A next level lamb sandwich! Inside a toasted bun, there’s smoked shawarma, za’atar & honey glazed halloumi, garlic sauce & pickled cabbage.

The ultimate smoked lamb sandwich!

This homemade sandwich takes inspiration from a classic lamb kebab. There’s smoked lamb shawarma that melts in your mouth, sticky honey & za’atar glazed halloumi, crunchy pickled red cabbage & a tangy tahini garlic sauce, all served in a homemade bun.

This next level lunch dish, is a fantastic way to use up leftovers from our smoked lamb shawarma recipe & because all of the components can be made in advance, comes together in no time at all. Plus, it’s seriously tasty! What’s not to like?

If you’re looking for more lunch inspiration, take a look at our ever growing collection of lunch recipes. There’s something for everyone here, from vibrant salads, to next level sandwiches & homemade scotch eggs.

In This Post

Components Of This Sandwich

This sandwich is made completely from scratch! From the fluffy burger bun to the slow cooked lamb & the crunchy pickled cabbage. Here’s a full rundown of what we’re serving in this sandwich…

Smoked Lamb Shawarma

One of the main components of this sandwich is our tender, smoked & pulled lamb shawarma. Here, a whole bone in lamb shoulder is marinated in homemade shawarma paste then cooked low & slow in a barbecue until incredibly tender. This stuff melts in your mouth & the full recipe can be found here.

To make four sandwiches, you’ll need 400 grams of meat which is just under half a batch of our smoked lamb shawarma. This lamb is best served warm, so you can either make this sandwich straight after shredding the meat or reheat any leftovers in the oven.

Za’atar Halloumi

This style of halloumi is on another level! To make this, we pan fry slices of halloumi until crisp & golden then glaze with honey & a generous amount of homemade za’atar. Sweet & sticky, this glazed halloumi pairs fantastically with the smoky lamb.

Za’atar – A Middle Eastern spice mix that is made with dried herbs, sumac & sesame seeds. Za’atar tastes zingy & earthy and has strong hints of citrus.

Tahini Garlic Sauce

A classic, garlic kebab sauce with a hit of tahini! To make this from scratch, we’re using Greek yoghurt, grated garlic, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice & olive oil. Our full recipe can be found here, or you can use a ready made garlic sauce instead. This sandwich will taste great either way!

Sweet Pickled Red Cabbage

This pickled cabbage adds plenty of crunch to our lamb sandwich. Sweet & tangy, pickled cabbage can be made several weeks in advance & stored in the fridge. If you do want to make this from scratch, take a look at our sweet pickled red cabbage recipe or you could grab a jar from the supermarket.

Toasted Burger Bun

Pretty much any burger bun will work for this recipe but if you’d like to make your own, I’d recommend using our tangzhong burger bun or potato burger bun recipe. I would definitely recommend toasting whatever type of bun you use, for a better flavour and to prevent the bread going soggy (the lamb is really juicy!).

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Smoked Lamb Shawarma & Za’atar Halloumi Sandwich

A next level lamb sandwich! Inside a toasted bun, there's smoked shawarma, za'atar & honey glazed halloumi, garlic sauce & pickled cabbage.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish

Servings: 4 Sandwiches

Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

Large Frying Pan
Spatula

Ingredients

Za'atar Halloumi

2 Blocks Of Halloumi
2 tbsp Honey
1½ tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Sesame Seeds (Toasted)
1 tsp Sumac

The Sandwich

4 Burger Buns
400 g Smoked Lamb Shawarma (See Notes)
200 g Pickled Red Cabbage
4 tbsp Tahini Garlic Sauce

Instructions

To make the za'atar, add the oregano, sesame seeds & sumac into a small mixing bowl then stir to combine. Set aside.
Cut each block of halloumi into 6 slices then pat dry with a piece of kitchen paper.
Next, set a large frying pan over a medium-high heat & leave to warm up for a minute or two. In the meantime, cut each burger bun in half.
Toast the burger buns in the frying pan, until golden then set to one side.
Next, add a tbsp of vegetable oil into the frying pan then once hot, add in the slices of halloumi. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until crisp & golden then drizzle 2 tbsp of honey over the halloumi. Continue frying for another minute, flipping over so that both sides get glazed then sprinkle over the za'atar. Transfer the glazed halloumi to a plate.
To assemble, add 3 slices of halloumi to each burger bun then top with shawarma, garlic sauce & pickled red cabbage. Serve immediately.

Notes

1. Lamb Shawarma – This sandwich is made with my smoked pulled lamb shawarma recipe. You’ll need 400 grams which is around half a batch. Other pulled meat will work as well, if you’d prefer.

If you’re making this sandwich with leftover lamb shawarma, it will need heating up. To do this, add the lamb into a dish with a splash of water, cover with foil then bake at 180°c/356°f for 10-15 minutes until hot.

2. Burger Buns – This sandwich will work with any burger bun but if you’d like to make your own, I’d recommend our tangzhong burger buns or potato burger buns.

3. Tahini Garlic Sauce – For 4 sandwiches, you’ll need half a batch of our tahini garlic sauce. If you’d prefer, a shop bought garlic kebab sauce will work as well.

4. Pickled Cabbage – For four sandwiches, you’ll need half a batch of our sweet pickled red cabbage recipe. Shop bought pickled cabbage will work as well.

5. Za’atar – We’re making our own za’atar to sprinkle over the halloumi but a ready made za’atar can be used as well.

Smoked Lamb Shawarma & Za’atar Halloumi Sandwich