Greek Ground Lamb Sandwich Recipe
Greek Ground Lamb pita sandwiches are the perfect way to bring those bold, herby flavors into your weeknight dinner rotation. Instead of slow-roasting leg of lamb, we’re using ground lamb—seasoned with oregano, rosemary, lemon zest,and plenty of garlic—and pan-frying it in a hot cast-iron skillet until the edges get irresistibly crisp.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground lamb
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon dry rosemary
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon zest of half a lemon
- 2 cloves garlic grated – using a micro plane
- 2 teaspoon olive oil divided
- ½ cup seedless cucumber quartered and chopped
- ⅓ cup tomato chopped (about 1 small tomato)
- 1 tablespoon diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 pitas warmed
- Chopped dill for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the lamb, oregano, rosemary, cumin, salt, lemon zest, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Mix until well-combined, cover, and refrigerate for about an hour, or up to overnight.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, vinegar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil. Season with a pinch of salt and refrigerate until needed.
- Heat a 10-inch non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the skillet and use a spatula to press the meat into a thin layer (it doesn’t have to be perfect). Cook until it is golden brown and crisp on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
- Use the spatula to cut the meat into easy-to-handle portions and flip. Cook for another 4 minutes or so, then use the spatula to break the pieces into roughly 1-inch pieces. Some may be smaller, some may be a little larger, all are okay. Cook, flipping the pieces as needed, until they are crisp all over and cooked through. The goal is to have bite-sized, crisp pieces of lamb. Remove from the heat.
- To serve, spread a few tablespoons of yogurt down the center of a pita. Top with the cucumber salad and lamb, and sprinkle with dill, if using.