One of our family's favorite meals is this easy Gyros recipe with thinly sliced lamb gyro meat that tastes like it's from a street vendor, but doesn't require any special equipment to make! Serve it in a warm pita, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and tzatziki.
This is a great make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal, just like my Pork Carnitas, Mini Meatloaf, or Chicken Pot Pie!
Why I love to make Gyros:
- No Special Equipment – This recipe uses seasoned ground lamb cooked in a loaf pan and then thinly sliced. In the U.S. gyros are often made with ground meat, like this recipe, which isn't authentic, but the taste is wonderful. Authentic Greek Gyros or Turkish döner are made with marinated meat cuts stacked and roasted on a vertical rotisserie, but this recipe curbs my craving until the next time I can order one.
- Kid-Friendly – our whole family LOVES when we have gyros for dinner, like these traditional ground lamb gyros, or our chicken gyros or beef gyros. But you have to serve them with homemade pita bread (incredibly easy to make!) to have a truly special dinner experience!
- Make Ahead and Freezer Friendly – You can make the gyro meat 1-2 days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge before warming, or make a double batch of the meat and freeze the gyro meat for an easy meal another day.
How to make Gyros:
Combine Ingredients: Add onion and garlic to a food processor and finely chop. Add to a bowl along with the ground meat, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and Aleppo pepper and mix together until very well combined.
Bake: Press meat mixture into a 9×5 inch loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees F for about 50-60 minutes, or until the center registers 165 degrees on a thermometer. Set aside to rest for 20 minutes, and then, for best results, refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. (I love to do this step in the morning).
Slice Meat: Remove meat from pan (reserve the fat drippings) and cut into thin strips, about ⅛ inch thick.
Heat: Place a griddle, large cast iron, or skillet over medium high heat with a little meat drippings or oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, lay the meat slices flat in the hot pan and cook for just 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. (Alternately, you can lay the pieces flat on a lined baking sheet and broil for a few minutes in the oven.)
Assemble: Serve gyro meat in a warm pita, topped with tomato, onion, lettuce, tzatziki and feta.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The seasoned raw gyro meat can be kept in the fridge up to one day head. Or store cooked gyro meat in the fridge for 1-2 days before slicing and toasting on the stove.
To Freeze: Gyros freeze very well, for a quick meal another day. Add leftover cooked slices of meat to an airtight freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely, then re-warm before serving. You could also freeze the raw meat in the loaf pan. Allow it to thaw completely in the fridge before baking as instructed.
Recipe Variations:
- Additional Topping Ideas: Fresh mint and parsley, sliced Kalamata olives, green bell pepper.
- Beef Gyros
- Chicken Gyros
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Recipe
Gyros
Ingredients
Gyro Meat:
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 lb ground beef , 80/20
- 1 onion , small
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon Dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper , or sub paprika and a dash of cayenne
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Assembly:
- 8 pieces Pita bread , warmed
- 1 cup Tzatziki sauce* , homemade or store-bought
- 3 campari or roma tomatoes , sliced
- 1 red onion , thinly sliced
- 1 romaine heart , finely chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles , optional
- Hot sauce , optional
Instructions
- Make Gyro Meat (Bake in the morning or day before, if possible): Add onion and garlic to a food processor and very finely chop. Add to a bowl along with the ground meat, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, oregano, cumin, and Aleppo pepper. Use clean hands (or wear gloves if desired) to mix and mash the meat together really well, so it holds together densely.
- Bake: Press meat mixture into a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 50-60 minutes, or until the center registers 165 degrees on a thermometer. Set aside to rest for 20 minutes, and then, ideally, if time permits, refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. (Refrigeration will make the meat much easier to slice.)
- Slice Meat: Remove meat from pan (reserve the fat drippings) and cut into thin strips, about ⅛ inch thick.
- Brown meat: Heat a griddle, cast iron or skillet over medium high heat. Add some of the meat drippings or a little oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, lay the meat slices flat in the hot pan and cook for just 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. (Alternately, you can lay the pieces flat on a lined baking sheet and broil for a few minutes in the oven.)
- Assemble Gyros: Serve gyro meat in a warm pita, topped with tomato, onion, lettuce, tzatziki, and feta.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is SO GOOD, I did it with just ground beef, and a second time with just ground turkey meat, and the outcome was fresh tasting and delicious.
Can you use “Lamb” shoulder as a substitute as ground lamb for this recipe?
You could, but it’ll need extra steps. Lamb shoulder isn’t a direct sub for ground lamb — you’d need to grind or finely mince it first. If you have a food processor or meat grinder, it can work great!
Love Gyros and thought that making the loaf and slicing was genius. Great flavor with simple ingredients. My entire family gobbled it up. Will make again.
My son loved this and he hates alot of food so I have to give it 5 stars