If you have never tried Middle Eastern Beef Pita also known as Lahmajune, you are missing out. This savory meal is flavorful and extremely tasty!
It is so simple to make this Middle Eastern Beef Pita. The traditional way that lahmajune is made requires the dough to be made from scratch. However, in this recipe we are saving a lot of time by preparing it with high quality pita bread.
Make sure to use good quality, grass-fed ground beef for this recipe. Leaving the ground beef mixture in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes after adding all the spices and sauce will allow the flavors to marinate and give you incredibly delicious results!
How to cook Middle Eastern Pita Bread
I have tried cooking this delicious lahmajune in 2 different ways and both ways turned out delicious! You can pan fry them in a little bit of avocado oil as I did in my video demonstration, or bake the in the oven. Baking them in the oven makes the lahmajune crispier and takes less time. Pan frying them gives more character to the flavor and takes a little bit longer to cook.
Useful Kitchen Tools
Tips on cooking Middle Eastern Pita Bread
If you are baking them in the oven, make sure to keep a watchful eye on two things. First, make sure the pita doesn’t burn, and second, make sure the beef is fully cooked. I check for a darker color and watch for the juices on the meat to absorb before taking it out. Baking it can take anywhere from 20-25 minutes depending on your oven.
If you are pan frying as I did, you can use 2 large pans. You can cook 2 pita breads in each pan, allowing you to cook a total of 4 at a time. When you flip the pita breads over, don’t worry if a little bit of the beef falls off. Simply place the beef back of the pita bread and press it into the bread to keep it in tact.
Make sure you add a thin layer of beef on the pita bread so it cooks through. If you see it did not cook through when you flip it over, just carefully flip it over once more and cook for a few more minutes.
I highly recommend you try this recipe and let me know on intstagram @cookingwithrips what you think, and tag me in your photos. I would LOVE to see!
Enjoy this delicious recipe!
Love and Light,
Rips
| Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes |
| Serves: About 12 Beef Pita Breads | Total Time: 40 minutes |
| Ingredients 12 pita breads 2 lbs ground beef 1 onion 1 large red bell pepper 5 garlic cloves 2 tbsp avocado oil 2 tsp salt 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 bunch fresh parsley (finely chopped) 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tbsp tomato paste |
| Instructions 1. In a medium food processor, chopper, or blender, puree the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until smooth. 2. Place the pureed vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Then add the ground beef, finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and avocado oil. 3. Mix until well combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator for approximately 15-20 minutes. 4. Remove the beef mixture out of the fridge. Next, add about half a cup of beef to the pita bread. Press beef mixture evenly into the bread. You should have a thin layer of beef mixture covering the pita bread. 5. Repeat step 4 until all the pita breads are covered with the beef mixture. *Note- I did not cut the pita breads in half, but you definitely can if you would like to. 6. Heat two large pans with 1 tbsp of oil in each pan. Add the pita bread with the beef mixture face down on the pan. Then cook on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. Next, carefully flip and cook another 4-5 minutes on the second side. *Optional-Enjoy with freshly squeezed lemon If baking in the oven 1. Preheat oven to 400F 2. Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. 3. Place the pita breads onto the lined baking sheet with the beef mixture facing up. 4. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked. |
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