Mushroom Shawarma
By Nik SharmaPublished on October 17, 2026
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Shawarma Seasoning
1 teaspoon ground dried Aleppo pepper1 teaspoon ground allspice1 teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon ground coriander1 teaspoon table salt½ teaspoon pepper½ teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon ground ginger½ teaspoon ground turmericMushrooms
2 pounds oyster and/or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick1 red onion, halved and sliced thin¼ cup vegetable oil4 (8-inch) pitas, warmed4 cups shredded romaine lettuce1 large tomato, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces1 English cucumber, cut into ½-inch piecesExtra-virgin olive oilLemon juiceGround sumacBefore You Begin
Serve with hummus, the Lebanese garlic sauce toum, and/or yogurt. If preferred, this mixture can be served over rice instead of stuffed inside pitas.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon turmeric in small bowl.
- Combine 2 pounds oyster mushrooms, trimmed and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick, and 1 red onion, halved and sliced thin, in large bowl. Drizzle with ¼ cup vegetable oil, sprinkle with shawarma seasoning, and toss to coat. Spread into single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until well browned, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting.
- Divide mushrooms evenly among 4 warmed pitas. Top with 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce, 1 large tomato cut into ½-inch pieces, and 1 English cucumber cut into ½-inch pieces as desired. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt, pepper, and sumac to taste. Serve.
for the shawarma seasoning
for the mushrooms
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
The term “shawarma” originates from the Arabic articulation of the Turkish word “çevirme,” translated as “turning,” a nod to the spit of meat rotating slowly over a flame. Oyster mushrooms make a surprisingly convincing stand-in: their edges brown in a hot oven the way the outer layers of a shawarma spit do, while the interior stays soft and tender. Roasting the mushrooms alongside sliced red onion means everything gets coated in the same warm, earthy spice blend—cumin, coriander, allspice, and cinnamon—and then is finished with a bright hit of sumac at the table. Pile everything in a pita or over rice with lettuce, cucumber, and tomato drizzled with lemon juice, along with a generous dollop of hummus or toum, and you’ve got a bowl that eats like the real thing, minus the spit.
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