Shawarma vs. Falafel — What's the Difference?

Shawarma (; Arabic: شاورما‎) is a Levantine Arab dish consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Originally made with lamb, mutton or chicken, today's shawarma may also be turkey, beef, or veal.

Falafel (; Arabic: فلافل‎, [fæˈlæːfɪl] (listen)) is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food, commonly served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as taboon; "falafel" also frequently refers to a wrapped sandwich that is prepared in this way.

Meat, especially beef, chicken, or lamb, that is marinated, roasted slowly on a spit, and cut in thin slices, often wrapped in pita bread and served with various vegetables and tahini sauce.

A mixture of ground spiced chickpeas or fava beans that is shaped into balls and deep-fried.

A Middle Eastern sandwich-like wrap of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or a mixture of these.

A fried ball made of such a mixture.

A sandwich filled with such balls.

(uncountable) A Middle Eastern food in the form of balls made from chickpeas or broad beans and other ingredients. Often served in a pita.

(countable) A pita with falafel balls inside (like a sandwich or a wrap).

(countable) A single falafel ball.

Small croquette of mashed chick peas or fava beans seasoned with sesame seeds