Shawarma-Spiced Salmon Skewers with Golden Cauliflower Rice

Shawarma is traditionally spice-rubbed meat, slow-roasted on a spit. These salmon skewers borrow just the spice blend: cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. They get lightly charred on the grill in less than 10 minutes, then are paired with golden Middle Eastern-inspired cauliflower rice for a colorful, satisfying Mediterranean diet dinner.

I really love me some shawarma-spiced goodness, and I can't believe it's taken me this long to put it on fish. Turns out my favorite spice blend and grilled salmon are a natural pairing: the rich flavor of salmon really holds its own against the warm Middle Eastern spices. The only real challenge is cooking it on the grill without losing pieces through the grates, which is exactly where using bamboo or metal skewers can help.

Why skewers make grilling fish easier

Fish has a reputation for falling apart on the grill, but that's usually a spatula problem, not a fish problem. Thread it onto skewers instead, and the pieces move as one unit: no fishing for stray chunks through the grates, no more than one turn per side. It works particularly well for this shawarma salmon preparation.

A few things matter more than you'd expect when you're grilling fish kebabs specifically:

Use flat or double skewers. Round skewers let cubes spin in place when you try to turn them, so half the piece chars while the other half stays pale. Flat metal skewers, or two parallel bamboo skewers threaded through the same pieces, hold the fish steady enough to flip in one motion. If you're using wood, soak it in water for at least 20 minutes first so it doesn't scorch on the grill.

Turn with tongs, not a fork. A two-pronged fork tends to tear delicate fish or knock pieces loose. Tongs let you grip the skewer itself and rotate the whole thing at once. I often pair my tongs with a spatula for better control.

Any grill works, but oil the grates well. Charcoal, gas, or an indoor grill pan on the stove all get the job done for skewered seafood. Fish sticks more readily than other proteins, so a thorough coating of oil on the grates, or the pan, matters more here than it would for something like chicken.

No grill? This recipe can also be made in a well-oiled cast-iron pan or a nonstick skillet. I cook fish kebabs regularly on my favorite Lodge cast iron grill pan.

Ingredients and substitutions

Salmon: Atlantic, King, and Coho (silver) salmon typically yield thicker pieces that are better for cutting into cubes. They also hold together better on the grill than leaner salmon like Sockeye or Pink. Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin and pin bones. Cut the salmon into uniformly sized cubes so they cook evenly.

Portioning note: Dividing 1½ pounds of salmon into 4 servings gives you about 6 ounces of salmon per skewer. Lighter eaters may prefer to adjust this to 4 ounces per serving, or 1 pound of fish total.

Shawarma spices: Cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. I also like to add a bit of either cloves or allspice, but they can be pricey and are also optional, so if you don't have them on hand you can leave them out. If you prefer to use a store-bought seasoning mix, my favorite is this Shawarma blend from Villa Jerada, which is available on Amazon.

Lemon: Fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference here; bottled juice is usually missing some of the brightness that balances the richness of this dish.

Cauliflower rice: I typically use frozen cauliflower rice for convenience. Keep it frozen until you add it to the pan; this prevents your cauliflower rice from getting waterlogged before the excess moisture cooks off in the pan.

Onion and garlic: I always use fresh garlic, but jarred garlic is acceptable here.

Yogurt sauce (optional): Cools down the plate and adds tang. My lemon garlic yogurt sauce is built for exactly this.

Sumac onions (optional): Sharp and bright against the rich salmon and mellow rice. This sumac onions recipe is the one I use.

Tips for making the best shawarma salmon skewers

Don't let the salmon sit in the marinade. Lemon juice is acidic enough that marinating for more than 10-15 minutes starts to change the texture of the fish, more so than it would for chicken. In this case, the salmon has a chance to absorb the marinade while you preheat your grill (or grill pan); that's all that is needed.

Cut the salmon into even pieces. I typically cut 16 hearty 1½-inch chunks and thread them 4 to a skewer for even cooking. The center of the fillet cuts cleanly into chunks, but the thinner sections won't give you pieces that size. Cut that part into longer strips instead, then fold each strip in half before threading it on; folded over, it ends up close to the same thickness as the cubes from the thicker end, so it cooks at the same rate instead of drying out first.

A thermometer takes the guesswork out of grilled salmon. As a longtime Pacific Northwesterner, I love a pink center on my salmon. To achieve this, I use my Thermoworks Thermapen One to pull my salmon from the grill at around 130°F. It does keep cooking for a bit (this is called "carryover cooking") and will usually reach a temperature around 135°F. Please be aware that this is below the USDA's recommendation of 145°F for food safety; see the recipe notes for more details.

Storing leftovers

Shawarma salmon leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water on low heat or in the microwave at 50% power, covered with a wet paper towel.

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