Lebanese Shawarma Pickle Recipe

Lebanese Shawarma Pickle Recipe is an instant pink pickle made with carrot, beetroot ,cucumber and radish. This is a sweet and vinegary pickle which is usually served with shawarma, kebab, falafel wrap or grilled chicken. This pickle is a vinegar based pickle like my pickled cucumber, gooseberry pickle and pickled chilli pepper. Learn how to make this refrigerator Lebanese pickle with step by step pictures and video. 

Lebanese Shawarma Pickle

If you are a fan of shawarma or grilled chicken, then you must have tasted this pickle. My husband love this pickle so much, that he have it just as it is. It is a lip smacking vinegar based pickle which taste sweet and sour at the same time. 

Jump to:

• About Lebanese Shawarma Pickle
• Shawarma Pickle Ingredients
• How to Make this Pickle Taste Better
• How to Make Lebanese Pickle (Stepwise Pictures)
• Expert Tips
• Serving & Storage 
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe Card

I make sure to make a jar of this pickle and store in my fridge. So we can enjoy it whenever we feel like. 

About Lebanese Shawarma Pickle

Lebanese pickle also known as shawarma pickle or pink pickle is a popular condiment or side dish served with shawarma, wraps or Lebanese foods. The pickle is a vinegar based pickle. You can find this pickle at any middle eastern supermarket, but it taste great when you make at home. 

It is made with variety of vegetables, but carrots, turnip, radish, onions, chilli peppers and beetroots are some of the popular vegetables added in this pickle. But you can add cabbage, cucumbers as well. 

This pickle is so easy to make, You don’t need any canning equipment, chemicals or preservatives to make this pickle. You can make it in a jar and store in fridge. It stays good for at least a month.  Enjoy this pickle with some pita bread, shawarma, chicken kebab and Falafels. You can even enjoy this with plain pulao or roti. 

If you are into pickling check my pickled cucumber, gooseberry pickle and pickled chilli pepper.. If you love spicy pickles, check my popular mango pickle, lemon pickle, garlic pickle and Andhra amla pickle. 

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Shawarma Pickle Ingredients

This pickle is made with basic pantry and shelf staple ingredients which you might already have on hand. 

Vegetables to Use - It is made with variety of vegetables, but carrots, turnip, radish, onions, chilli peppers and beetroots are some of the popular vegetables added in this pickle. But you can add cabbage, cucumbers as well. 

Vinegar - vinegar is the main ingredient in making this pickle. Since it is a refrigerator pickle, vinegar not only acts as preservative but adds sour taste to the pickle. 

Sugar - white sugar is used. It helps sweeten the pickle and balance the taste. Along with vinegar sugar helps in preserving the pickle.

Spices - I used mustard seeds and fennel seeds which are optional. You can add bay leaf, herbs, coriander seeds, dill, garlic as well. 

Salt - always taste and adjust salt. Since this is a fridge pickle, you cannot add too much salt to it. Too much salt will affect the taste. 

How to Make this Pickle Taste Better

Use fresh vegetables - make sure you use fresh vegetable to get crisp and fresh taste in the pickle. 

Preparing the veggies - shawarma pickle has to be in batonnet cut. It helps the pickle stay crisp even after the blanching and pickling process. This batonnet cut is iconic for this recipe. 

Blanching the vegetables - don’t over cook the vegetables when blanching. Cook for few minutes and strain them. This prevents them from going soggy. 

Play with Flavours - You can play with different flavours when making pickle. You can add spices like mustard, fennel seeds, bay leaf, herbs, coriander seeds, dill, garlic in pickle to add different taste each time. 

Use Sterlized Jar - Make sure the canning jar you use is sterilized which helps preserve the pickle.

How to Make Lebanese Pickle (Stepwise Pictures)

Pre preparation

1)Start by peeling and cut vegetables into sticks or batonnet cut. Here I am using beetroot, carrots and radishes. For spicy note, I am using green chilli pepper. If you are using cucumber, you have to deseed and cut into sticks like this.

Blanch Vegetables

2)Now bring lots of water to a boil in a sauce pan. We are going to blanch the vegetables.

3)once water boils, add the vegetables into the hot water. If you are using cucumber, don't blanch it. You can use it raw.

4)Now the vegetables are cooked. it should take just 2 minutes.

5)The veggies should just bent and yet crunchy. Don't over cook the vegetables else it will turn mushy.

6)Strain the vegetables in a colander. Allow this to cool completely.

7)Now take the vegetables in a bowl. Instead of making pickle in the bowl, you can transfer the veggies in a sterlized glass bottle or jar.

8)Add in green chilli pepper.

Making Pickling Brine

9)Take water in a sauce pan.

10)Add in vinegar to the water.

11)Place the sauce pan on heat and let it come to a boil. Meanwhile add in sugar.

12)Add in salt to the pickle brine.

13)For flavouring, I sprinkled some mustard and fennel seeds. This is optional, you can skip it. Bring the pickle brine to a full boil.

Once it starts boiling turn off the heat and allow it to sit and cool for 10 minutes.

Making Pickle

14)Now pour the brine over the vegetables. The vegetables should be completely immersed in this brine.

15) Mix well. Cover and put the bowl in fridge. This pickle is ready to eat immediately. but letting them pickle for a day will add more taste.

16)Store the pickle in fridge till needed.

Expert Tips

• Even though you can pickle vegetables raw, I prefer blanching them to prolong the shelf life of the pickle. 
• Don’t over cook the vegetables. Just blanch them for few minutes till it is slightly tender. Over cooking may result in mushy pickle.
• Make sure the canning jar you use is sterilized which helps preserve the pickle.
• It is a refrigerator pickle, so the pickling and storage happens in fridge.
• If you ever see moulds or odour from the pickle, discard it immediately. 

Serving & Storage 

This pickle last in the fridge for 1 to 2 months. But it can last upto 3 months. This pickle has to be stored in fridge. 

Enjoy this pickle with some pita bread, shawarma, chicken kebab and Falafels. You can even enjoy this with plain pulao or roti. You can make a Lebanese spread which includes hummus, moussaka, chicken pita & kuboos.

FAQ

What are shawarma pickles made of?

Lebanese pickle also known as shawarma pickle or pink pickle is a popular condiment or side dish served with shawarma, wraps or Lebanese foods. The pickle is a vinegar based pickle.  It is made with variety of vegetables, but carrots, turnip, radish, onions, chilli peppers and beetroots are some of the popular vegetables added in this pickle. 

What vegetables used in shawarma pickle

It is made with variety of vegetables, but carrots, turnip, radish, onions, chilli peppers and beetroots are some of the popular vegetables added in this pickle. But you can add cabbage, cucumbers as well. 

What is an Arabic pickle?

Lebanese pickle is a mix of pickle vegetables usually served with Lebanese cuisine. It is also called as pink pickle, Levantine pickle, shawarma pickle, turnip pickle or shawarma pickle.

Are Lebanese pickles good for you?

Lebanese pickle has no oil added in them. So it is relatively healthier than Indian pickles. But it has vinegar which might cause acidity. So consuming it in moderation is important. 

Why are Lebanese pickle pink?

This pickle has beetroots added which turns the pickling brine pink overtime. Hence the pickles has a pink shade to them. It adds to their iconic look and flavour. 

More Lebanese Recipes to try

📖 Recipe Card

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