Vegetarian Mushroom Shawarma Pitas

By Alexa Weibel

Vegetarian Mushroom Shawarma Pitas
Jenny Huang for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(3,698)
Comments
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Dusted with smoky spices like cumin, coriander and paprika, these thick-cut roasted portobello mushrooms are inspired by shawarma, Middle Eastern spiced lamb — and they taste surprisingly meaty. The flavors are bold, but the prep is simple: While the mushrooms and onions roast, make an easy turmeric and Greek yogurt sauce, and toss sliced red cabbage with salt. Pile everything into a pita with a flurry of cilantro and mint to freshen things up (parsley or salad greens would also do the job in a pinch). While these hearty pitas are best enjoyed with a knife and fork as open-faced sandwiches, they can also be folded into half-moon parcels and eaten out of hand.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ¾pound portobello mushroom caps, sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1medium red onion, halved and cut into ⅓-inch wedges
  • 3tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½teaspoon ground sweet or smoked paprika (optional)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4pitas
  • 2packed cups very thinly sliced red cabbage (about 6 ounces)
  • ¾cup low-fat or whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • ¾teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Cilantro or mint, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

328 calories; 17 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 631 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed sheet pan, drizzle the mushrooms and red onion with 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander, paprika (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer and roast until tender and browned, about 20 minutes. Add the pitas directly to the oven rack to warm during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, toss cabbage with remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together yogurt and turmeric; season with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    To serve, slather yogurt over warm pitas. Top with cabbage, mushroom mixture and herbs, and serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,698 user ratings
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Comments

Kaia

I thought the yogurt with turmeric was a game-changer. That was a subtle flavor that took the dish to another level for me. My kids all ate this, and since I was out of cumin I added extra ground coriander and called it a day. My mushrooms were pre-sliced, and it took me a grand total of 27 minutes to make this dish, start-to-finish, because my oven preheats quickly. I also had time to set the table and pour drinks in that time, and at no point did I feel rushed. EXCELLENT weeknight dinner!

Allie

I made a taziki yogurt sauce instead of just using Greek yogurt. This recipe was delicious.

Rebecca

Great mushrooms! The yogurt sauce wasn’t my favorite...but going to try leftovers with the tahini dressing from the spiced chickpea and pita chip salad

Finleigh

I pickled the cabbage, added lemon to the yogurt and added feta to the toppings. Delicious boost of flavor

Trent

This recipe is so simple yet complex when all of the pieces come together. The mushrooms and onions are indeed reminiscent of shawarma. The addition of simple purple cabbage slaw reminds me of doner kebab as it adds a needed crunch. We fussed with the yogurt because it didn’t taste good on its own with just yogurt and turmeric. Wound up adding some garlic powder, cardamom, and olive oil. It all tasted amazing folded together in a pita topped with mint. Definitely try this and definitely put it into your rotation.

Agnes

Outstanding and easy weeknight dinner! We loved the seasonings and various textures. Instead of the yogurt sauce, we used some homemade tzatziki that we had on hand. We used Angel Bakery whole-wheat pita breads that we keep in the freezer - they were perfect after 10 minutes in the oven with the mushrooms and onions.

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