Mushroom Shawarma
We’ve recently passed by two important Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and although I’m not particularly observant, I can’t help but think about my family and my Jewish heritage around this time of the year. These holidays usually involve common Jewish foods like matzoh ball soup, kugel, and babka, but there’s always some part of me that really craves shawarma. Although shawarma can now be found in nearly every corner of the earth, it is a traditionally Middle Eastern food, and I was lucky enough to have my first right in Israel. I haven’t been the same since! Warm fluffy pita, bright crisp vegetables, creamy tahini or yogurt sauce, citrus, olive oil, and of course warm meat cut right from the spit.
As the seasons just begin to change and get a little chilly up here in the north east, this comfort food extends that last little bit of summer for me! Since that fateful shawarma many years back, I’ve adopted a more vegetarian-heavy diet, and always find mushrooms to be an incredible option when searching for rich umami to compliment a dish. Depending on where you are, fall can be an amazing season for a host of different mushroom varieties which can make this dish even more exciting! Additionally, right at the tail end of summer, a bunch of our fresh produce like bright and juicy tomatoes are on their last leg, so why not #useitup?! Check out our recipe for a Mushroom Shawarma below!
Ingredients
4-5 Portobello Mushrooms: cut into ¼”-½” strips; this can be substituted for other mushrooms (it should be approximately 3/4 lb)
2 large Lemons: juiced
1 medium Red Onion: cut into 8 wedges
2 small Cucumbers: ¼” dice; these are often called “Persian cucumbers”
1-2 small-medium Tomatoes: ¼” dice; should be approximately equal in amount to the cucumbers
1 Jalapeño: thinly sliced; optional
1 cup of Leafy Greens: chopped; arugula, kale, Romain lettuce, Napa cabbage, etc.
1-2 cloves of Garlic: finely minced
½ bunch of Cilantro: ½ cup finely chopped
¾ cup Tahini
6 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
4 Pitas
Preparation:
Preheat an oven to 425ºF
Slice your mushrooms and onions, add them to a bowl with 2 tbsp of your olive oil, all of your coriander, cumin, white pepper, and garlic powder, and ½ tsp of your salt. Toss lightly until evenly coated. Transfer to a parchment lined baking tray and place in the oven (once preheated) for 20 minutes
While your shawarma mix is baking, dice your cucumbers and tomatoes, add them to a bowl with your garlic, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar, and salt to taste.
Next, add your tahini, lemon juice, cilantro, the rest of your olive oil, turmeric, and ¼ tsp of salt to a separate bowl. Mix until smooth and taste for seasoning.
If you’re adding jalapeño, slice thinly now and set to the side.
Chop your leafy greens and add them to a bowl on the side.
Once your mushroom shawarma is done cooking, transfer to a bowl, keep the oven on and place your pitas on the oven rack for ~2 minutes on each side (you don’t want these to char, just to warm thoroughly).
Assemble! I like to cut the warmed pita in half, open it up (without breaking it!), slather the cilantro-tahini sauce generously inside, add some of the leafy greens, then the cucumber-tomato salad, then the mushroom shawarma, and finally the jalapeño slices if you’re including those! Enjoy!
Best Practices:
As always:
Avoid packaged produce, or really anything packaged for that matter. This is not to say that you’ll always have the option, but when you do, go for it! For example, you may sometimes see garlic in nylon netting, mushrooms in plastic packages, leafy greens in plastic bags, or plastic wrapped cucumber, but you can usually find these ingredients in other places—like your local farmers market—without packaging.
Try to bring your own bags when you go shopping for these ingredients, and choose local, in-season produce when you can.
Make sure you’re not buying more than you think you’ll reasonably use! Things like garlic, oil, onions, and spices, will last for a while if stored properly, so with those if you buy a bit more than you needed, you’ll have plenty of time to use them in the future. But the leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro will go bad if you don’t use them within a few weeks, so purchase with care.
These ingredients have been chosen with several things in mind:
Most of these ingredients are household staples (like the spices, olive oil, vinegar, tahini, garlic, and onions) that are relatively inexpensive and last a long time
As previously mentioned, this recipe aims to be as seasonal as possible! Check which mushrooms are available in your local farmers market or grocery store, and if they align with the seasonal mushrooms for your region. Additionally, this recipe offers an awesome opportunity to use up those tomatoes and mushrooms that are so quickly fleeting as the fall season sets in!
We substitute the classic spit-fired meat for mushrooms and onions in this recipe. While Grounded Grub is not inherently vegan or vegetarian, we love to explore vegetarian options to classically meat-inclusive dishes to offer options and build our creative muscles!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know! If you really loved it, share it on social media and tag us (@groundedgrub), or, better yet, share it with your friends and family!