Shawarma seasoning is a magical mix of spices that helps your chicken or steak reach unbelievable heights of flavor. A popular Mediterranean meat seasoning for good reason, this brings together an unbeatable combo of smokiness, warmth, citrus, and peppery notes. Once you’ve gathered your spices, it takes next to no time to mix them together and create a multi-tasking seasoning hero.

There’s no one “right” recipe for this seasoning—different families all have their own variations, and regional trends influence these differences. For example, with my Persian roots, I often use my advieh when I make my shawarma seasoning as a shortcut, and highlight cumin and cardamom in this recipe.
If you want to scale up the recipe to make even more shawarma seasoning, I have advice for how to do that in my recipe card.
👩🍳 How to Make This Recipe
🏆 Ways to Use Your Shawarma Seasoning
- Mouthwatering marinade: Marinate strips of your chosen meat in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and shawarma seasoning, then roast or grill.
- Veggie coating: Toss chickpeas or cauliflower, or any veggie, in this seasoning and roast until crispy.
- Flavored hummus: Mix into a classic hummus for a boost of amazing flavor.
- Tasty topping: Use as a finishing spice to add extra flavor, the way you would with salt or pepper.
5-Minute Shawarma Seasoning Recipe
Print Recipe SaveIngredients
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp ginger
- ½ tbsp paprika
- ½ tbsp black pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
Instructions
- If using non-ground spices, grind them up using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder before measuring. Then simply mix all the ingredients together.