Lamb Gyros are always a treat when we splurge on takeout. Filled with perfectly seasoned strips of lamb and beef, fresh veggies, and a creamy tzatziki sauce, this recipe shows you how to make them right at home for whenever the craving hits!
You can make lamb shawarma meat right at home without any rotisserie equipment like a vertical skewer. With most of your kitchen time being hands-off, trust me when I say everyone will ask for seconds.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $2.97
- Total Cost (about 8 wraps): $23.72
- Those Other Guys: $16.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Ground Lamb & Beef - These wraps are made with a mixture of ground lamb and beef. You can go all lamb, but will have to incorporate some more fat into the meat so they don't dry out in the oven.
- Spice Blend - We make a quick homemade shawarma seasoning for that authentic taste. This seasoning blend includes notes of cinnamon, cloves, and dried oregano. If you have a pre-bought spice blend, you can use that instead.
- Fresh Veggies - Chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and shredded lettuce give crunch and extra nutrients.
- Flatbread - You can actually make this yourself if you want - I have a delicious recipe for naan bread here - but if you're running short on time, just grab a pack of pita bread circles from the store.
- Tzatziki - Check out this recipe for my homemade tzatziki sauce. The trick is to drain the shredded cucumber so you don't have all that extra moisture! The sauce is great to put on the wrap, and save some extra to dip each bite into.
Variations and Substitutions
French Fries: Some even like to add fries to the wraps themselves! But even if you just serve on the side, crispy French fries are a classic side dish for gyros.
Flatbread: Pita bread or lavash bread are other great wrap options.
Other Sauces: Not a huge fan of tzatziki? You can spread hummus or whipped feta on the wraps.
Chicken Gyros: Use marinated chicken thighs for a fun twist on the classic gyro meat.
How to Make (and Perfectly Wrap) Lamb Gyros at Home
Step 1: To begin, season your ground lamb and beef with a shawarma seasoning blend and let it marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.
Step 2: After that, blend in a food processor with fresh garlic, onion, olive oil, and some ice cubes. It should form a smooth paste.
Step 3: Add the ground meat to a square baking pan, and bake low and slow at 325℉ for about 45 minutes.
Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
Step 4: Add the sliced pieces to a foil-lined sheet pan, and broil for a couple of minutes to get them nice and crispy.
You can also pan fry them on high heat for similar results!
Step 5: Finally, assemble each wrap with the strips of lamb, your favorite fresh vegetables, and sauces. Wrap in foil or parchment paper and enjoy.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Allow the cooked meat to rest. The more you let the meat loaf rest, the easier it is to slice into thin pieces. If time allows, I recommend refrigerating it for an hour.
- Warm your pita. A warm flatbread wraps much easier and can prevent tearing.
- Scoop those seeds! The cucumber and tomato seeds will make your wrap watery. Scoop the seeds out and discard before chopping the veggies.
Recipe FAQs
The true Greek pronunciation is "YEE-roh", with a y-sound instead of a hard g- or j-sound.
Yiro actually translates to "turning" - and you'll usually see the meat turning on a spit in Greek shops and food carts.
Of course! You can use pork, beef, or chicken in classic gyros.
You can freeze the flatbreads and cooked lamb meat. I recommend adding the other ingredients like cucumbers and tomatoes right before serving, since they will not hold up very well after freezing and thawing.
Because lamb itself is a lot leaner than other meats like beef or pork, I like to do a 1:1 ratio of ground lamb and ground beef to make this dish.
The beef provides extra fat/flavor and prevents the meat from drying out in the oven.
If you want to use all lamb, I recommend adding some extra fat into the mixture by using olive oil.
Other Tasty Lunch Recipes You'll Love!
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Easy Lamb Gyros
Equipment
- Sauce Bowl
- Mixing Bowl (with lid)
- Food Processor
- Sheet Pan
- Aluminum Foil
- Tongs
- Chef's Knife
- Instant-Read Thermometer
Ingredients
Shawarma Seasoning (for 2 lbs. of meat)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Lamb Gyro Meat
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 pound 80/20 Angus ground beef
- ¼ count onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup ice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings & Assembly
- 6 ounces tomatoes (chopped)
- 8 count pita flatbreads (or naan breads)
- shredded lettuce
- tzatziki sauce
- feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
Shawarma Seasoning
- If making your own seasoning, mix together all of the dried spices in a small bowl. Set aside.1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon chili powder
Lamb Marinade
- Mix together the ground lamb, ground beef, and spice mix in a bowl. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.1 pound ground lamb, 1 pound 80/20 Angus ground beef
- Preheat your oven to 325℉.
- To a food processor, add the seasoned meat, ice, fresh garlic, fresh onion, and olive oil.Process until you form a purée.¼ count onion, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ cup ice, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Spread into the bottom of a square baking dish, lined with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until internal temperature is about 165℉ in the center. Remove from the oven, and let the meat rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes.This helps the loaf of meat set, to make it easier to slice.
- Slice the meat into thin strips that are about ⅛-inch thick.
- Lay the slices flat on a foil-lined sheet pan, and broil for 1 - 3 minutes to get a little crisp on the pieces.
Gyro Assembly
- Meanwhile, chop your tomatoes. Warm the pita breads in a turned-off (but still warm) oven or microwave.6 ounces tomatoes, 8 count pita flatbreads
- Assemble your gyros: wrap, tzatziki sauce, gyro meat and veggies, and feta cheese. I like to wrap each one in foil for extra security. Enjoy!tzatziki sauce, feta cheese crumbles, shredded lettuce
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!