Vegan Shawarma Is Everywhere, Which Rules
The proliferation of plant-based shawarma is a thrill, and we’re sharing D.C. chef Doron Petersan’s cauliflower version you can make at home
Just the word shawarma sounds so comforting, conjuring perfectly the truth of a spiced meat getting swaddled into a pita, surrounded by vegetables and draped in tahini. But usually, yes, the Middle Eastern street food shawarma involves meat being sliced off a spit. That’s why the new wave of plant versions are such a thrill: All that comfort and satisfaction, with vegetables like mushrooms and cauliflower standing in for the traditional flesh.
And it’s widely available, whether going out to eat or cooking at home. One of New York’s favorite falafel spots, Taïm, has a cauliflower shawarma on the menu, served with hummus, salad, pickled cabbage, tahina, amba (a mango condiment), and parsley. British grocer Waitrose sells a soy protein version. The Hummus & Pita Co. chain just released their take, and Minimalist Baker has a recipe for a chickpea version. There’s no shortage of vegan takes with different vegetables or proteins.
At D.C.’s fast-casual Shouk, chef and co-owner Dennis Friedman chose oyster mushrooms as the base for theirs. They had considered trying to make a vegan shawarma that…
