture.

For the spices, you'll need a blend of cumin, coriander, paprika, and turmeric, which gives the mushrooms a warm and aromatic flavor, similar to a traditional shawarma spice blend.

The second star of the dish is the sauce! We included not one but two different sauces so you can take your pick. One sauce to satisfy your sweet tooth and one to satisfy your creamy, tangy tooth.

For the sauces, you will need Greek yogurt, spices, garlic, lemon juice, apricot jam, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, and Dijon mustard. It may sound like a lot, but both sauces are incredibly easy to make. You just mix all the ingredients together in one bowl. Each sauce can be made in under five minutes!

The only hard part will be choosing which sauce to use, but here’s a pro tip: the best combination is both sauces together!

Mushroom Shawarma Recipe Directions

This shawarma is incredibly easy to make at home.

• Start by slicing the mushrooms, onion, and pepper and mincing the garlic.
• Next, toss them with the spice blend, kosher salt, and some extra virgin olive oil.
• Then, roast the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and garlic in the oven until they are tender and the mushrooms are slightly browned.
• While the vegetables are roasting, you can prepare the other ingredients for the shawarma, such as fresh veggies, chopped vegetables, herbs, and the two different sauces.
• When the cooked mushrooms and vegetables are almost done, you can optionally throw your pita bread in the oven to warm it up too.
• When everything is ready, assemble the shawarma by placing the roasted mushrooms and onions, vegetables, and sauce on warm pita bread.
• Roll it up and enjoy!

Easy, healthy, and restaurant-worthy. Check, check, check.

Now onto the recipe!

Shawarma Ingredients:

• 1 lb oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Pita bread
• Toppings (optional): lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, chopped parsley, tahini sauce, hot sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the sliced oyster mushrooms, red onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic with olive oil, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, kosher salt, and black pepper.
3. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly on a lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice. You want the fresh veggies to be tender and lightly browned.
4. While the vegetables are roasting, warm the pita bread in the oven for a few minutes if you’d like.
5. Assemble the shawarma by placing some of the roasted mushrooms and onions, chopped vegetables/herbs, and sauce on your warm pita bread.
6. Serve hot, and enjoy your absolutely delicious mushroom shawarma!

As promised, here are two different shawarma spice blend sauces for that to choose from:

Sauce #1 - Tangy & Spicy

If you’re looking for a tangy, slightly spicy flavor to accompany your shawarma, this yogurt-based sauce is for you! It is cooling and refreshing and pairs well with the warm spices used in the dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (vegans can use coconut yogurt for vegan shawarma)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juices
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• optional: a pinch of cayenne to give it an extra kick

Instructions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and black pepper until everything is well combined.
2. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Sauce #2 - Sweet & Sour

If you’re looking for a sweet and tangy sauce, this one's for you! It combines the fruity flavor of apricot jam with savory spices and pairs well with the earthy flavor of all the mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup apricot jam (you can also try a different jam!)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp. honey (vegans can use date paste)
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the apricot jam, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, Dijon mustard, ground ginger, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until everything is well combined.
2. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

With its flavorful spices, fresh vegetables, and nutritious flavorful fungi, this mushroom shawarma is a crowd-pleaser that makes for the perfect dish to enjoy with friends. So invite some people over and try it out at home!

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