This pork shawarma is made in the slow cooker and delivers juicy, Middle Eastern spiced pork for easy low-carb dinners and leftovers.

If you love chicken shawarma and pulled pork, this recipe is for you!

It’s a simple twist on classic chicken shawarma, using pork shoulder cooked low and slow in a crock pot until it’s juicy, tender, and full of warm Middle Eastern spices. You can even pan-sear it after cooking to create crispy edges that make it taste even better.

This is an easy, hands-off dinner that doesn’t require much planning or prep. Everything goes straight into the crock pot, and several hours later, you have delicious pulled pork that’s perfect for leftovers during the week.

Serve it Middle Eastern–style in a low-carb pita or over cauliflower rice, then top with chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, or lettuce. Finish it off with tzatziki for that classic shawarma flavor.

Key Ingredients

Pork shoulder: You’ll need 3 to 4 pounds of pork shoulder for this recipe. Before placing it in the slow cooker, be sure to slice off any thick or excess fat, then cut the pork into chunks a few inches in size.

Spices: Cumin, coriander and paprika create a warm, savory base you’d expect from shawarma.

Fresh garlic: Adds that classic, savory shawarma flavor you can't get from garlic powder alone.

Liquids: Lemon juice, olive oil, and a small amount of water keep the pork moist while it cooks and help the spices evenly coat the meat. The lemon also brightens everything up so the pork doesn’t feel too heavy.

Cayenne pepper: Use ½ teaspoon for mild heat or up to 1 teaspoon if you like a little more spice. It adds warmth without overpowering the other flavors.

Ground cloves (optional): A few pinches of ground cloves adds extra depth and a hint of warmth. It’s completely optional, but we think it's worth it!

Preparations Steps

STEP 1: Trim away any thick or excess fat from the surface of the pork shoulder. You don’t need to remove everything, just the large, firm pieces. Then cut the pork into chunks a few inches in size.

STEP 2: Place the pork in the slow cooker. Add garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cloves and water. Turn the pork to coat well, rubbing the spices over the surface as much as possible.

STEP 3: Cover and cook in a crockpot for 8-9 hours on low, or 5-6 hours on high, until the pork is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork

STEP 4: Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return the shredded pork to the cooker and toss with the cooking juices to keep it moist and flavorful.

STEP FOR CRISPY EDGES: To mimic the char of traditional shawarma, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add a layer of shredded pork and spoon a little crockpot juices over the top. Cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the liquid evaporates and the bottom is lightly browned and crisp. Remove and repeat as needed. Before serving, drizzle with crockpot juices.

How to Serve

You can serve this pulled pork shawarma the same way you would classic chicken shawarma. We love it stuffed into warm low-carb pita and topped with chopped onion, tomatoes, lettuce or cucumbers then finished with a generous drizzle of tzatziki.

It’s also great served bowl-style over cauliflower rice. Add the same fresh toppings and sauce to keep all those traditional shawarma flavors.

Either way, a squeeze of lemon right before serving really makes everything pop.

How to Store

Store leftover pulled pork shawarma in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet with a splash of the cooking juices to keep it moist, or microwave in short intervals until heated through. The pork can also be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated the same way once thawed.

More Low Carb Middle Eastern Recipes

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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