These Greek-style lamb pitas are made using my favourite homemade pita bread recipe and then topped with dairy free tzatziki and tender, slow roasted lamb shoulder. These easy lamb pitas are a great option to use up leftover lamb, or to make as an alternative to a BBQ for a friends and family gathering.
I don’t know if it’s because I have a trip planned later this year to visit Greece, but I am really enjoying experimenting with Greek-inspired dishes and flavours at the moment. I’m talking lot’s of fresh lemon, herbs, garlic and of course the essential meat and bread!
This recipe is not an authentic style dish, but rather just the culmination of my go-to at home Greek-style feast. With tender, flavourful meat, a creamy and cooling tzatziki and of course, the essential element being homemade pita bread. It really is so much easier to make than you might think and it tastes so much better than anything store-bought. It’s very worth the additional effort!
Of course I’ve used homemade the elements to this recipe, but you can always use store-bought if you just want to use this recipe as inspiration and make it a little more weeknight friendly. See later in the post for some variations and options!
Key Ingredients
This recipe is great to use as a guide. You can use it simply just for the homemade pita breads and then combine that with your protein and sauce of choice, or choose to make everything including the slow roasted lamb from scratch and create a delicious and wholesome Sunday feast!
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Lamb – to make this dish you can really use any protein you like, such as grilled chicken or falafel, but I like to use my slow roasted lamb shoulder.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US, is the base for our homemade pitas. You can also use bread flour.
- Dry yeast – we’re using instant dry yeast which gives this pita it’s structure and ‘bready’ taste.
- White sugar – sugar activates the yeast so is an essential ingredient for any yeast based breads.
- Salt – essential for flavour! Leave it out and your bread will be bland.
- Olive oil – the extra fat makes the pita bread soft and pliable.
- Dairy free tzatziki – I have never found a store-bought brand of dairy free tzatziki so I use my recipe to make my own. You can use any store bought sauce you like however but I do recommend giving this a go as it’s super easy and tastes so good!
- Fresh mint – I love the addition of fresh herbs in these pitas. You can use mint or parsley if you prefer.
- Salad – to finish off the pitas, I like to add a little salad such as rocket / arugula and sliced cucumbers, but you can use shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, or really any salad you prefer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
There are a couple of elements to this recipe. If you want to make these as I have, then you’ll need to jump over to these posts to prepare the slow roasted lamb shoulder and the dairy free tzatziki.
I love this recipe to use the leftovers of the lamb, so depending on the size of the lamb shoulder, the first night you can have the classic roast, then use the leftovers with these pitas!
Now onto the homemade pitas!
How to Make Pita Bread
Start by combining the yeast, sugar and warm water in the base of a large bowl. Mix together and then let rest for about 5 minutes covered with a damp tea towel. The mixture should get nice and frothy – if it doesn’t your yeast is dead and you will need to throw it away and get some new stuff!
Once frothy, add your flour, olive oil and salt – in that order. We don’t want direct contact with the yeast and salt as they are fine when mixed together but don’t react well to direct contact.
I recommend using a stand mixer for this one as it makes the process so easy but you can do it by hand. The dough is done once it has been mixed together and kneaded until it’s smooth.
Lightly oil the mixing bowl, coating the ball of dough as well and set aside in a warm spot covered with the damp tea towel for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and again turn out onto a floured surface and lightly knead until smooth. Shape into a ball and cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and begin rolling out the dough into circles. You want the dough circles to be about 15 cm in diameter. Make sure to keep any dough that you are not using covered with the damp tea towel so it doesn’t dry out.
Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove (don’t add any oil). Once hot, add the dough, one at a time, cooking for about 2 minutes until it is puffing and bubbling and the bottom is golden. Turn and cook for another minute. Repeat until all the pitas are cooked.
Assemble the easy lamb pitas
Once the pita has been made, and you’ve prepared your lamb and tzatziki, then all that’s left is the assembly! If you’re making these for a group, a great idea is simply laying out all of the ingredients in a serve yourself style set up.
To assemble, I start with a warm pita, then spread on a generous amount of the tzatziki. Add the lamb and your salad of choice. The pitas are then finished off with some fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon.
Lamb Pita Variations
There are honestly endless combinations for how to customise this recipe, but here are a few options that I tend to do regularly.
- Don’t have time to slow roast a lamb shoulder? No worries! You can slice up 500 grams of lamb leg steak instead and marinate it for 30 minutes to an hour with ¼ cup olive oil, 3-4 cloves crushed garlic, salt, dried thyme or oregano, and the zest from one lemon. Cook in a hot frying pan and serve.
- Looking for a store bought alternative to the dairy free tzatziki? Take a look in the dip section of the supermarket as usually all of these options can be easily found dairy free and taste AMAZING with the lamb and pita breads! Try taramasalata, baba ganoush, or hummus.
- Add a zesty lemon mayo! Combine about ¼ cup of mayonnaise with the juice of one lemon and a pinch of salt. Adjust quantity of lemon and salt to taste.
- Looking for a meat-free option? Try plant-based lamb strips like I use in my plant-based lamb tart, or use these homemade pitas for my cauliflower and chickpea shawarmas.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Homemade pitas can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To keep them soft, wrap them in a clean tea towel after cooking. Reheat in a dry pan or microwave before serving. They also freeze well. To do so, place baking paper between each pita and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat as needed.
Of course! Simply use this recipe as inspiration. If you’re short on time, store-bought pitas or flatbreads are fine and can be a great option. Warm them slightly in a pan or oven before assembling to make them more pliable and delicious.
Honestly, this recipe works well with grilled chicken, leftover roast beef, or even falafel or grilled vegetables for a vegetarian version. Feel free to get creative and use what you have or like.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More homemade bread recipes:
Vegan Naan
Pull-Apart Garlic Bread Wreath
Easy Pizza Dough Recipe
Olive and Herb Focaccia
Greek-Style Lamb Pitas
Ingredients
Homemade pita bread:
- 7 grams dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ½ cups plain flour/all purpose flour plus ¼ cup extra
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
To make the lamb pitas:
- 500 grams slow roasted lamb shoulder
- 1 cup dairy free tzatziki
- ½ cucumber sliced
- 60 grams rocket or shredded lettuce
- lemon wedges to serve
- Fresh mint leaves to serve
Instructions
- Make the homemade pita bread. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dry yeast, sugar and warm water. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the plain flour, salt and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix using a dough hook attachment on the stand mixer, or by hand with a wooden spoon, until a rough dough forms.
- Using the stand mixer or kneading by hand on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, adding a little of the extra ¼ cup flour if needed, until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten and roll out into a circle about 15 cm in diameter.
- Heat a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (no oil needed). Cook each pita for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until puffed and lightly golden. Wrap in a clean tea towel to keep warm and soft.
- Assemble the lamb pitas. Gently reheat the shredded slow roasted lamb shoulder in a frying pan or microwave until heated through, if needed.
- Place a warm pita on a plate. Spread a generous spoonful of dairy-free tzatziki over the centre. Top with warm lamb, a few slices of cucumber and a handful of rocket or shredded lettuce.
- Sprinkle with fresh mint leaves and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This post was originally published on the 18th February 2019. It has been republished to include a slight change to the recipe, more helpful information and new photos.
Adrianne says
Wow Sally, these look great! Love them. The presentation and styling is beautiful, well done. These would be delicious any night!!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
Sounds so delicious – I have never made my own pita bread before, so I was super excited to come across your recipe. What a fantastic combination of flavours!
Sally says
Thanks Alexandra!
Robyn says
These sound amazing! Bread is definitely my cooking weak point too, but I can’t wait to give these a try!
Sally says
It really is easier than you think!
Gavin says
I am DEFO making those pittas!! Doing a slow cooked lamb leg next weekend so I’ve got my inspiration right here for making pittas 😎😎
Sally says
That sounds delicious!
mimi rippee says
Fabulous! And such beautiful pitas. These are a great excuse to go buy some lamb.
Sally says
Thanks Mimi!