Immerse yourself in the flavors of the Middle East with this easy slow cooker shredded beef shawarma recipe! Marinated in aromatic spices and slow-cooked to tender perfection, this recipe is perfect for a flavorful and fuss-free meal. Serve it on pita bread with your favorite toppings for a taste of flavorful shawarma right at home.
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To make this slow cooked version of classic a Middle Eastern street food, you will need:
- chuck roast - 2-3 lb whole roast
- beef broth
- lemon juice
- cumin
- smoked paprika
- salt
- ground ginger
- turmeric
- cayenne pepper
- cinnamon
- coriander
- cloves - ground
❓What is Shawarma
Traditional shawarma is a Middle Eastern street food. It is made out of marinated meat that is layered on a spit. Lamb is used most often, but chicken and beef are also options.
The spit rotates in front of a heat source for hours - rotisserie style. This allows the meat to slowly cook and for all the wonderful flavors to sink in.
Once cooked, the meat is shaved down the sides of the vertical rotisserie spit. It is traditionally served in pita pockets or wraps with tons of veggies and sauces. And- it is GOOOOD!!
Clearly, a slow cooker can't replicate all that, so this is in no way an authentic beef shawarma recipe. However, cooking meat slowly in a crockpot allows it to marinate while it cooks. This lets all the yummy spices sink way in. Similar to slow cooker chicken shawarma and chicken gyros, the preparation doesn't have to be authentic for the flavor to be wonderful!
Authentic or not, this chicken shawarma recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy a deliciously different meal! It has the perfect mixture of spices to make you an instant fan of Middle Eastern food!
🔪Instructions
This great recipe just involves a few simple steps:
Preparing Your Slow Cooker
Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent. Any nonstick cooking spray or oil will work. Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings.
NOTE: some slow cooker inserts come with a nonstick surface. Use of a non-stick agent is still suggested. However, oil is sometimes recommended rather than spray to protect the longevity of the non-stick surface. Check your slow cooker's manual if you have any concerns.
Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.
Cooking
🥙Place all ingredients, other than beef, into your greased slow cooker and stir to combine.
🥙Add beef chuck roast to your slow cooker and turn it a few times. You want to make sure all sides are coated in the shawarma spice mix.
🥙Flatten the beef down to the bottom of the slow cooker and spoon some additional sauce on top.
🥙Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
🥙Once cooked, remove beef from slow cooker and use two forks to shred. Discard any unwanted fat and connective tissue.
🥙Skim fat off of juices in slow cooker and stir your beef back in
🥙Turn slow cooker to the Keep Warm setting until you are ready to serve.
🍽Serving suggestions
There are an endless number of ways to serve this amazing faux Middle Eastern dish, including:
1. Classic Shawarma:
- Pita pocket: The most traditional way to enjoy shawarma is wrapped in a warm pocket.
- Toppings: Add your favorite toppings like tahini sauce, hummus, chopped tomatoes, sliced red onions, cucumber salad, and tzatziki sauce. Fresh veggies and herbs like parsley and cilantro are also great additions. Try topping your pita with some French fries for a fun and modern twist!
2. Slow Cooker Beef Shawarma Bowl Options:
- Rice: Serve the shredded beef over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice for a heartier meal. To keep things lighter, try using cauliflower rice or even quinoa.
- Salad: For a lighter option, serve the shredded beef over a bed of greens with your favorite salad dressing. Greek yogurt and feta cheese make great salad bowl toppings.
- Vegetables: Add roasted vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, or sweet potatoes for additional flavor and texture.
3. Lettuce Wraps
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- Iceberg or Romaine: Use large lettuce leaves to make a low carb beef shawarma sandwich. This will put a healthy spin on your favorite recipes.
What is your favorite way to eat shawarma?
Please share in the comment section below!
🔁Substitution ideas
- Use black pepper in place of cayenne pepper for a milder kick
- Swap different cuts of beef such as flank steak, skirt steak, round steak, or even stew meat for chuck roast.
- To cut back prep time even further, swap listed seasonings with a premade spice mixture.
- Try using red wine vinegar in place of lemon juice for a tangier version of homemade shawarma seasoning
- Lemon zest and fresh garlic can also be added to your homemade beef shawarma for a different twist.
If you love this recipe, please let me know in the comment section below!
Storing
Store leftovers of this tender beef in an airtight container or bag. They will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 4 months when frozen.
For best results, defrost leftovers of this famous Middle Eastern street food in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating.
😉Hints & hacks
- Store leftovers in individual serving-size containers for easy grab-and-go future meals on a busy day.
- Many recipes state that you should sear your roast before adding it to your slow cooker. I am way too lazy. My recipe skips that step and it is delicious!
- like all great beef great, this dish is perfect for busy nights. It can stay on the warm setting in your slow cooker for quite a while. Perfect for when your people will be eating at different times.
- If timing is an issue, this dish can be cooked on high for 5-6 hours. However, low and slow is recommended for best results.
- For easy meal prep, combine beef and spices in a zipper-top bag and refrigerate overnight. The next day, Just toss it into your slow cooker and forget about it!
- I am a huge fan of slow cooker liners. They are a great help with this particular recipe. If you use a liner, you can skip spraying your slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- In the market for a slow cooker? I love mine!
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Shawarma
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb chuck roast
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice or the juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Add 1 cup beef broth, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon coriander, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves to a greased slow cooker and stir to combine
- Place 2-3 lb chuck roast into the sauce in your slow cooker and turn a few times to coat
- Flatten beef out so and spoon sauce over top.
- cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
- After cooking, remove beef from slow cooker and use two forks to shred. Discard any excess fat
- Skim fat off of the top of the liquid remaining in your slow cooker
- Mix shredded beef into sauce in your slow cooker. Turn your slow cooker to warm until you are ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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