Layered Shawarma Dip (Easy, No-Cook Appetizer)

Now you can enjoy the delicious flavors of Shawarma, a popular Mediterranean street food, as a fresh, full-flavor, whole-food dip that everyone will love to snack on. Typically party foods are often lacking in freshness and health, but this easy no-cook layered dip checks all the boxes. It’s simple, so delicious, beautiful to serve, and full of real-food nutrition. Your guests will be thanking you for serving something new, delectable, and healthy, and they’ll beg you for the recipe, too!

Shawarma Dip (aKA Your New Favorite Layered Dip)

We took all the iconic shawarma spices, plus other Mediterranean flavor makers like yogurt, hummus, and tahini, and constructed them into an easy-to-make plant-based layered dip. Trust us: This party dip will be the talk of the table! It’s sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy. Plus, the shawarma spices tantalize the taste buds in an awakening, flavor-popping way that makes everyone take notice!

ingredients to make layered dip with shawarma Spices

This fresh dip features three distinct layers: a mixed yogurt layer, a spiced hummus layer, and fresh toppings. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Plain Greek yogurt – use any brand of thick plain, full-fat Greek yogurt; for dairy-free, use a vegan plain Greek yogurt, such as one made from oat milk or cashew milk
• Tahini – tahini is a paste or butter made from sesame seeds
• Hummus – use any brand of original (unflavored) hummus
• Honey
• Extra-virgin olive oil – our team loves to use the EVOO from Primal Kitchen (check out our favorite Primal Kitchen products and get a free gift when you purchase $35 or more)
• Lemon juice – you’ll need about 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice, which is equal to the juice of 1/2 of a large lemon
• Shawarma spices – to get the delicious flavor of shawarma, you’ll need these 4 spices plus salt and pepper: ground cumin, paprika, coriander, and turmeric
• Toppings – honey-roasted chickpeas (such as Biena brand), quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, minced fresh cilantro
• Dippers – cucumber slices, mini bell peppers, crackers, pita chips, naan bread

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how to make layered shawarma Dip

This no-cook, no-bake appetizer couldn’t be easier to assemble.

1. Make the yogurt layer: In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, tahini, and honey. Spread in an even layer on a platter.
2. Mix the hummus layer: In a separate bowl, combine the hummus, olive oil, lemon juice, and the shawarma spices. Carefully spread this layer over the yogurt layer.
3. Top with fresh toppings: Complete this dip by adding crunchy and sweet purchased roasted chickpeas, quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, and minced fresh cilantro. Chill dip for up to 1 hour before serving or serve immediately with desired dippers.

Dippers to serve with Shawarma layered dip

We love to keep things in the Mediterranean/Greek/Arabic flavor profile by serving the following options as dippers. Your guests will appreciate having something fresh and hydrating to snack on!

• Fresh cucumber slices
• Mini bell peppers – these colorful peppers make great dippers for this shawarma dip. To make things easy for your guests, cut the mini peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds, then set out the pepper halves ready for dipping
• Crackers – use any favorite sturdy cracker, gluten-free if necessary
• Pita chips
• Naan bread – cut naan into wedges and toast a few minutes to serve warm

tips to make perfect layered shawarma dip

This simple dip looks fancy and fresh, but it’s incredibly easy to make. The following tips will ensure it’s the appetizer that has everyone coming back for more:

1. Assemble this layered dip the same day you’ll serve it. Though you could mix the yogurt layer and the hummus layer a few days in advance (stored separately in the refrigerator), wait until the day you’ll serve this appetizer to assemble it. That way you’ll ensure
2. Use cherry tomatoes and fresh cilantro. Just before serving, quarter some cherry tomatoes (which are sweet all year round) and chop some fresh cilantro. These two toppers add so much flavor and freshness to the dip.
3. Purchase the roasted chickpeas. You could make your own oven-roasted chickpeas, but we find that purchased honey-roasted chickpeas are much crispier and tastier (not to mention faster and easier) than the chickpeas we roast at home. You could use any roasted chickpeas, but we love the honey-roasted flavor of Biena chickpeas on top of this layered dip.
4. Select the right dippers. Set out a variety of dippers, including sliced cucumbers and halved mini sweet peppers, as well as pita chips or any favorite cracker and wedges of naan bread. The dip takes on a new experience with every new dipper, so it’s fun to have a selection available.

healthy ingredients in layered shawarma dip

Like all of our recipes here at The Real Food Dietitians, this fresh layered party dip is made from healthy, real-food ingredients assembled in a way that preserves the nutrition and tastes great! Here are a few ingredient stand-outs in this healthy, plant-based dip recipe:

• Greek yogurt – this thick yogurt has a texture similar to sour cream and is a fermented, high protein, probiotic-rich dairy food. It’s high in B vitamins and can support bone and gut health
• Hummus – a super nutritious blend made from chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice (make your own!) that packs in plant-based protein, fiber, healthy fats, and a good amount of manganese, necessary for proper digestion of carbohydrates
• Shawarma Spices – the cumin, paprika, coriander, and turmeric in this dip are iconic spices used in shawarma dishes. They’re also an excellent source of inflammation-fighting antioxidants
• Chickpeas – also known as garbanzo beans, this healthy legume is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber that have been connected to weight loss, improved digestion, and lowered risk of chronic disease

can you make this dip ahead?

This layered dip is best when it’s prepared the same day it is served. Since this is a no-cook, no-bake appetizer, it’s easy to assemble the entire dish in 10 minutes. But we all know that it’s helpful to prepare some ingredients ahead of time, especially when entertaining. To make this dip even faster, you can mix the yogurt layer ahead of time, as well as the hummus-spices layer; store these in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before assembling the platter of layered shawarma dip. Prepare the toppings and dippers just before serving.

how to store layered dip with shawarma spices

Discard dip if it has been sitting out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Store any leftover dip directly on the platter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!