I LOVE this recipe! It may not be as pretty as actually going to our favorite Greek restaurant, but the flavors are there. I really like that I don’t have to watch a pan and I can just through these in the oven to cook.
I was able to find the tzatziki sauce at my local grocery store already pre-made to save on some prep and time. Our store was a little funny and had the pita bread hidden in the bakery section. I was looking on the bread aisle like a fool!
Below are some photos I took throughout my cooking process. Please try this recipe out and let me know what you think!
Homemade Gyros
Servings: 16
Equipment
- Baking Sheet with Sides
- Food Processor (helpful to have, but you can use a knife)
Ingredients
Gyro Meat
- 1 Ib ground beef
- 1 Ib ground lamb
- 2 tbs bacon grease (or butter)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried cumin
Building the Gyro
- sliced tomato
- sliced cucumber
- baby spinach
- tzatziki sauce (I store bought mine to save time)
- sliced thin red onion
- pita rounds (I found this in the bakery)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a food processor to finely chop the onion and garlic. If you don't have a food processor just use a knife to chop the onion and garlic finely.
- In a large bowl, add all gyro meat ingredients: 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground lamb, 2 tablespoons butter OR bacon grease,* 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 cup Panko crumbs, chopped onion, minced garlic, 4 teaspoons kosher salt (see note), 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 2 teaspoons cumin
- Combine the meat using your hands.
- Shape the meat into about 8-10 patties.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and remove the parchment paper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes in the oven. The additional 5 minutes is for browning the meat.
- Prepare the gyro toppings: Thinly slice a red onion. Slice the tomatoes. Slice the cucumbers. Warm the pita bread on the stove top, microwave, or the oven.
- Build your gyro: Add a layer of tzatziki sauce to a warm pita. Slice a gyro patty in half lengthwise for easier eating, and place on top of Tzatziki. Garnish with red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, and anything else you like.
