Here’s a classic Gyros recipe — juicy, flavorful meat served in warm pita with traditional toppings and a creamy tzatziki sauce.
🥙 Classic Gyros
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Meat:
- 1 lb (450g) lamb, beef, or a mix, thinly sliced (or ground meat shaped into thin patties)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
For the Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber, grated and drained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
- Salt and pepper to taste
To Serve:
- 4 pita breads
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced red onion
- Lettuce
- Feta cheese (optional)
Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate the Meat
- In a bowl, combine meat with garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
2️⃣ Make the Tzatziki Sauce
- Combine yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and dill in a bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
3️⃣ Cook the Meat
- Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook meat slices 3–5 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
- Remove and let rest 2 minutes.
4️⃣ Assemble the Gyros
- Warm pita bread in a skillet or oven.
- Spread a generous spoonful of tzatziki on each pita.
- Layer meat, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and feta (if using).
- Fold pita and serve immediately.
💡 Tips
- For traditional gyros, lamb or lamb-beef mix works best.
- Use thinly sliced meat for authentic texture.
- Tzatziki can be made a day ahead; flavors improve after chilling.
- Optional: add pickled peppers or olives for extra flavor.
If you want, I can also provide a homemade rotisserie-style gyros version that mimics restaurant-style meat cooked on a vertical spit.
Do you want that version?
