Mediterranean Ground Beef Pita (Printable)

Spiced ground beef with fresh veggies, feta, and yogurt sauce nestled in warm whole wheat pita pockets.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 pound 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 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

→ Yogurt Sauce

11 - 1/2 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 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
20 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
21 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Sprinkle in cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the 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 the warm ground beef mixture. Top with diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red onion. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle or spoon over the yogurt sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.
05 - Serve immediately while the pitas are warm and the filling is fresh.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means you can have a restaurant-quality meal on the table before anyone gets hangry.
  • The warm beef and cool yogurt sauce create this perfect textural contrast that keeps things interesting in every bite.
  • You can prep the components ahead and let people build their own, which somehow makes everyone happier and the cooking feel less like a chore.
02 -
  • If you skip warming the pitas, they'll crack when you try to stuff them and fall apart in people's hands—it's a small step that changes everything about the eating experience.
  • The magic happens when you taste the warm spiced beef against cool yogurt and crisp vegetables, so resist the urge to assemble these too far ahead of serving.
03 -
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving ties everything together and prevents the flavors from tasting one-dimensional or heavy.
  • If your pitas start to cool while you're assembling, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft.
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