Juicy Pan-Fried Lamb Arayes with Yogurt Sauce
Juicy ground lamb arayes are one of the most delicious ways to cook with pita. The bread becomes golden and crisp while the spiced lamb stays tender and flavorful inside. Serve with cool tzatziki and bright sumac onions for the perfect balance of rich, tangy, and fresh. In my version, I combine cooking methods (both pan-seared and finished in an oven) to yield the crispiest, least greasy results. 🙌🏻 This is the arayes recipe to end all recipes.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 655kcal
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sumac Onions
- 1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced into half moons (or cut in half for smaller pieces)
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp sumac
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the Tzatziki
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ English or 1 whole Persian cucumber, finely grated
- 2 small cloves of garlic, grated
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the Ground Lamb Filling
- 1 lb ground lamb
- ½ medium sweet onion, grated (you can do this by hand or in a food processor)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1½ tsp baharat
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp sumac
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for brushing on arayes
- 4 fluffy Israeli-style pita bread, cut in half (per pound of meat)
Instructions
- Marinate the onions. Place sliced onions in a small bowl, then juice a lemon on top. Add 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp sumac, and ½ tsp kosher salt, then stir well.
- Make the yogurt sauce. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, ½ grated cucumber, 2 cloves of grated garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and ½ tsp kosher salt. Whisk well, then refrigerate until needed.
- Prepare the lamb. Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). While you can cook the arayes in a skillet and transfer that directly to an oven, I recommend lining a rimmed sheet pan with a wire rack so the pita remains crispy on all sides. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 lb ground lamb, grated onion, ¼ cup chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, 1½ tsp baharat, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp sumac, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and ½ tsp paprika. Use your hands to thoroughly mix everything together.
- Assemble the arayes. Gently open the pocket of each halved pita, then fill with ~⅓ cup of the ground lamb mixture. (I like the pitas a bit more stuffed. For every pound of meat, I get 7 arayes. You can fill them slightly less to get 8 servings or slightly more to get 6 servings – it comes down to personal preference. Cook time will vary based on arayes thickness.)
- Brush with oil. Instead of heating oil in the pan, brush all sides lightly with olive oil, including the meat.
- Cook the arayes. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat until hot. Place the pitas cut-side down so the meat is touching the pan. Cook until the meat is crisp and a deep golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Flip and cook bread-side down for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack-lined baking sheet, then place in an oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve immediately with yogurt sauce and tzatziki. Enjoy!
It’s helpful to make this at the start of cooking so that the raw onions have a chance to mellow out before serving.
Notes
- I’ve tested this with ground lamb, beef, and chicken – all come out fabulous, so use any ground meat you like.
- I’ve found that heating oil in the pan leads to greasier arayes. Instead, I recommend using a silicone brush to gently brush all sides (pita and meat) with oil before cooking.
- If you transfer the skillet directly to the oven to finish cooking, note that the bottom of the arayes will likely be greasy (but still so incredibly delicious!).
- Leftovers: Store cooked arayes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: For best texture, warm them in a 350°F / 175°C oven or toaster oven until heated through and crispy again.
Nutrition
Serving: 2pita | Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1590mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 631IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 4mg
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