Slow-Roasted Lamb Shawarma! Tender, juicy, leg-of-lamb, slow-roasted in the oven with Middle Eastern Spices until falling-apart and tender.
Tender, falling apart Lamb Shawarma is bursting with Middle Eastern flavors and takes 15-20 minutes of hands-on time before slow-roasting in the oven for 3 ½ – 4 ½ hours, perfect for lazy Sundays.
This is one of the “special occasion” meals my Egyptian father would make on holidays like Easter or Christmas and to this day, the smell of it roasting in the oven brings me right back to my childhood home.
The best part is how the leftovers taste better and better during the week, with so many ways to use them! Stuff the flavorful, tender meat into warm pita bread for tasty lunch wraps, or add to soup, or make tacos!
This week I’m partnering with American lamb, to create a cozy, hearty lamb recipe, perfect for this time of year. But as I sit here and finish up the last of my lamb shawarma wrap, I think this recipe is really for any time of year, depending on what you pair it with!
Ingredients in Lamb Shawarma
- leg of lamb– boneless, or bone-in or lamb shoulder
- onion
- garlic cloves
- shallot
- olive oil
- spices: cumin, coriander, sumac, paprika, turmeric, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, cardamon
- kosher salt
How to Make Lamb Shawarma
Step One: Prep the lamb.
Unwrap the lamb leg and pat dry. Score the fatty side of the lamb.
Step Two: Make the Spice Paste
This recipe for Lamb Shawarma is all about the spices! Place the garlic, shallot, and spices in a food processor with all the spices and olive oil
to create a thick paste or rub.
Step Three: Rub the paste all over the lamb.
Rub the shawarma marinade on all sides of the lamb. Let stand 1-2 hours. You can do this ahead and refrigerate for up to three days.
Step Four: Roast the lamb
Roll the lamb back up and place it over a bed of sliced onions in a dutch oven or skillet with a little water in the bottom.
Place it in a 350F oven for 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours. (See recipe notes)
When it is done, it will literally fall apart and melt in your mouth.
What to serve with Lamb Shawarma
- Fluffy Basmati Rice (the middle Eastern Version)
- pita bread
- Tahini Sauce
- zhoug!
- roasted veggies
- Israeli Salad Recipe
- Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf)
Or plate it up for a fancier presentation!
The leftover Lamb shawarma will make amazing sandwiches and wraps!
However you choose to serve it, I know you will love the flavors.
So excited for all you lamb lovers to try this one! Make sure to share your comments below!
More lamb Recipes you may enjoy:
- Harissa Roasted Leg of Lamb
- Turkish Lamb Wraps
- Roasted Leg of Lamb
- Oaxacan Lamb Barbacoa!
- Moroccan Braised Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate
- Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Herb Salad and Yogurt Sauce
- Grilled Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde
Slow Roasted lamb Shawarma
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: main, lamb
- Method: roasted, baked
- Cuisine: middle eastern
Description
The best recipe for Lamb Shawarma- tender, juicy, leg of lamb, slow roasted in the oven with Middle Eastern Spices until falling apart. Serve this with rice and veggies, or in a pita or wrap!
Ingredients
- 3 lb leg of lamb, boneless ( see notes for bone-in or shoulder)
- one large onion, sliced into thick 1/2 inch slices
- 1 cup water
Shawarma Marinade
- 8 garlic cloves, whole
- 1 shallot, quartered
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F ( Plan on full 4 1/2 hours baking time, but check at 3 ½ hours)
Place marinade ingredients in a food processor and pulse into a paste, scraping down sides to incorporate well.
Place onion slices in the bottom of a dutch oven or cast iron skillet to create a base for the lamb.
Pat the lamb dry and coat all sides really really well with the paste, including the inside where the bone was removed. Roll it back up and place it on the bed of slice onion, seam side down, fatty side up. Let this marinate on the counter until the oven is hot, or up to 2 hours. You could also wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours.
Pour 1 cup water into the dutch oven or skillet ( to the side of the lamb) and cover with a heavy lid or foil and place in the oven for 2 ½ hours. Uncover the roast to let the top get golden, and continue cooking 1 hour. Check the roast. If the pan seems dry, add a another ½ cup water. If the crust seems like its getting too dark, cover lightly with foil. Continue cooking until the lamb pulls apart easily with tongs or two forks. Possibly another hour. If it’s still feeling tough, continue cooking until it is tender, checking every 30 minutes, making sure to top is not burning or that is out of liquid in the bottom.
Let stand a few minutes before serving.
Serve with your choice of: Basmati Rice ( the middle eastern version), Pita bread, simple roasted veggies, labneh, tahini sauce, zhoug yogurt, tomatoes and/ or cucumbers.
Notes
If using bone-in leg of lamb increase cooking time.
4 -4 ½ lbs = 4 ½-5 hours total ( with 1 hour uncovered)
5-5 ½ lbs – 5 ½ hours total ( with 1 hour uncovered)
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 241
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 837.6 mg
- Fat: 8.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35.9 g
- Cholesterol: 108.9 mg
I see lemon juice in most other recipes and not on this one.
May I know your thoughts on adding it to the marinade? Thank you!
Hi Francis- Feel free to add it if you prefer- I find it doesnt need it here, but do as you please!
Delicious! It is the first time I have really enjoyed cold lamb. Thank you.
Interesting- glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome recipe, have used this 3 times or company with really good results all round. Definitely recommend preparing beforehand if possible to give the marinade time to work its wonders
Thanks so much, Kenny!
I haven’t made this yet but I can wholeheartedly give this 5 stars beforehand. Like every one of Sylvia’s recipes I know it won’t disappoint and it will be fabulous! I can already taste every single fragrant spice, the beautiful char outside, and the melt-in-your-mouth meat inside. And I am already dreaming of what I’ll do with the leftovers!
Awesome Terri! Thanks and let us know how it goes.
I have a butterflied leg of lamb I’d planned on barbecuing. If I marinate with this paste will it “work”? Thanks so much.
I think the marinade would be really tasty here!
Butterflying a leg of lamb is a feat of its own, but what you miss is the flavor of the bone in the meat not to forget the delicious bone marrow. I’m going to use a whole lamb shoulder instead as the cost of the leg today was over $60.00.and the shoulder was just about half the cost
Looking forward to making this! Do you think the leftover meat could be frozen?
Absolutly!
Hiya, I’d like to cook this for a large crowd- 16 people to be exact. Could you tell me how you wold go about this and cooking time? I’d like to do boneless shoulder if possible. Would I have to use more than one dutch oven or could put it all in one. Your recipe says 2.8kgs of bonleless meat will feed 16 poeple but this doesn’t seem like enough to me… looks amazing so would appreciate your knowledge! Many thanks
I would double this recipe-so yes roughtly 2.8- you couald round up to 3 kgs boneless, or do more if big eaters?. It is fine to cook it all all once but I would allow for longer cooking time- but I can’t be exact here. The great thing about this one is you can do this ahead, keep warm or reheat – and that is what I would suggest.
Ok great, thank you so much! If I make the day before would you suggest reheating in oven or microwave?
Oven!
This is hands down, the best thing I have ever eaten!!! I have made this sooooo many times for different friends with lamb or chicken thighs. We serve it with your other recipes for Tahini Sauce, Zough, Roasted Veggies (we add chickpeas and feta as we don’t love rice) and simple Yoghurt Flatbreads. We LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes! Thank You. You need to write a recipe book.
Thanks so much Kara!
Hi Sylvia, do you think this would work with lamb shanks instead of leg of lamb? If yes, how long would you cook them for?
Yes, I think it should work fine. I would brown them, and cook until falling off the bone, tender.
I would make this again in a heartbeat. I cooked it as a whole 2.5kg leg of lamb, so doubled the recipe and cooked it for 5.5 hours and at 175degrees Celsius and it was spotty dog. Absolutely delicious.
Great to hear Nat!
I’ve made this with both lamb and beef- both with great success! I will be making it again for New Years Eve this year. Thank you for all you great recipes!
So happy you are enjoying this one!
Hello!
Two questions–outside of ingredients, any adjustments to be made for a 6 pound leg of lamb (ex. time in oven?). And does the plastic wrap impact the seasoning (as in, I fear the wrap will take the seasoning with it when uncovered)? Thank you!!
The spice paste shouldn’t stick to the plastic wrap, but feel free not to use it. Regarding timing, plan on 5-6 hours, but check every half hour after 4. 😉
So appreciate the response!! I am making this today for friends and want it to be perfect. ☺️ thank you!
Let us know how it turns out!
I love this recipe so much, a huge favourite with the family and friends. When I make this for new people I’m always asked for the recipe!!!
Yay Zoe- glad you are enjoying and thanks for sharing it!
Hi there, I was planning to cook this on the weekend. Only to find out our guests don’t eat lamb. Would this work with beef? And if so, which cut would you recommend?
Hi William! I think it would work fine with beef. Most any beef roast would work- chuck roast, brisket, rib roast, even stew meat- just need to watch the cooking times.
Hi, just posted but didn’t hit the notify me by email button. Can I freeze the lamb once it has been marinated?
Thanks
Yes, ok to freeze in marinade, or cook it and freeze cooked portions.
I need some help. Just put the marinade on the lamb for a Saturday family lunch get together. Leg of lamb was large 5 lbs. curious about change to cooking time. Also just got a call that my sister’s husband was ill and now 4 guest might not be able to make it. Can I freeze the lamb once it has the marinade on it? It’s a lot of lamb for very few people.
Thanks
Yes you can freeze it in the marinade- or you could also freeze the leftover cooked lamb and portion it out?
Just finished making it in my cast iron skillet and this is phenomenal. I was anxious about the amount of spice but decided to trust it and it is honestly perfect for my 4lb lamb I made some easy yogurt flatbread, zhoug and roast veggies to serve alongside and this is easily one of best meals I’ve had in years. Thank you!!
Awesome Tiffani!
Hi, do you have suggestions on how to make this in an instant pot?
Hey Mona, I have not tried this in an instant pot, so unsure here!
Made this for Easter – it was amazing. I used a fatty leg of lamb with bone – I couldn’t believe how melt in your mouth delicious it turned out. The spice mix was perfect! And, we keep eating the leftovers. Thank you for sharing!
Glad you liked this Rani!
Dear Sylvia- I’m in a panic. I’m making this recipe for guests tomorrow and prepared the lamb tonight. I realized that there is practically no fat on the leg that I purchased from Sprouts. I am now afraid that it will be terribly dry. Do you recommend I add some lamb fat if I can scrounge some off a butcher? Thank you.
Hi Kim, don’t panic, I really think the spice paste should keep it from drying. You could double-check at an hour, baste if need be and if it looks dry, add a bit more water?
You are a lifesaver!! I will let you know how it turns out! Thank you so so much.
Please do Kim- I’m super curious!
Hi again! So I made sure to check every hour on liquid and only had to add about half a cup after 3 and a half hours. I cooked it for 4 hours and I think I should have likely cooked it a half hour more. The flavor was outstanding but the meat was slightly on the tough side. I will definitely try this again but perhaps with bone-in and more fat as one of your other readers just wrote about. I am sooooo grateful and impressed that you were able to reply to me before I started cooking. I raved about you and your website to all my guests. Thank you again.
Thanks for reporting back Kim! Appreciate this as it will help others too. Sorry the meat ended up being a little tough- I agree, I wonder what a little more time would have done. I have cooked tough cuts of meat with very little fat, and they have surprisingly gotten very tender, so I’m guessing it was a time issue here rather than the lack of fat- but of course, the fat adds richness and good flavor! 😉
I made this last night for dinner. Absolutely delicious. I used a 2.66 lb grass fed boneless leg of lamb. put the spice past on and refrigerated overnight, Cooked in my 2 qt dutch oven for the full 4 hours. Perfect! Served with the middle eastern version of the fluffy basmati rice,( although i used Manoomin wild rice from the Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota) It’s my new favorite. Also served with the Lebanese slaw. It was a divine meal. I am looking forward to having tacos with the left over lamb. Any suggestions for topppings?
Glad you enjoyed Robin- I would just use the slaw in the tacos!
I did, thank you, Sylvia. I also added a little cilantro, marinated red onion & a little sprinkle of feta on top, Delish!
Perfect Robin! Sounds tasty!
This was just stupendously delicious!
Made it for an Easter dinner party and it got rave reviews.
Thanks a million!
Awesome Beverly!
OMG this is outstanding! I have made many many of Sylvia’s recipes over the past couple of years and they are all soooo good, but this really is the best lamb I’ve ever had – let alone made.
Thanks Mandy! Glad you enjoued this
Thanks Mandy! Glad you enjoyed this
Super delicious and was easy to make ahead and reheat for dinner! slow cooker for 8 hours. It was so tender I could barely get it out at the end !
Love your blog, it never disappoints!!
Awesome Milly! Thanks for the info!
Hi! Would a slow cooker work? using the same ingredients and instructions, just adjust timing to about 7/8 hours on low?
Absolutely Milly!