Yogurt Shawarma Sauce

Name: Yogurt Shawarma Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups Homemade or Greek yogurt; ⅓ cup cucumber ((minced)); 3 cloves garlic ((pressed)); 1 tbsp fresh dill ((diced)); 1 tbsp fresh mint ((diced)); 1 scallion ((diced)); 1 tsp dill weed; 1 tsp salt; 2 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 2 tbsp Tahini Sauce ((optional)); 1 tbsp olive oil ((optional))

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Looking to kick up your game with a tasty and healthy dip for your next get-together? This Shawarma Sauce is so versatile! Whether you serve it as a dip with veggies or Pita Bread or with Chicken Shawarma, you'll score big with this healthy Yogurt Shawarma Sauce recipe!

yogurt dip in a bowl, with carrots and a lime wedge

This recipe should not be confused with Garlic Sauce or Toum (Middle Eastern word for garlic). Although this recipe does call for garlic, it is a yogurt-based sauce that's more similar to Greek Tzatziki sauce than Toum.

Assyrians make a similar recipe called "Treeda" (yogurt with dill and cucumber, eaten over chunks of bread). It is commonly eaten on Wednesdays and Fridays when abstaining from meat.

Treeda also describes other dishes in which stew, such as Bamya, is served over bread chunks instead of rice. If this idea sounds strange, consider how we serve spinach dip in a bread bowl with torn pieces of bread on the side.

Why This Recipe Works

This yummy Shawarma Sauce has too many uses to mention! It can be used as a salad dressing or as a dipping sauce to go with hot wings, fish sticks, or chicken nuggets.

Better yet, drizzle The Shawarma Sauce over Falafel instead of Tahini Sauce, or dip a slice of Shawarma Pizza into the addicting sauce, it's really up to you! All these options are possible and so many more! The only question is, how will you enjoy it?

yogurt dip for veggies with a piece of bread being dipped into it

Shawarma Sauce Ingredients and Substitutions

Yogurt: To make Shawarma Yogurt Sauce, start with plain yogurt, or use my homemade yogurt recipe to make some. No time to make your own? You can easily use a good quality Greek yogurt or Middle Eastern yogurt.
Cucumbers: If possible, use Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers. Not only do they taste better, but they also have better texture and much smaller seeds.
Herbs: Although I include dried dill weed in this recipe, it's the fresh dill that makes all the difference, so don't leave it out. If you don't have fresh mint, you can substitute it with dried mint.
Optional Ingredients: Tahini Sauce is often added to shawarma sauce. If you have Tahini Paste or Tahini Sauce on hand you can add it to taste. I would start with 1 tablespoon at a time until you achieve the taste you're going for.
Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic is an inportant ingredient and should not be substituted with jarred garlic.
Spices: Although some Shawarma Sauce recipes call for black pepper, I don't feel that it goes well in this recipe. If you like black pepper and want to add some, feel free to do so. Personally, I would add a pinch of cayenne pepper instead.

How To Make Yogurt Shawarma Sauce

STEP 1. Pour yogurt into a large bowl. Add minced cucumber, garlic cloves, freshly chopped dill, fresh mint, scallions, dill weed, salt, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix to combine.

Optional Step

STEP 2: Mix a few tablespoons of tahini sauce into the yogurt sauce. Once plated, drizzle Shawarma Sauce with olive oil.

Wha to serve with shawarma sauce?

Serve the Yogurt Shawarma Sauce with pita bread, veggies, beef or Lamb Kabobs, or as part of a Shawarma Plate. You can also serve the sauce over grilled chicken breasts or chicken thighs.

What is Shawarma Sauce made of?

Yogurt Sauce is made with yogurt, minced and strained cucumbers, garlic, and a mixture of fresh herbs. Lemon juice and olive oil are also usually included.

What is Shawarma Garlic Sauce made of?

Shawarma Garlic Sauce is called Toum (Arabic word for garlic) because the main ingredient is garlic. The pureed garlic sauce also includes lemon juice, neutral tasting oil, and salt, and is thinned out with water.

What is Tahini Sauce made of?

The main ingredient in Tahini Sauce is Tahini, which is made with ground sesame seeds. Besides Tahini, you also need to add lemon juice, fresh garlic, olive oil, and salt. Water is usually used to thin out the sauce.

Recipe Expert Tips

Make sure you buy plain or unflavored yogurt; I have on more than one occasion accidentally grabbed vanilla instead of plain. I suppose this is another good reason to make your own yogurt?
Instead of bottled lemon juice, choose fresh lemon juice instead. You'll also accentuate the lemon flavor by mixing lemon zest into the sauce.
For a pretty presentation, you can sprinkle the sauce with some paprika powder before serving.
Instead of serving the shawarma sauce with a Chicken Shawarma Plate, you can make a Shawarma Wrap instead using Lavash Bread. Just load chicken shawarma into lavash bread and add any of the following: sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, fries, or Hummus and drizzle with the Shawarma Sauce. Wrap and enjoy!

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