Homemade Greek Gyros
If you love Greek gyros, this recipe is for you. Soft and fragrant homemade pita bread contains layers of crispy yet tender gyro slices, sweet tomatoes, and fresh, thinly sliced onion. Finally, that’s topped with the traditional tangy and fresh Greek yogurt and cucumber-based tzatziki sauce.
Plan this out over a few days, and you’ll be surprised to find how easy it is to make these delicious gyros at home! They can be made traditionally or as mini appetizers that wow. The instructions for the minis are just after the recipe.
Double the Recipe and Freeze a Loaf
This recipe makes the gyro lovers in my life happy, very happy. I always double the recipe and make two loaves since it freezes beautifully. If you do this, process each batch separately through the pureeing stage. This ensures that each loaf gets full flavor from the ingredients.
To freeze, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil and place it in a plastic bag in the freezer. Use the loaf within the month.
If you have a vacuum sealer, you will get a few extra months in the freezer.
Homemade Greek Gyros
Ingredients
Gyro Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb substitute: ½ # lamb and ½ # ground beef 80/20
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp oregano dried
- 1 white onion small cut into chunks
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 5 slices smoked bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
Sandwich Ingredients
- 4 pita bread warmed
- 2 tomatoes large, sliced
- 1 white onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup tzatziki sauce
Instructions
Gyro Meat
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Mix gently using the pincher method until all ingredients are incorporated.1 lb ground lamb, 2 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp oregano
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour minimum to allow flavors to meld. This can sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- Before processing, place the bacon pieces into the freezer for 30 minutes, so they firm up.
- Preheat oven to 300 °F.
- Place the cold meat mixture into the food processor bowl with the onion, garlic, and cold bacon. Pulse until a smooth puree is formed, approximately 1 minute. Scrape down the sides during the pulsing process as necessary. You want a smooth puree at the end.1 white onion, 1 clove garlic, 5 slices smoked bacon
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wet your hands and form the meat into a rectangle 8 inches long by 5 inches wide. This will result in a loaf 1 ½ inches tall.
- Bake 30 minutes or until the center of the loaf is 155 °F.
- Allow the loaf to rest for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 5 days
Gyro Sandwiches
- When you're ready to make the gyros, move your broiler rack to 5-6 inches below the heat source. Preheat the broiler.
- Slice the crosswise into thin slices ⅛ - ¼ thick. Place on foil, so they are not overlapping. Broil for two minutes until the pieces have browned and the edges are crispy. Place on a paper towel while you assemble your gyros.
- Divide the meat evenly among the four pieces of bread. Add sliced tomatoes and sliced onions to taste. Top with 1/4 of the tzatziki sauce. Serve immediately.4 pita bread, 2 tomatoes, 1 white onion, 1 cup tzatziki sauce
Kitchen Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
De Froid Tip: Mini's
Mini gyros make a beautiful presentation. People who love gyros devour these! Roll out your pita bread into 3-inch circles and cook for a minute on each side until they begin to puff and brown. Fill them with the recipe from above, and you’ve got a show-stopping appetizer.
Here I added fresh dill and lemon zest as garnish. I also piped lemon aioli to make the presentation shine. If you know someone who loves gyros, make a memorable moment with these mini Greek gyro appetizers.
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