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This delicious Beef Gyro recipe has all of the amazing Middle Eastern flavor and is made in your cast iron skillet at home!
Check out more of our favorite dinner recipes including Crock Pot Butter Chicken, Slow Cooker Cuban Beef and Thai Basil Chicken
what is a Gyro?
Gyro, pronounced “yee row”, is a traditional Middle Eastern street food. I still remember the first gyro I enjoyed during a trip to Greece, it was amazing! A gyro is a combination of well seasoned meat served wrapped in a piece of pita bread and often topped with Tzatziki sauce. The gyro we had in Greece came with french fries on top.
What Kind of Meat Do You Use for Beef Gyros?
Traditionally, gyros are made from lamb, chicken or beef. Today we are using thinly sliced beef flank steak. Gyro meat is usually cooked on a rotating spit but since most home kitchens don’t have one we are using a cast iron pan. My favorite part of a gyro is the amazing flavor you get from the spices used.
I also have a Chicken Gyro recipe here.
Gyro Meat Seasoning
- cinnamon
- ginger
- cloves
- nutmeg
- lemon juice
- garlic
- parsley
- onion
- salt and pepper
how to Make Gyros
- Thinly slice your flank steak. Slice when partially frozen to allow for thinner slices.
- Add in seasonings. You can also use 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
- Add in onion, garlic, fresh parsley and salt and pepper.
- Stir to coat meat. Let sit while you assemble the sauce.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
This recipe for yogurt sauce is slightly different than the traditional Tzatziki sauce that is commonly served on gyros but it is just as delicious.
- Combine chopped tomatoes and cucumber with Greek Yogurt
- Add in some fresh garlic, red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
How to Serve a Gyro
We love to serve gyros on pita bread, but you can also use Naan bread if you prefer.
Wrap the meat in the pita bread and then top with the tzaziki sauce and some fresh lettuce if you like
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find my easy to make slow cooker and instant pot version of beef gyros here.
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
For other delicious recipes try these:
Beef Gyro
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb. flank steak thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 cup English cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 2 cloves garlic pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix together the sliced steak, onion , cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg (or use 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice), lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parsley, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a bowl.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- Mix together yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice.
- Mix in tomatoes and cucumbers
- Salt and pepper to taste
Meat Mixture
- Heat a cast iron pan to medium heat.
- Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to pan and then add meat and onion mixture in a single layer.
- Cook until meat is browned and cooked through. Repeat with remaining meat.
- Warm bread and serve meat and tzaziki sauce on top
Nutrition Facts:
Originally posted on January 17, 2014
Onebrightcrayon says
I’m very thankful for this recipe. I used it as a base recipe for a quick and easy dinner.
I used the following groceries from Walmart:
1.5lbs Beef Bottom Round Steak Stir Fry, presliced
1 medium onion, sliced
Minced garlic, jar
Lemon juice, bottle
Olive oil for sautéing
6ct Sams Choice White Greek Style Pita Bread
16oz Marketside Tzatziki Style Dip (cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, onion)
9-10oz Marketside Romaine lettuce bag, pre chopped
1 tomato, sliced
For an even quicker dinner, I’d use the fresh, prediced onions and tomatoes in the refrigerator section
This was enough for 2 adults & 1 7yo for dinner and then 2 gyros for my husbands lunch the next day.
Seanna says
I have made this recipe twice, for 2 different groups of people. It is always delicious and well received, I get many compliments, and my picky young son gives it the thumbs up, and make again rating, which is hard to do, and very exciting. I am blown away at how the pumpkin pie spice really puts this recipe over the edge. Thanks for sharing!!
Leigh Anne says
Seanna, I am so glad everyone loves it. The pumpkin pie spice addition is the best!!
Michelle says
This was absolutely wonderful and so easy! I don’t care if it was authentic or not – simply delightful. Our local grocery store carries naan and I can’t imagine substituting pita. Thank you so much for this wonderful addition to my meal rotation. I look forward to more of your recipes!
Mary says
I would like to eat this for dinner VERY soon. It looks delicious! Your blog is adorable…I love the colors! I am looking forward to the SITS challenge this week!
Leigh Anne says
Thanks for stopping by Mary!!