This Ground Turkey Shawarma is a play on the traditional Chicken Shawarma. It comes together in 10 minutes and has endless possibilities. Shawarma reminds me of tacos - meat stuffed into pita bread with loads of delicious toppings. This ground turkey shawarma yields that same feeling but to lighten things up for summer, we're using lettuce to make shawarma lettuce wraps! The homemade authentic spice seasoning is the key to this recipe and so versatile to use for chicken shawarma, beef shawarma or simple to roast potatoes. You won't want to be without it!
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What is Shawarma?
Shawarma technically means "turning" and is usually in reference to the chicken or beef that is layered and turned or spun on a vertical rotisserie on streets throughout Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries. This adaptation is a super flavorful variation that uses ground turkey with the special shawarma seasoning seasoning.
History of Shawarma
Shawarma dates back to the Ottoman Empire in the 18th Century from modern day Turkey. As people traveled through the Middle East, Shawarma became common through regions, particularly in Lebanon. Shawarma, in turn, led to the development during the early 20th century of the contemporary Mexican dish tacos al pastor when it was brought there by Lebanese immigrants, which you can learn more about in my Tacos Arabes post.
Why We Love It
The smell of the shawarma spices takes me back to childhood, warm spices of cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and ginger are paired with more savory spices such as garlic, turmeric and cumin. The combination fills your home with such an aromatic smell. Creating a simple, wholesome meal with little effort is something we can all get behind. I never know how effortless my mom's cooking was, mixing a bit of this and a bit of that but in the end the dishes she created for our family were nothing short of extraordinary! Introducing kids to these flavors is so important - an appreciation they will have for life!
Ingredients
Besides the turkey, onions and the spice mix - the options are endless to include in your shawarma wraps. I do highly recommend making your own shawarma seasoning if you can - this gives you 100% control of the flavor and a great spice cabinet addition.
- Ground Turkey - Please choose ground turkey with fat, at least 7% fat, but I would recommend 15% for this recipe. Shawarma is typically made with chicken thighs which are more flavorful and yield a juicer meat, similar to what you would get when rotating on the rotisserie.
- Onion - A little onion gives a hint of flavor to our turkey, we're also using for sumac onions which are AMAZING! They'll give pickled onions a run for their money!
- Olive Oil - This adds a little extra fat and what we use to sauté.
- Shawarma Spice - Is this a lot of spices? Yes - but it's worth it and most are common pantry staples, grab the few new ones if you need so you can make this on repeat! If you need - you can also purchase a pre-made shawarma spice.
- kosher salt
- cumin
- paprika
- coriander
- garlic powder
- cinnamon
- ginger
- allspice
- cardamom
- ground turmeric
- Optional Toppings - This list is extensive and you can use whatever you have on hand or enjoy! I'm using lettuce as my "bread" but pita bread or tortilla would also work - or simply layer into a bowl if you'd prefer!
- Hummus - typically taratore is used with shawarmas, but I'm using hummus on these lettuce wraps for a little extra protein and umph. You can find the taratore recipe linked in my cauliflower bites (arabeet ) recipe if you prefer.
- Lettuce - use as your "bread" or if using bread, top with a little lettuce
- Lifit (or pickled turnips) - these bright pink pickled turnips are such a delicious snack - they get their signature color from adding a beet, you can purchase them premade or make your own batch, I love this recipe by my friend Mai at Almond & Fig.
- Sumac Onions - I'll take these over pickled onions any day! Find out how to make them below.
- Parsley
- Feta cheese
- Fresh Mint
- Tomatoes
- Scallions
- Pickles
- Jalapeños
- Lemon
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Besides the prep of your toppings, this recipe comes together SO QUICKLY! Because we are using ground turkey, there isn't any slicing or trimming of meat. The only chopping is of one large onion.
Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and add your chopped onion and ground turkey. Brown for 2-3 minutes then add 3 Tablespoons of your shawarma seasoning. Continue browning until all the turkey is cooked another 5-8 minutes. You can certainly sauté the onions first if you'd prefer but I liked a little more bite in the onion and it all cooked great together. Add one last Tablespoon of shawarma mix. I like to add this final boost of flavor when the heat is off.
Begin prepping your lettuce wrap, using either romaine or butter lettuce cups. And fill with a bit of hummus.
Next layer a bit of your turkey shawarma, I also like to add a squeeze of lemon.
Then some sumac onions + lifit (pickled turnips).
Finally some fresh mint, parsley, feta cheese and tomatoes.
The final wrap is packed and filled with flavor!
Hint: Be sure to use a ground turkey WITH fat, a 1% fat ground turkey is not going to give you the flavor you need for shawarma.
How to Make Sumac Onions
I hate to say it but these may be the star of the dish! Sumac onions are SUPER easy to make and are great on everything, consider them a variation on a pickled onion.
- Simply slice one large onion then add 2 Tablespoons of sumac spice to the onions in a bowl.
- Using clean hands, really work and massage the onions and sumac spice together. Releasing the juice from the onions. You want to massage and work until the onions appear soft and wilted, almost as though they have been slightly cooked.
- The onions won't be as potent as raw onions, allowing the moisture to release also gives them a more subtle, sweeter flavor combined with the sumac.
- Once you have gotten them to this point, enjoy on sandwiches, these lettuce wraps, tacos or whatever you have on hand! Store in the fridge in a sealed container for a week.
Substitutions & Variations
This dish is ALL ABOUT adaptations to your needs. Shawarma is made to be versatile and allow for the flavors you want and like. Choose from whatever toppings you like to make it your own. Some other ways to adapt the recipe include:
- Bowl - Make it a shawarma bowl, add some rice, your shawarma turkey, toppings and enjoy!
- Salad - These wraps aren't far from a salad, you can skip the boats and simple chop up and enjoy as a salad.
- Platter - Don't feel the need to fuss with any of it - make it a platter and enjoy each bite with lettuce or pita, whatever you choose.
- Chicken - You can certainly use chicken thighs and pan sear them, or try my Instant Pot recipe.
Equipment
I love this recipe because it's so easy and requires nothing fancy or special to make. No turning the oven on, which is great for the summer season. One pan and a spatula is all you really need. This is also fabulous for college students just learning to cook and want something healthy - think of these as insanely healthy tacos!
Storage
Store the shawarma turkey seasoning in a sealed container in the fridge up to 5 days, you can also freeze in a sealed container 3-4 months.
Top Tip: Make extra to have on hand all week as a quick and easy dinner or lunch option!
FAQ
I think ground beef could be substituted if you want, since beef has a much stronger flavor than ground turkey, you may need to add a bit more shawarma seasoning. Use a lean ground beef, 7% would be ideal, otherwise be sure to drain the excess fat before adding your spice mix.
Typically ground spices are best within 6-8 months, that being said, I know I've had some longer than that and have had zero issues. They may lose a bit of potency. This recipe yield about ¾ cup which will give you enough for 1-2 more times cooking.
Of course, if you really aren't a fan of a particular spice, omit it and add a little more of another one if you'd like. Same goes for if you don't have a spice on hand. The idea is a blend of very aromatic sweet and savory spices. But feel free to adapt and make it your own.
Absolutely! Cook your ground turkey ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve with your toppings. This meal would be great for entertaining a lot of guests, think of it as a taco bar where everyone makes their own.
Simple answer is yes - I would recommend using my Lebanese cauliflower bites recipe (arnabeet) and use shawarma seasoning to roast. This would be a fantastic option to offer to a vegetarian.
I hope you enjoy these 10 Minute Ground Turkey Shawarma Lettuce Wraps as much my family does - feel free to adjust and make your own!
If you make 10 Minute Ground Turkey Shawarma Lettuce Wraps, please let me know by leaving a rating and review below!
As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media #cosetteskitchen which lets me know what is working for you! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter , Tiktok and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
xoxo,
Cosette
10 Minute Ground Turkey Shawarma Lettuce Wraps
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 pounds 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Description
No slice, cutting or oven used to make these 10 Minute Ground Turkey Shawarma Lettuce Wraps. A cross between a salad and taco with warm shawarma flavor from our own homemade shawarma seasoning. Perfect for a sunny summer day.
Ingredients
Shawarma Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
Turkey Shawarma
- 2 pounds ground turkey - 7-15% fat
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons of prepared shawarma seasoning, divided
Optional Toppings
- Pita bread
- Romaine or butter lettuce for wraps
- Pickled turnips (lifit)
- Hummus or taratore sauce
- Tomatoes
- Sumac onions ** sumac needed
- Scallions
- Fresh mint
- Parsley
- Feta cheese
- Lemon
Instructions
Shawarma Seasoning
- In a small bowl, combine your seasoning ingredients and whisk until combined. This will make more than we need for this recipe but I like to make a bit extra to use for another day. Store in sealed jar in a dark cool place, be sure to label.
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon coriander
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Turkey Shawarma
- Dice your onion and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet, 12-14" is ideal to medium-high heat.
- Add your olive oil, once hot and glistening, add your ground turkey and diced onions. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix to ensure even cooking. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Next, 3 Tablespoons of your shawarma seasoning and continue cooking for another 5-8 minutes until the turkey is fully cooked through.
- 3 Tablespoons of prepared shawarma seasoning
- Remove from heat and add your final tablespoon of shawarma spice.
- 1 Tablespoon of prepared shawarma seasoning
- Begin assembling your lettuce wraps:
- Smear a bit of hummus on your romaine lettuce
- Add your shawarma turkey
- Then add your toppings to your specifications, Enjoy!
Notes
- If using prepared shawarma seasoning, taste after the initial 3 Tablespoons for flavor, it's hard to know how much exactly to use when it's a different mix. Adjust accordingly.
- Mix and match and use whatever toppings you'd like - you can also swap the avenue of enjoying: lettuce, pita, tortillas, taco shells, rice or simply a salad.
- If making the sumac onions you'll need an additional large onion and 2 Tablespoons of sumac.
- Simply slice one large onion then add 2 Tablespoons of sumac spice to the onions in a bowl.
- Using clean hands, really work and massage the onions and sumac spice together. Releasing the juice from the onions. You want to massage and work until the onions appear soft and wilted, almost as though they have been slightly cooked.
- The onions won't be as potent as raw onions, allowing the moisture to release also gives them a more subtle, sweeter flavor combined with the sumac.
- Once you have gotten them to this point, enjoy on sandwiches, these lettuce wraps, tacos or whatever you have on hand! Store in the fridge in a sealed container for a week.
Keywords: what is chicken shawarma, chicken shawarma wrap, lettuce wraps, easy chicken shawarma, turkey shawarma, how to make shawarma seasoning, shawarma recipe, turkey shawarma wrap, turkey shawarma lettuce wrap
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