I've got 4 words for you Vegan. Sheet. Pan. Shawarma. Oh yes, friend. This Middle Eastern inspired shawarma recipe is a total keeper that is going to have you hooked at first bite! If you're not familiar with shawarma (also commonly spelled shwarma or chawarma) it is traditionally a roasted meat dish, similar to a gyro, where the protein is very thinly sliced and served in a pita or wrap.
Quick, Easy Dinner
My homemade, vegan version of shawarma, is a wonderful healthy dinner option, and best of all comes together in just 45 minutes, with really only 20 minutes of prep. It is packed with some of my favorite warming spices that are used a lot in Middle Eastern cuisine, like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, and aleppo pepper making this meal rich and decadent.
Healthy Vegan (add some protein)
I have to admit, I haven't used tempeh a lot in the past, but I really wanted to make this Vegan Sheet Pan Shawarma recipe super hearty and I felt like it needed some contrast of texture to the roasted vegetables. While you could totally eat this on its own or with a side of rice, it is incredible wrapped in roasted garlic naan with a slathering of homemade hummus!
Vegan Sheet Pan Shawarma
Not a fan of tempeh? You can totally replace it with firm tofu, no problems at all.
This recipe is great for plant based eaters and for Meatless Monday, but if you have happen to have a meat lover at your table try our Shawarma Spiced Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
juice of 2 lemons
½ cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large head of cauliflower broken into small florets
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 small red onions, quartered
1 (8-ounce package) gluten free tempeh cut into cubes
1 whole lemon, halved for roasting on pan
Optional garnishes: cilantro or micro green cilantro, sliced green onions.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a 13" x 18" baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, aleppo pepper flakes, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Divide the marinade into 2 bowls.
Add the tempeh to the first bowl, tuning to coat each piece in the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
Add the cauliflower florets and chickpeas to the second bowl, turning the ingredients together with a large spoon or tongs until all of the vegetables are coated.
Arrange the tempeh on the sheet pan first, spooning any remaining marinade from the bowl on top of the pieces. Next, add the seasoned cauliflower and chickpeas to the pan around the tempeh. Layer in the onion quarters and place the 2 lemon halves, cut side down on the pan, one near the top and one near the bottom.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tempeh is warmed through and the vegetables are tender.
To serve, squeeze the roasted lemon halves over the tempeh and vegetables then garnish with desired toppings. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you don't have a sheet pan that is as large as the one I use you can use 2 smaller sheet pans and divide the ingredients between them.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 hearty scoops
- Calories: 478
- Sugar: 14.9 g
- Sodium: 813 mg
- Fat: 31.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.5 g
- Protein: 13.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0.9 mg
Heather Horgan says
Can you use tofu instead of tempeh, my family doesn't care for tempeh. Thanks
Eliza Clendenin says
Hi Heather! Absolutely, you can use tofu instead of tempeh in this recipe! Tofu is a great substitute and will still give you a delicious, protein-packed meal. Just make sure to press and drain the tofu well to get rid of excess moisture, and consider marinating it a bit longer to ensure it soaks up all those fantastic flavors.
Sandy says
Made this last night and as I was making it I wasn't sure what it would be like but it was excellent and easy! The flavors blended wonderfully and the roasted lemon was a new experience. Vegan naan and fresh cucumber slices on the side. Yummy, and because there are only two of us, tonight we will have leftovers. ❤️ Definitely ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Thanks for sharing.
meg@thismessisours says
I am so glad you loved it Sandy!! It is one of our favorite meals around here too.
Lrevs says
I used only 1/2 tsp of pepper, used a little garlic powder instead of all the cloves and omitted the pepper flakes. The taste was very good but the dish tasted dry. I added Sabra hummus on the side but think I'll make a tahini sauce or dressing for the leftovers. I wanted to use tempeh and cauliflower, so appreciated finding this recipe though.
thismess says
Serving it with hummus or tahini dressing is a great idea, I sometimes have added additional lemon halves to the pan, then squeezed them over the top after the bake time. I am glad you like the recipe.