Shawarma Wraps

Shawarma spiced chickpeas, creamy hummus, spicy zhoug, and fresh veggies fill warm pita bread in this delicious vegetarian wrap recipe.

I’m obsessed with these shawarma wraps! I loved them so much that after we took these photos, I thought about them all day, I dreamt about them that night, and when I woke up, I ate the last leftover wrap for breakfast. I would not consider these “breakfast” wraps – I just didn’t have the willpower to wait for lunch. I mean, the shawarma spiced chickpeas, the creamy hummus, the spicy zhoug chile paste, and the juicy/crispy veggies… this is what dreams are made of… at least if you’re me.

How pretty are they?! They’re so fresh and delicious!

Once again, we’re partnering with ALDI on this post which means that all of these ingredients are extremely affordable and are SO quick to shop for, since their stores are so efficiently laid out. This recipe is easy to make, but it does have a few components. To make these quick-ish, I use a few ready-made items like the new L’Oven Whole Wheat Pita Bread and yummy organic hummus from the expanded product line at ALDI. Everything else is made with a combination of veggies from their newly-expanded fresh produce section and my go-to pantry staples (their garbanzo beans are my favorite!).

What is Shawarma

Shawarma is typically made of spiced shaved meat, but since this is a vegetarian blog and chickpeas are my chicken, I made a delicious spice blend that I tossed with roasted chickpeas instead! Once they’re tucked into warm pita with creamy hummus and lots of toppings, this veg version is every bit as delicious.

Shawarma Spice

My homemade shawarma spice mixture is made up of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, ginger, and paprika. The chickpeas get drizzled in olive oil and are sprinkled with the flavorful spice mix below before and after they’re baked.

Don’t be afraid to go a little heavy handed on the spices, this shawarma mix has some bold flavors, but it’s not super spicy.

Speaking of super spicy, this zhoug chili paste is spicy(!) in the best way possible. The cilantro gives it a pesto-like texture but it has a bold flavor from the jalapeños, garlic, and cumin. A few dabs will go a long way in your wrap. Serve the rest on the side and spice to your level!

Serving Shawarma

I finished my shawarma wraps with a lemony yogurt drizzle. It’s optional, but I definitely recommend it if you like your wraps saucy like I do. Tzatziki would also be delicious in these wraps.

These are best eaten on warm pita as you assemble them, but, as I said above, I ate mine out of the fridge on day 2 and still really enjoyed it. Wrap each individual wrap in foil for storage or for easy travel if you’re meal prepping these for lunch or a trip.

ALDI has a ton of great new products that recently launched, you should go check them out! I used their new pita bread and organic hummus in this recipe, but I’m also loving their quinoa pasta and their award-winning gluten-free breads. And don’t get me started on how delicious their wines are…that’s for another post. Let me know if you have any favorite ALDI products!

Chickpea Shawarma Wraps

Ingredients

Shawarma Spice (makes extra)

• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Wraps

• 1 1/2 cups Roasted Chickpeas, with Shawarma spice
• 4 pitas, warmed
• Hummus
• 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Pickled onions or thinly sliced red onion
• Handful of fresh mint

Zhoug

• 1 cup cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt sauce (optional, or make tahini sauce)

• ½ cup plain yogurt
• ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Make the shawarma spice mix: In a small bowl, combine the coriander, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, and pinches of salt and pepper. Use generous pinches to season the chickpeas before and after roasting them.
• Make the zhoug: Place the cilantro, olive oil, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor and process until you reach a pesto-like consistency.
• Make the yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of black pepper.
• Assemble the pitas with the hummus, chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, pickled onion, mint, dots of the zhoug, and drizzles of the yogurt sauce.

This post was created in partnership with ALDI. Click here to find a store near you!

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