Craving the delicious flavors of a gyro but short on time? This recipe is your answer! Whip up restaurant-worthy gyros with Tzatziki sauce in under 30 minutes with our incredibly easy method.
Marinated ground meat gets seasoned to perfection, then crisped to juicy goodness. Pile it onto warm pita bread with a creamy, homemade tzatziki sauce bursting with fresh flavors of cucumber, garlic, and dill.
Add a sprinkle of red onion, chopped tomatoes, and lettuce for a flavor and texture explosion in every bite.
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, satisfying lunches, or a fun family dinner everyone will love. So ditch the takeout menus and create gyro magic in your own kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Weeknight Wonder: Short on time but big on flavor cravings? This recipe comes to the rescue! Made with ground meat, it cooks up quickly and requires minimal prep work, making it a perfect weeknight dinner solution.
Restaurant-worthy at Home: Just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious. This recipe delivers authentic gyro flavors with juicy, seasoned meat and a cool, refreshing tzatziki sauce. It’s the taste of your favorite takeout spot, made in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Homemade Hero: The included recipe for tzatziki sauce lets you control the ingredients and customize the flavors to your preference. Fresh ingredients like cucumber, garlic, and dill shine through, creating a vibrant and flavorful sauce that complements the gyro perfectly.
Flavor & Texture Explosion: This recipe goes beyond just meat and bread. The addition of red onion, chopped tomatoes, and lettuce adds pops of color, freshness, and delightful textural contrast to every bite.
Budget-Friendly: Using ground meat makes this recipe a cost-effective way to enjoy gyros at home. Plus, many of the ingredients for the gyro and tzatziki sauce are likely pantry staples.
Customizable Cravings: Feel free to get creative! Add a sprinkle of your favorite spices to the meat for a personalized touch, or swap the vegetables for other options like pickled onions or crumbled feta cheese.
Anyway, when trying to come up with something for International Day, I started out thinking about my Heritage after participating in an event recently about Heritage.
But I made Croque Monsieur with a Bechamel Sauce for that, and I really wanted something different.
Additional Toppings for Gyros
Here are some classic and creative options for building your gyros:
Classic Toppings:
- Tzatziki Sauce: This creamy sauce made with yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and dill is a must-have for any gyro. It adds coolness, creaminess, and a touch of tanginess.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds a bit of bite and a pop of color to your gyro.
- Chopped Tomatoes: Fresh chopped tomatoes add a touch of sweetness and juiciness.
- Lettuce: Shredded romaine lettuce adds freshness and a bit of crunch.
Additional Options:
- Pickled Onions: Adds a tangy and flavorful counterpoint to the richness of the meat.
- Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta cheese adds a salty and creamy element.
- Hummus: Spread a thin layer of hummus inside the pita for extra flavor and creaminess.
- Olives: Kalamata or black olives add a salty briny element.
- Hot Sauce: Drizzle with a hot sauce for a spicy kick.
- Spices: A sprinkle of oregano or sumac adds an extra layer of Mediterranean flavor.
- French Fries: For a twist, add some crispy french fries inside the pita for a fun textural contrast.
Veggie-Focused Gyros:
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted peppers, eggplant, or zucchini add smoky depth and deliciousness.
- Marinated Artichoke Hearts: Adds a briny and flavorful twist.
- Grilled Halloumi Cheese: This salty cheese holds up well to grilling and adds a satisfying chew.
The key is to choose toppings that complement each other and suit your taste preferences. Don’t be afraid to experiment and create your own perfect gyro combination!
Do you like Gyros with Tzatziki sauce or without?
Recipe for Gyros with Tzatziki sauce
Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Pita bread
- 2 Tablespoons Tzatziki sauce recipe below in the instructions
- 2 Tablespoons onion chopped
- 2 Tablespoons tomato chopped
- 3 ounces lamb meat thinly sliced (can use thinly sliced beef)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
- pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a pan on the stove over medium-high heat, add several slices of lamb meat or steak um beef to the water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Cook until the water has boiled out.
- Flip the meat over and continue cooking for an additional minute or until meat has browned.
- Take a pita and fill it with the lamb meat. Add the onions, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce – enjoy!
- You need 1½ c. of Greek Yogurt – it helps a lot if you strain it for at least an hour or more in a yogurt strainer to remove as much liquid as you can but even if you don’t, it will still work. Put the yogurt in a large bowl, add ½ Tbs. minced garlic, ½ T. finely chopped (think – food processor) fresh dill, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper to taste. Mix together. In your food processor puree one peeled, chopped and seeded cucumber. Add to the yogurt, stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. I will tell you the longer it sits the better it is. If liquid forms as it sits, just pour it off and stir. Delicious!
Renee, they are so delicious aren’t they? Almost addicting. I don’t know what it is… have a great week!
Lane, I’m pretty sure I’d join you eating them every meal, and while I do love eating them at home, my favorite place in the world to get them is at carnivals and fairs… pathetic I know.
The lamb meat wasn’t easy to find – I couldn’t get it at the local grocery sliced thins – I had to go to our meat market and explain what we needed and they were happy to do it.)
I do like gyros too. I could eat one almost every day. Tzatziki sauce is just so delicious.
Renee, they are so delicious aren’t they? Almost addicting. I don’t know what it is… have a great week!
I love gyros and tzatziki. If it was socially acceptable to eat that for every meal I would! I’m glad I live in a city with a large Greek population, we have some of the best gyros right outside our door. I have considered making them at home before, but never really knew what to do about the meat. I will have to see if my butcher can slice some lamb very thin and give this a try.
Lane, I’m pretty sure I’d join you eating them every meal, and while I do love eating them at home, my favorite place in the world to get them is at carnivals and fairs… pathetic I know.
The lamb meat wasn’t easy to find – I couldn’t get it at the local grocery sliced thins – I had to go to our meat market and explain what we needed and they were happy to do it.)
I haven’t had gyros in forever! Will have to make this homemade version ASAP! 🙂
Renee, they are so delicious aren’t they? Almost addicting. I don’t know what it is… have a great week!
Lane, I’m pretty sure I’d join you eating them every meal, and while I do love eating them at home, my favorite place in the world to get them is at carnivals and fairs… pathetic I know.
The lamb meat wasn’t easy to find – I couldn’t get it at the local grocery sliced thins – I had to go to our meat market and explain what we needed and they were happy to do it.)