Mediterranean Ground Beef Pita (Print Version)

Spiced ground beef with crisp veggies and feta in warm pita pockets with a creamy yogurt sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1.1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
10 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Yogurt Sauce

11 - 0.5 cup Greek yogurt
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Pinch of black pepper

→ Assembly

16 - 4 whole wheat pita breads
17 - 1 cup diced cucumber
18 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
19 - 0.25 cup red onion, thinly sliced
20 - 0.25 cup feta cheese, crumbled
21 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spatula. Sprinkle in cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and cooked through. Remove from heat.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
03 - Warm pita breads in the microwave or toaster for 10-20 seconds until pliable. Cut each pita in half to form pockets.
04 - Fill each pita half with a generous spoonful of warm ground beef mixture. Top with diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red onion. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle or spoon yogurt sauce over filling. Garnish with fresh parsley.
05 - Serve immediately while pitas are warm and filling is fresh.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes, which means dinner happens without the stress.
  • Everything tastes fresher because you're eating warm beef against cool, crisp vegetables in the same bite.
  • You can make the beef and sauce ahead, then assemble in minutes when hunger actually hits.
02 -
  • If your pita bread is cold, it tears easily, so warming it those extra 15 seconds actually matters more than you'd think.
  • Don't skip mincing fresh garlic for the yogurt sauce, because that's what makes it taste bright instead of just creamy.
03 -
  • Make the beef filling and yogurt sauce 2 to 3 hours ahead and keep them separate in the refrigerator, then assemble everything fresh right before eating.
  • If you want more complexity, add a tiny pinch of sumac or a squeeze of lemon juice directly on the beef before assembling for an extra layer of brightness.
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