Kebab Shawarma (Vegan Kebab Meat)

This homemade meatless sandwich made out of Vegan Kebab Shawarma is a game changer for vegans and vegetarians! So you won’t see the Vegan Kebab Meat rotating on vertical rotisseries like in kebab shops, but this Quorn kebab makes up for it with flavour.

Why You’ll Like It

• This dish is easy, fuss-free, and packed with healthy plant protein using Quorn pieces that don’t make you miss the original meat recipe!

What is a Doner Kebab?

The Turkish city of Bursa is often considered the birthplace of doner kebab made on a vertical skewer. According to Yavuz İskenderoğlu, his grandfather Mr. İskender was the inventor of the doner kebabs roasted on a vertical rotisserie.

Furthermore, Gyros are the Greek take of the same dish while shawarma is a kebab variant prepared from meat and roasted on a horizontal rotisserie. Some people say that what we know as doner kebab is in fact inspired by shawarma making it one of the most popular street foods in the world.

What is Doner Kebab Meat made from?

After grating the onion, taking it into a bowl, add yogurt, olive oil, thyme, red pepper, and black pepper and mix, add the entrecote and knead lightly. Cover the meat and let it rest for at least 12 hours or 24 hours.

Typically, the beef, lamb, or chicken doner is sliced very thinly, stuffed into pita bread with veggies, and served with yogurt, hummus, or tabbouleh.

What is the Vegan Doner Meat alternative?

Of course, I have adapted the recipe using the less fatty vegan Quorn pieces. Albeit it’s not meat, and the texture differs from the original we make up for it in the flavour. You’ll love this version so much that you won’t miss the Turkish takeaway anymore.

For The Perfect Vegan Kebab Shawarma

• Always keep a packet of frozen Quorn pieces in the freezer so you’re never too far away from this delicious fakeaway.

• There is no need to defrost the Quorn pieces and you can marinade and use them straight from the freezer

What You Need

Here are the ingredients for 2 portions.

• Quorn Pieces – 200g of frozen Quorn pieces (or use any alternative Vegan Kebab Meat)
• Cucumber – a few slices per portion
• Red Onion – a few slices of red onion separated
• Tomatoes – 2 sliced tomatoes
• Cumin – 1⁄4 teaspoon of ground cumin
• Turmeric – 1⁄2 teaspoon of turmeric
• Coriander – 1⁄4 teaspoon of ground coriander
• Sweet Paprika – 1⁄2 teaspoon of paprika
• Cayenne Pepper – 1⁄4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Cinnamon – Pinch of cinnamon
• Coconut oil – 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 lemon
• Wholemeal pita bread (1 pita/portion)
• Easy tzatziki (2 tbsp plant-based Yoghurt + 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced)

Variations

• More spicy. Use double the amount of cayenne pepper, cumin and coriander.
• Slow cooker vegetarian shawarma. Use the same recipe but put all the ingredients in a slow cooker adding some extra water.
• Extra protein. Add another tin of kidney beans or greek yoghurt for extra protein.
• Packed with veggies. Add a leafy salad or steamed green veggies on the side.
• Meat recipe. Swap the Quorn pieces for sliced chicken pieces, lamb or beef.
• Seitan. Replace the Quorn pieces with Seitan.

How to Make a Vegan Kebab Shawarma?

1. Prepare Marinade

• Mix the vegan Quorn pieces, lemon juice, and spices in a small bowl, making sure everything is well coated.

• This can be made in advance and left overnight in the fridge if you wish but not necessary.

2. Cook The Kebab Shawarma Quorn Pieces 

• In a pan, heat the coconut oil and add the marinated ingredients.
• Fry on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.

3. Assemble The Vegan Kebab Shawarma 

• Now fill your pitta with the Quorn Pieces, onions, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and the Tzatziki.

Saving the Kebab Shawarma For Later

• Freezing: You can freeze the vegan shawarma kebab mix, but it’s best to assemble it with pita, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and dressing just before serving.
• Refrigeration: Store the vegan shawarma mix in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Assemble the pita fresh before packing or serving.
• Cooking from Frozen: Quorn pieces can be cooked straight from frozen—no need to defrost them first.

Serving Vegan Kebab Meat

• Wholemeal Wrap – As a great on-the-go alternative, instead of the pita you can put the shawarma in a wrap and roll it into baking paper or aluminium foil.
• Condiments – As a condiment, you can use a speedy tzatziki-like dressing. Minced garlic with 2 tablespoons of Plant Based Yogurt will serve 2 people.

More Quorn Recipes:

• Easy Quorn Chilli con Carne
• Vegan Quorn Pie Recipe
• Vegetable crumble

Health Info