Description
Greek-inspired beef gyros elevate street cuisine with tender marinated meat nestled in warm pita bread. Flavorful spices and fresh tzatziki sauce create a Mediterranean experience you’ll savor bite after bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 4 pita breads (or flatbreads)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup lettuce, chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Marinade Fusion: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper into a vibrant flavor base.
- Meat Preparation: Thoroughly coat beef slices in marinade, ensuring complete coverage, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight for maximum flavor infusion.
- Searing Technique: Heat skillet to medium-high and cook marinated beef slices for 3-4 minutes per side, developing a golden-brown crust while maintaining succulent interior.
- Tzatziki Creation: Blend Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, crushed garlic, lemon juice, dill, and salt until smooth, then chill to allow flavors to meld.
- Bread Warming: Gently warm pita bread in a dry skillet to enhance flexibility and texture.
- Gyros Assembly: Layer crisp lettuce, seared beef, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and feta cheese on warmed pita, generously drizzling tzatziki sauce over the ingredients.
- Serving Presentation: Fold pita carefully, wrap in foil or parchment, and serve immediately to preserve heat and flavor profile.
Notes
- Maximize Marinade Impact: Let beef soak in marinade overnight for deeper, more intense flavor penetration and enhanced tenderness.
- Perfect Meat Searing: Use high heat and avoid overcrowding the skillet to achieve a golden-brown crust without steaming the beef.
- Tzatziki Texture Trick: Squeeze excess moisture from grated cucumber to prevent watery sauce and maintain creamy consistency.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Swap traditional pita with lettuce wraps or gluten-free flatbread for dietary restrictions without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg