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    You Are Here Home » Middle Eastern Recipes

    Published: Jun 26, 2019 Updated: Jun 1, 2021 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 2 Comments

    Easy Shawarma Pizza (Chicken or Beef)

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    shawarma pizza recipe

    Shawarma Pizza? Is there even such a thing? The answer is a resounding YES! Make Individual-sized Shawarma pizzas with beef or chicken shawarma and add all the Mediterranean flavors you love like Tahini Sauce, goat cheese, and Kalamata olives. Add a sprinkling of Za'atar and a drizzle of Pomegranate Molasses and dig in!

    shawarma pizza with zaatar on the side

    About This Recipe

    I was all excited about coming up with this original Shawarma Pizza recipe. I thought, surely no one has come up with this innovative combination. However, after doing a quick search online, I discovered that not only had someone else thought of this already, but you can even order Shawarma Pizza at local restaurants!

    First, let's cover what Shawarma is. Shawarma is the Middle Eastern cousin to the Greek Gyros. Seasoned beef, chicken, or lamb is stacked on a vertical spit that rotates until the meat is cooked to mouth-watering perfection.

    When ready, the delectable meat is shaved off into thin slices and served wrapped in flatbread, pita. Sometimes it is served with a salad or rice.

    shawarma spit

    Why This Recipe Works

    Using beef Shawarma leftovers to make Shawarma Pizza is a brilliant idea. Or use chicken breast that is marinated in my shawarma spice blend. Incorporating Mediterranean flavors like hummus, pita bread, and tahini sauce together just makes sense. The flavors complement each other and work really well in this recipe!

    You can actually make a fun night out of it and get everyone into the kitchen. Unless you prefer not sharing your kitchen space with others. I get that too!

    Making individual-sized pizza is a great way to allow your guests or family members to build their own pizzas, adding only the ingredients or toppings they like.

    How to Make This Recipe

    Step 1: Spread tahini sauce over pizza crust, Naan, or flat bread.

    naan bread smeared with tahini sauce

    Step 2: Distribute goat cheese over the crust. Next, slice your favorite toppings and spread evenly over the goat cheese-covered crust. I added kalamata olives, red onion, artichoke hearts, and serrano peppers.

    naan bread with peppers, onions, olives, and cheese

    Step 3: Sprinkle the shawarma pizza with shredded mozzarella cheese, then top with partially cooked Shawarma beef. It will finish cooking in the oven. You can also use Shawarma Chicken.

     pizza topped with meat and veggies on foil

    Step 4: Place pizza on a pizza pan and bake in a 425-degree F oven (or toaster oven) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy.

    pizza on a blue plate

    Step 5: Sprinkle with Za'atar and/or drizzle with Pomegranate Molasses and serve. 

    shawarma pizza and za'atar on a red plate

    Shawarma Pizza Options

    The Pizza Crust

    To save time, I recommend using Naan Bread, Flat Bread, or even Mini Pizza Crusts. Of course, if you have the time or the desire, you can make the pizza dough from scratch.

    Pizza Sauce Ideas

    Instead of using a tomato-based sauce, I decided to keep the flavors in the Middle Eastern/Mediterranean spectrum.

    The most obvious choice was using Tahini Sauce. I recommend making your own sauce ahead of time. It's super simple to make and can be drizzled over grilled meats and even used as a salad dressing.

    Another possible sauce idea is to use Chimichurri Sauce. It's loaded with herbs (parsley, mint, and oregano) which all work well with the Mediterranean flavor profile. Not to mention other ingredients like garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.

    What Cheese Goes on Shawarma Pizza?

    I think most of you will agree that the best part of pizza is cheese. In my opinion, the cheesier the better!

    Cheese is very popular in the Middle East. Feta cheese, Goat Cheese, Buried Cheese, Halloumi cheese, and Chicago Cheese (which is similar to Feta in appearance and flavor) are all great options to consider when making Shawarma Pizza.

    Shawarma Pizza Toppings

    Which toppings to use on your shawarma pizza is all about your personal preference. This is where I encourage you to experiment with the toppings you like!

    Here are some great options:

    • Kalamata olives
    • Sun-dried tomatoes
    • Artichoke hearts
    • Onions
    • Spicy chilis
    • Garlic
    • Shawarma
    • Fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, or parsley

    Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips

    What does shawarma taste like?

    Unlike Gyros, Shawarma is highly seasoned with bold flavors like allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. If you've never had Shawarma before, you're in for a wonderful experience!

    What is the difference between Shawarma and Gyros?

    Gyros is made with pork or lamb and seasoned with oregano, thyme, and rosemary. The meat is ground and pressed into a loaf and cooked on a rotating spit.

    Gyros is served drizzled with Tzatziki sauce.

    Shawarma, on the other hand, is made with beef, chicken, goat, or lamb. The meat is highly seasoned with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and turmeric.

    Similar to Gyros, Shawarma meat is shaved off once ready and served over rice, with salad, or stuffed in pita bread. Shawarma is normally drizzled with Tahini Sauce.

    What to serve with Shawarma pizza?

    Shawarma Pizza is very filling. Think of serving something light on the side. Perhaps a Tabouli Salad, or some Hummus?

    For example, a little drizzle of Pomegranate Molasses (affiliate link)or Balsamic Glaze adds a deliciously tangy-sweet flavor that I’m currently obsessed with! Or add some Pineapple Chutney for a spicy kick! Finally, you can serve some Garlic Sauce (Toum) on the side for dipping.

    • If you can't find Tahini paste, you can even make your own two-ingredient Tahini Paste, or buy it online.
    • If you're not in a hurry, use my Manakish dough recipe to make the pizza crust. It's thin, chewy, and absolutely delicious!
    • Other topping suggestions include mushrooms, capers (or Pickled Nasturtium Seeds), and green peppers.
    pizza on a blue plate with a dishtowel and pizza wheel on the side

    Related Recipes

    • Manakish (Lebanese Za'atar Bread)
    • Easy Falafel Recipe| Falafel Sandwich
    • Authentic Lebanese Hummus Recipe
    • Lavash and Flatbread Thin and Crispy Pizza

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

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    shawarma pizza and za'atar on a red plate

    Easy Shawarma Pizza (Chicken or Beef)

    Make this easy Beef or Chicken Shawarma Pizza that your family is sure to love!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizers, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 1 mini-pizza
    Calories: 650kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    • 1 mini pizza crust (Flatbread, or Naan)
    • 1½ tablespoon tahini sauce
    • 2 tablespoon goat cheese or feta (crumbled)
    • 1 tablespoon sliced red onion
    • 4 Kalamata olives (sliced in half)
    • 1 sliced spicy pepper (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon artichoke hearts (chopped)
    • ⅓ cup mozzarella (shredded)
    • 2 ounces shawarma
    • 1 teaspoon za'atar seasoning

    Instructions

    • Spread tahini sauce over pizza crust, Naan, or flat bread.
    • Distribute goat cheese over the crust. Next, slice your favorite toppings and spread evenly over the goat cheese-covered crust. I added kalamata olives, red onion, artichoke hearts, and serrano peppers.
    • Sprinkle the shawarma pizza with shredded mozzarella cheese, then top with partially cooked Shawarma beef. It will finish cooking in the oven. You can also use Shawarma Chicken.
    • Place pizza on a pizza pan and bake in a 425-degree F oven (or toaster oven) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy.
    • Sprinkle with Za'atar and/or drizzle with Pomegranate Molasses and serve. 

    Notes

    • If you can't find Tahini paste, you can even make your own two-ingredient Tahini Paste, or buy it online.
    • If you're not in a hurry, use my Manakish dough recipe to make the pizza crust. It's thin, chewy, and absolutely delicious!
    • Other topping suggestions include mushrooms, capers (or Pickled Nasturtium Seeds), and green peppers.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pizza | Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1174mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g
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    Comments

    1. AKAAKUMA says

      November 16, 2020 at 7:36 am

      5 stars
      teach how to make pizza

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        November 16, 2020 at 9:41 am

        Do you mean how to make the pizza dough from scratch?

        Reply

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