Homemade Garlic Sauce for Shawarma
Thick, creamy blend of sour cream, kefir, and mayo with garlic, herbs, and smoked paprika - perfect for wraps and meat.
Updated : 10 March, 2026
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
100 milliliters
Kefir
100 milliliters
Sour cream
100 grams
Mayonnaise
2
Garlic
1
Pickled cucumbers
to taste
Paprika
to taste
Khmeli-suneli
to taste
Greens
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Advices
Advice
Sour cream can be replaced with plain natural yogurt (no additives).
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make a kefir–mayonnaise–sour cream garlic sauce? Prepare all ingredients. Use higher-fat sour cream and mayonnaise - the sauce should be quite thick, and we’ll also add kefir, which will make it thinner anyway. I used smoked paprika - it gives the sauce a unique aroma. Use any herbs you like: dill, parsley, or cilantro work great.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream, kefir, and mayonnaise. I recommend using homemade mayonnaise so you know exactly what’s in it.
Step 3
Add paprika and khmeli-suneli. At this stage you can also add any favorite spices and herbs: chili pepper, fenugreek, any dried herbs - whatever suits your taste.
Step 4
Rinse the herbs, pat dry, finely chop, and add to the sauce. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can replace them with dried.
Step 5
Peel the garlic, mince it, and add it to the sauce. I pressed the clove through a garlic press, but you can grate it finely or chop with a sharp knife. If you don’t have garlic, use garlic powder - 1 tsp is enough.
Step 6
Wash the cucumber, pat dry, and mince very finely. You can also grate it and then squeeze it well. You can use either a pickled cucumber or a brined one.
Step 7
Add the chopped cucumber to the sauce and mix well until smooth.
Step 8
The shawarma sauce like the ones from street kiosks is ready. It’s thick enough not to run out of the flatbread and pairs well with pieces of pork and onion. Enjoy your meal!
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