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Lamb shawarma roast served with pickled sumac onions and pita bread.
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5 from 13 votes

Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma

Slow cooked lamb shawarma is a mouthwatering Middle Eastern dish that bursts with bold flavors! The lamb marinates in a robust spice mixture before cooking low and slow for hours until fragrant and incredibly tender.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Marinate8 hours
Total Time11 hours 50 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: homemade lamb shawarma, lamb shawarma, slow cooked lamb shawarma
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 453kcal

Ingredients

Lamb Shawarma

Zhoug

Additional Ingredients and Toppings

Instructions

Lamb Shawarma

  • Make the shawarma marinade. Add the spices, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil and lemon zest and lemon juice to a food processor and blend until a smooth paste forms.
  • Use paper towels to pat the lamb dry very well. Use a knife and score through the fat layer and any thicker areas of muscle and rub the marinade all over the lamb and into any crevices. Use kitchen twine to roll up the lamb into a uniform shape. Then place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight.
  • When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before roasting.
  • Place the lamb in a dutch oven or roasting pan and roast 1 hour. Pour in 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pan and continue slow roasting for another 2-21/2 hours, basting with the pan juices every 30-45 minutes.
  • If the outside of the roast is getting too dark, cover the lamb with a sheet of foil for the last 30 minutes.
  • Once done, remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Zhoug Sauce

  • While the lamb shawarma is cooking, make the zhug sauce.
  • Add the cilantro, parsley, chopped garlic, jalapeño, cardamom, cumin and olive oil to a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms and there are no large leaves. Add water as needed if the mixture is too thick.
  • Transfer to a resealable container until ready to use.

Assemble the Shawarma

  • Slice shawarma into thin slices and serve as a wrap in a pita or bowl, topped with sumac onions, dollop of zhug and tahini sauce.

Notes

    • Use paper towels to pat the meat dry on all of the sides before adding the shawarma marinade. This will help the mixture stick to the meat easily.
    • If you don't have all the spices available, focus on using cumin, coriander and paprika.
    • Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. This takes the "chill off" of the meat and helps the meat cook more evenly.
    • Marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight if you have the time. The longer, the more flavorful the lamb will be!
    • Slow cooker version: Instead of the oven, place the marinated and tied up lamb in the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
    • Recipe is inspired by Ottolenghi's lamb shawarma from his cookbook, Jerusalem with adjustments using ground spices, easier to find spices available near me and adjusting measurements.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1491IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5mg