Easy ground beef gyros are packed with Greek flavor, nestled into warm pita bread and topped with creamy homemade tzatziki sauce and fresh veggies. It is an easy weeknight meal you will want to make again and again!
Ground beef is such a quick and convenient cut of meat. We always have it on hand, and it is perfect to use in family favorite dishes such as ground beef pot pie, stuffed bell peppers, Korean beef, and chili.
Lately, these savory ground beef gyros are on the menu, too. It starts with juicy ground beef seasoned well with Greek seasonings. Spoon the meat onto soft pita bread, and place dollops of homemade creamy tzatziki sauce over the top.
We adorn these gyros with everything from the classic gyro toppings like feta cheese, dill, cucumber, and red onion, to other delicious toppings like pickled red onion, roasted red pepper hummus, and crispy chickpeas. This is the tastiest dish, no matter how you choose to enjoy it.
Serve this meal alongside crispy roasted potatoes for a hearty dinner, or with some fresh fruit and vegetables for a crowd pleasing lunch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Versatile – Picky eaters? No problem! Beef gyors are a versatile meal. Everyone can top their gyro with their favorites.
Full of unique flavors – These delicious beef gyros give you all the Greek flavor of traditional gyro meat while using ground beef for a convenient cut. The creamy and bright flavors of the tzatziki, along with the fresh toppings, pull together this savory meal together so well.
Simple whole foods – These easy gyros are full of whole-food ingredients that both taste delicious and are nutritious.
Ingredients
Pita bread – Homemade pita bread is an incredible vessel for this gyro recipe. It is easy to make, and the leftovers taste great turned into pita chips for dipping into roasted red pepper hummus
Cucumber – English cucumbers are a good choice for the tzatziki sauce because they have a lower water content and less seeds than other varieties.
Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Beef Gyros
Step 1: Make the Tzatziki: Finely shred the cucumber, then squeeze it really well to remove as much moisture as you can (this keeps the sauce from getting watery). Stir together the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper. Let it rest for about 10 minutes so the flavors can blend. Give it a taste and adjust with a little more salt or lemon juice if you like. Set it aside while you prep everything else.
Step 2: Cook the Beef Mixture: Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain off any excess fat. Add the garlic, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 30 – 60 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant and the spices are well combined. Taste the cooked and seasoned beef and adjust for seasoning. Remove from the heat.
Step 3: Assemble the Gyros: Warm your pitas (optional but so good). Spread a generous layer of tzatziki over each one
Step 4: Spoon the beef mixture on top, and finish with your favorite toppings — red onion slices, crumbled feta, fresh dill, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. Fold and enjoy!
Tips
- Let the tzatziki rest. Even 10 – 15 minutes makes a huge difference when flavors blend together.
- Warm the pitas. A quick toast in a dry skillet or a few seconds in the microwave makes for delicious pitas.
- Make it meal-prep friendly. The beef mixture reheats well, and the tzatziki stays fresh for a couple of days in the fridge. Assemble the gyros right before serving to keep the pita from getting soggy.
Recipe FAQs
A gyro is a classic Greek sandwich, made with thinly sliced meat. It features a combination of spices, nestled in warm pita bread, and dressed with a variety of toppings. In my recipe, I use ground beef for a quick version that still tastes delicious!
to season the meat mixture in this recipe, I use garlic, lemon, thyme, oregano and cumin. This gives the homemade gyro meat a delicious flavor like that of an authentic Greek recipe.
Gyros are drizzled with a fresh creamy sauce called tzatziki. This cucumber sauce is made with yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, and lemon for a bright zesty flavor.
The classic gyro toppings are, traditional tzatziki sauce, thinly sliced red onions and sliced tomatoes. There are a variety of other toppings that are commonly found on gyros such as crisp lettuce, feta cheese, thin slices of cucumber, potatoes, or French fries. Fresh herbs like parsley and dill also make a great addition.
More Dinner Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Classic Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe
- Pumpkin Gnocchi With Sage Butter Sauce
- Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe
- Roasted Beet Salad With Goat Cheese
- One Pan Pork Chops With Apples
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Easy Beef Gyros With Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup finely shredded cucumber, moisture squeezed out
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
Beef Mixture:
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper
To Assemble the Gyros:
- 4 Pita bread rounds
- Optional toppings: Red onion, feta cheese, cucumber, tomatoes.
Instructions
Make the Tzatziki:
- Finely shred the cucumber, then squeeze it really well to remove as much moisture as you can (this keeps the sauce from getting watery).
- Stir together the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Let it rest for about 10 minutes so the flavors can blend.
- Give it a taste and adjust with a little more salt or lemon juice if you like. Set it aside while you prep everything else.
Cook the Beef Mixture:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain off any excess fat.
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 30 – 60 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant and the spices are well combined.
- Taste the cooked and seasoned beef and adjust for seasoning. Remove from the heat.
Assemble the Gyros:
- Warm your pitas (optional but so good).
- Spread a generous layer of tzatziki over each one.
- Spoon the beef mixture on top.
- Finish with your favorite toppings — red onion slices, crumbled feta, fresh dill, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. Fold and enjoy!
Notes
- Let the tzatziki rest. Even 10 – 15 minutes makes a huge difference when flavors blend together.
- Warm the pitas. A quick toast in a dry skillet or a few seconds in the microwave makes for delicious pitas.
- Make it meal-prep friendly. The beef mixture reheats well, and the tzatziki stays fresh for a couple of days in the fridge. Assemble the gyros right before serving to keep the pita from getting soggy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
