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Easy Loaded Shawarma Pitas with Israeli Salad and Creamy Tahini
Easy Loaded Shawarma Pitas turn prepared shawarma meat into a filling meal with very little fuss. Fresh salad and creamy sauces finish it beautifully.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy Easy Loaded Shawarma Pitas
- Fast and flexible: The meat does most of the work, while the salad comes together in minutes.
- Fresh and filling: Warm seasoned meat with crisp tomato, cucumber and onion is such a good combination.
- Make it your own: Add eggplant salad, cabbage salad, tzatziki or whatever you already have in the fridge.
Additional Information
- Can this be frozen? The cooked shawarma meat can be frozen, but I wouldn’t freeze the assembled pitas or the fresh Israeli salad. The salad will lose its crisp texture and the pita can become soggy.
- To freeze the meat, let it cool completely, place it in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly in a frying pan.
- How long can it be stored and how? Store leftover cooked shawarma meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- The Israeli salad is best eaten within 1 to 2 days. Keep it refrigerated in a covered container, preferably separate from the meat and pita.
- Keep hummus, tahina, tzatziki, and other salads refrigerated according to their package or recipe storage instructions. Store the pitas in their original packaging or an airtight bag and use them according to the package directions.
- For food safety, don’t leave cooked meat sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Shawarma meat: Use prepared chicken, beef, or lamb shawarma meat from your butcher. You can also use plain diced chicken or beef and season it generously with shawarma seasoning.
- Shawarma seasoning: Use a purchased shawarma spice blend or your favourite Middle Eastern seasoning blend.
- Israeli tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes work well. Just dice them small.
- English cucumber: Regular cucumber can be used, although it may contain more seeds.
- Hummus: Use your favourite homemade or purchased hummus.
- Tzatziki: Use only if appropriate for your dietary or kosher requirements.
- Pitas: Flatbreads or wraps work beautifully.
- Salads: Cabbage salad, eggplant salad, pickled vegetables or another crisp salad can all be added.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
- The biggest trick with Easy Loaded Shawarma Pitas is not overcrowding the frying pan. If you pile in too much meat at once, it can release liquid and steam rather than brown, so use a large pan or cook the meat in batches if necessary.
- The tiny dice on the Israeli salad really does make a difference. You get a little tomato, cucumber, and onion in nearly every bite, instead of ending up with big chunks that fall straight out of the pita.
- And don’t skip the sauces. Hummus and tahini add creaminess and help bring all those separate ingredients together. If your shawarma meat is already heavily seasoned, taste it before adding the full amount of shawarma seasoning so you don’t accidentally make it too salty.
Easy Loaded Shawarma Pitas
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: South African Jewish
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Shawarma Meat
- 1 lb (450 g) diced shawarma meat
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 to 2 tbsp shawarma seasoning, or to taste
- 2 tbsp water, if needed
Quick Israeli Salad
- 2 medium Israeli tomatoes, diced very small
- 1 English cucumber, diced very small
- 1/4 small onion, diced very small
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice, optional
To Assemble
- 4 pitas
- 1/2 cup hummus
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup tzatziki, optional if not keeping the meal kosher
- 1 cup cabbage salad, optional
- 1 cup eggplant salad, optional
- Additional salads of your choice, optional
Instructions
Shawarma Meat
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 lb (450 g) diced shawarma meat to the hot pan.
- Spread the meat out so it has room to brown instead of immediately steaming.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through and nicely browned. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and type of meat.
- Sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp shawarma seasoning over the meat and stir well so every piece gets coated.
- If the pan looks dry or the meat needs a little more time to become tender, add 2 tbsp water, cover loosely, and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Check that the meat is fully cooked before serving.
- If you’re using chicken or another poultry-based shawarma meat, it should reach 165⁰F (74⁰C) in the centre.
- Beef or lamb should be cooked to your preferred doneness, depending on the cut.
Quick Israeli Salad
- Add 2 medium Israeli tomatoes, 1 English cucumber and 1/4 small onion, all diced very small, to a bowl.
- Season the salad with salt to taste and add 1 tsp lemon juice, if you like a little brightness. Give it a quick stir and set aside.
- Warm 4 pitas according to the package directions. Don’t overheat them or they’ll become difficult to open without tearing.
- Carefully cut open the top of each warm pita.
- Spread 2 tbsp of hummus inside each pita, then add about 1 tbsp of tahini.
- If you’re not keeping the meal kosher, you can use tzatziki instead of or alongside the tahini.
- Add the cooked shawarma meat, followed by spoonfuls of the Israeli salad.
- Add cabbage salad, eggplant salad or any other salads you enjoy.
- Give everything a little press into the pita, grab plenty of napkins and serve straight away. You’re going to need them.
Wrap Option
- If you don’t have pitas, use 4 wraps instead. Spread each wrap with hummus and tahini, add the shawarma meat and salads, then fold and roll tightly.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Hannah
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Warm Pitas Filled with Shawarma, Hummus and Fresh Salad
Easy Loaded Shawarma Pitas offer seasoned meat, crisp Israeli salad, creamy hummus, and tahini tucked into warm pita. The combination is filling, fresh, and easy to customize, making this a practical dinner for busy nights or a relaxed meal around the table.
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drool!!
Thank you so much for your compliment, I will share your note with Hannah
Looks tasty!
Thanks Pat – hope you will try it as well