Shawarma-Spiced Turkey Rice Bowls with Turmeric Rice and Creamy White Sauce

Craving the bold flavors of street cart food without leaving your kitchen? These shawarma-spiced turkey rice bowls deliver all the savory, tangy and spicy notes you love. Each bowl features fluffy turmeric rice with crunchy almonds, seasoned ground turkey, fresh diced tomato and not one but two sauces-a creamy white sauce and a kick of hot sauce. Warm pita wedges on the side make it easy to scoop up every last bite.

This recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. The combination of aromatic spices, creamy sauce and fresh toppings creates a balanced meal that’s both satisfying and fun to eat. Customize the heat level to your liking and enjoy a restaurant-quality bowl at home.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

15 ounce Ground TurkeyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit PitasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon TurmericView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce Sliced AlmondsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pot over medium heat. Stir in ¼ teaspoon turmeric until combined. Add the rice, 1¼ cups water and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
2. While rice cooks, let 2 tablespoons butter come to room temperature. Wash and dry produce. Quarter the lemon. Trim and thinly slice the scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice the tomato.
3. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the ground turkey, shawarma spice blend, ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock concentrates and ¼ cup water, scraping up any brown bits. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork; stir in sliced almonds and half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toast the pitas, then spread with softened butter. Cut each pita into four wedges.
6. Divide the rice between bowls. Top with turkey and diced tomato in separate sections; sprinkle tomato with a pinch of salt. Drizzle turkey with hot sauce to taste. Drizzle the white sauce over the bowls. Garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with pita wedges and remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of ground turkey?

Yes, ground chicken or beef would work well. Adjust cooking time as needed.

Is there a substitute for the shawarma spice blend?

You can make your own with cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and allspice.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Use gluten-free pitas or serve the bowl without pita. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.