Shawarma Sauce

This shawarma sauce recipe is perfect for those who want to make a satisfying sauce in just a few minutes! What’s even better is that you don’t need any special equipment. All you have to do is mince the garlic and parsley and then mix everything together in a bowl by hand.

This is an easy recipe anyone can make, regardless of their kitchen skill level. This notable sauce is perfect for Middle Eastern dishes. It brings a wonderful flavor balance to your meals, making them even more satisfying than they already are.

Once you try this sauce, it’ll be a new addition to your recipe collection that you’ll want to refer back to. It’s become a staple in our household, and we know it can be for you too!

Ingredients Needed

There are only a handful of ingredients in this simple Shawarma Sauce recipe. Here are some notes about them:

Greek Yogurt: You will need unsweetened and plain yogurt made with whole milk. This will give the sauce the best flavor and texture!
Mayonnaise: Mayo enriches the sauce since it contains eggs and oil. It also balances the tangy Greek yogurt with its creaminess.
Lemon Juice: This ingredient gives a bright, refreshing touch and perfectly pairs with the garlic.
Garlic Cloves: The garlicky flavor gives the sauce a nice, savory punch. Make sure to use fresh garlic instead of jarred or powdered.
Herbs and Seasonings: You don’t need many fresh herbs and seasonings, just salt, pepper, and some parsley! Nevertheless, these ingredients help enhance the overall flavor of the sauce.

For best results, use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juices don’t have as fresh a flavor and often contain preservatives. You only need a tablespoon, so it won’t take long to extract the juice!

The exact measurements for the ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.

Other ways

You can give the recipe your own unique touch by including special ingredients. Here are some ideas:

Tahini: Add a tablespoon of tahini sauce to give the sauce more depth. It will give it an earthy, nutty undertone.
Make it spicy: Although we enjoy the creamy and tangy essence of the garlic sauce, you can surely make it spicy if you prefer. Consider adding a dash of sriracha sauce or mixing in some cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
Lime: For a variation of classic shawarma white sauce, use lime juice instead of lemon juice! This will still give it a zesty undertone but in a different way.
Sumac shawarma sauce: Use this Middle Eastern spice to upgrade your shawarma sauce recipe. Sumac has an almost citrusy taste, so it will amplify the lemon flavor. It also has some fruitiness to it since it comes from flowering plants.
Egg-Free: Greek yogurt is nearly dairy-free since it contains such a small amount of lactose. Meanwhile, mayo contains eggs but doesn’t contain milk products. If you want to avoid eggs, you can use Greek yogurt and omit the mayo in the recipe.

Pantry notes

Pepper: if you don’t like white pepper or you don’t have it, you can use ground black pepper instead!
Sour Cream: Some people prefer shawarma sauce with sour cream instead of yogurt. You can surely do this if that’s what you prefer. Substitute it with a 1:1 ratio.
Herbs: If you don’t have parsley, you can also opt for fresh dill, mint, or cilantro. We suggest choosing one herb and sticking to it, as you don’t want a ton of herbs that will mask the flavor of the lemon and garlic.

How it comes together

Combine all the sauce ingredients using a whisk in a medium mixing bowl.

Cook notes

Make sure to mince the garlic finely so that you don’t have large garlic chunks in the sauce. You want them to blend in nicely.
We personally enjoy the kick from the garlic, but if you find the flavor of fresh garlic too strong for your taste, you can soak it to make it less pungent. To soak the garlic, you can use ice water or lemon juice for about 10 minutes, then drain it. This is also a great way to use up any extra lemon juice you may have.
Use the best quality mayonnaise you can get! Avoid using mayo with artificial flavor or additives. It makes all the difference in taste.

Using homemade mayonnaise will give the shawarma sauce a richer flavor.

What To Serve The Sauce With

Of course, this is the best garlic white sauce recipe to enjoy with the traditional Middle Eastern dish, Shawarma. Whether you prefer lamb, beef, or chicken shawarma (or other meat), this sauce will surely complement it!

It tastes notable with many other different Lebanese dishes, too. Don’t miss out on our fantastic homemade shawarma bread.

There are plenty of other foods to serve this sauce with, too, so don’t limit yourself! You can use it as a dip for kebabs, skewered chicken, or fresh veggies.

You can also use it as a healthy salad dressing or enjoy it with falafel tacos or roasted chickpeas. We even love using it as a marinade for baked chicken sometimes. The options are limitless!