Mediterranean Ground Beef Pita (Printer View)

Ground beef with herbs, fresh veggies, feta, and yogurt sauce in warm whole wheat pita pockets.

# Components:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1.1 pounds 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 crumbled feta cheese
21 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spatula. Sprinkle in cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
03 - Warm pita breads briefly 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 with yogurt sauce, and garnish with fresh parsley.
05 - Serve immediately while pitas are warm and filling is fresh.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Speed matters: Dinner hits the table in under thirty minutes, which means you can actually enjoy your evening instead of spending it in the kitchen.
  • Everything tastes fresh: The contrast between warm spiced beef and cool crisp vegetables with that tangy yogurt sauce is genuinely addictive.
  • Handheld and forgiving: You can stuff them however you want, and somehow they always taste better when you're eating with your hands.
02 -
  • Don't overcook your vegetables: I learned this by prepping everything too far ahead and ending up with sad, limp cucumbers by dinner time—chop and slice just before you assemble.
  • Warm your pitas, but not too much: They need to be just warm enough to be pliable; if they're actually hot, they'll dry out quickly and become brittle instead of soft.
03 -
  • Break up your ground beef into small pieces: Smaller pieces brown faster and cook more evenly, giving you better texture throughout instead of some chunks undercooked and others overdone.
  • Taste your yogurt sauce before serving: The balance of lemon and salt is personal, and adding a tiny bit more of either one can transform a good sauce into one that makes people pause and ask what you did.
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