Make your favorite American-style Greek gyros at home! This gyro meat recipe combines ground beef and lamb to get that distinctive flavor you find at Greek restaurants. The texture is meatloaf-style rather than restaurant-style, but the flavors are on point. Doing it this way saves tons of time. Top with Tzatziki Sauce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers! Originally published February 21, 2020.
Table of Contents
- Gyro Recipe Made Easier
- What is Gyro Meat?
- Greek Gyro ingredients
- How to make Gyro Meat
- How to Make Gyros
- Gyros Recipe tips
- How to store and reheat this Gyro Recipe
- Serving Gyros
- Greek Gyro Recipe FAQ
- Greek Gyro with Homemade Gyro Meat Recipe
We heard a giant crash and a scream last night. I ran into the room to find my 3-year-old daughter Valentine buried under the dresser. The scariest moment as a parent, right?? She is okay, just a scrape and maybe some light emotional scarring. Just kidding! Iâm sure she will forget about it soon, I hope?? Eric has since bolted the dresser to the wall. There are so many things to feel anxious or guilty about as a parent, but not having the dresser bolted wasnât even on the list!
Iâve spent the last couple days reading my momâs journal from when she was about my age: she had just had her fifth baby (me!) and Iâve just had my fourth, and our days are spent corralling children. Itâs actually not a journal, itâs a bunch of letters sent to her best friend, who had just moved far away. Because letâs be real, moms with 4 or 5 kids donât have time to journal!
It is shocking how similar our problems, successes, struggles, and joys are. I guess motherhood is motherhood, right? If we went back 500 years would it read the same? My mom just finished telling the story about how she was carrying a pot of boiling potatoes to the sink to drain it, and ran into my brother, who was 4. Can you imagine accidentally spilling boiling water all over your son?? Gah! It makes me feel a little better about not having the dresser bolted.
Here are a few excerpts from her letters, in italics. You moms will be able to relate:
Yesterday I got in a huge fight with my oldest, took away $5 that I owed him, and now I canât remember the slightest detail. This led, of course, to the conclusion that Iâm a worthless, inconsistent parent prone to hysterics. So what else is new, huh? (âProne to hystericsâ sounds familiar. Like mother like daughter!)
(From when she was pregnant with me, her fifth:) Since it had turned hot I hadnât been as hungry, and I had even cut out potato chips (daily) so I was feeling smug about my weight â and I gained 9 pounds. In 3 weeks. So I decided that if Iâd already been convicted I may as well commit the crime. Iâve eaten potato chips with wild abandon every day since.
Well, itâs 5:30, Rich will be home any second and I have not even started dinner. Poor man, Iâm sure when he got married he thought he was getting a wife, and instead he got me. This is me, every day.
A 2 year old whoâs potty-trained â what a novel idea. Iâm not even going to try until Nathan has a 1000 word vocabulary â including the sentence, âI believe I need to use the toilet, mother.â Then Iâll tackle it.
I read somewhere that most women living in pre-20th century didnât have much problem with menopause â they were dead before they were old enough to experience it. Wild hormone swings certainly account for witches, wild women, and sorceresses down through the ages. (I guess this explains the Salem witch trials?? Ha!)
Well, there you have it. Me, basically, if I had been a mom in 1987. Oh how history repeats itself!
Gyro Recipe Made Easier
Making traditional gyro meat is both time-consuming and labor intensive. This gyro recipe is essentially a meatloaf made with traditional Greek spices. You get all of the classic flavors without all the prep! And for most of us, itâs also easier than trying to find a food truck that serves these babies. If you live near a gyro truck and can just order them on a whimâŠI am so jealous!
What is Gyro Meat?
Gyro meat is a delicious Greek preparation of heavily seasoned ground meat. The meat may be beef, lamb, pork, or some combination of the above. Itâs traditionally cooked on a rotisserie (the vertical kind that you may have seen food truck vendors cut thin slices from), but today weâre going to make it in the oven. Fun fact, the word âgyroâ actually comes from a Greek word meaning âturnâ because of the way that the meat is cooked on a turning spit. And today Iâm gonna turn you into a gyro lover (see what I did there?).
What is Gyro Meat made of?
The gyro meat that you will find in most Greek restaurants in the United States is made with a combination of beef and lamb. Iâve never been to Greece, but Iâve read that it is actually more common to see gyros made with pork in the homeland.
Todayâs recipe is an easier version of the beef and lamb combo you will see in the US. To make it the way the restaurants do, you have to grind the meat very finely using a meat grinder or food processor, then press it down so that there are no air pockets, and let it marinate for a while. Then they skewer it onto a rotisserie skewer and cook. The meat is sliced off the edges.
Itâs delicious, obviously, but ainât nobody got time for that. Instead, we are taking all the flavors you love and basically making meatloaf. It takes about 30 minutes to make the meat, start to finish. Ground beef is combined with ground lamb and spiced with cumin, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. The resulting meatloaf is tender and flavorful and perfect for a weeknight gyro fest! It comes together pretty quick.
Greek Gyro ingredients
Today we are talking GYROS. (pronounced âhero.â) If you have never had a Greek gyro before, you are totally missing out. It is a warm pita bread, topped with lemony-garlicky Tzatziki Sauce, gyro meat, onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
In other words, HEAVEN.Seriously my favorite item to get anytime there is a food truck situation.In Greece they serve it with french fries in the pita itself instead of served on the side. It is now my life mission to make it to Greece someday to try it that way for myself!!
Here are all the ingredients youâll need to make theseâthis is just to help you create your shopping list. Keep scrolling down to the recipe card below for full instructions!
For the gyro meat:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground lamb
- Bacon grease (or butter)
- Eggs
- Milk
- Lemon juice
- Panko bread crumbs
- Onion
- Garlic
- Dried rosemary
- Dried oregano
- Dried thyme
- Dried cumin
- Dried marjoram (optional)
To assemble:
- Tzatziki sauce
- Red onion
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Pita rounds
- Fresh dill (to garnish, optional)
How to make Gyro Meat
Hereâs a quick overview of how to prepare the gyro meat. Scroll down to the recipe card below for complete instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic using a food processor or knife.
- Combine all gyro meat ingredients.
- Combine the meat using your hands.
- Shape the meat into about 10 oval patties. Line them up on the pan, not touching.
- Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.
Youâll start your gyro meat by finely chopping the onion and garlic. Combine both of those in a bowl with ground beef and lamb, butter or bacon grease, eggs, milk, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. Mix it all up using your hands, then shape the meat for baking.
I like to shape the meat into individual patties so that you get lots of crispy edges. You could easily shape it into one meatloaf if you prefer, and slice to serve. You will just have to cook it a bit longer.
The ground lamb is what gives this gyro meat itâs distinctive flavor. I know it can be tricky to find sometimes. If you canât find ground lamb, you could substitute ground beef or ground pork, but the flavor wonât be the same. Go to your local butcher to find ground lamb, if your market doesnât have it!
How to Make Gyros
With the meat prepped and ready to go, itâs time to start assembling our gyros. Is your mouth watering yet? (The recipe card below has more details on putting these together.)
- Prep the toppings: First thingâs first, get all of your toppings ready to go. I love to slice up red onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. I also like to toast my bread ever so slightly so itâs nice and warm. You can do this either in the microwave or in the oven.
- Slather on the sauce. Lay the warm pita out onto a plate or work surface, then slather it with a generous layer of Tzatziki Sauce.
- Add the meat. Slice one of your prepared gyro patties in half, then lay it on top of the sauce.
- Top and serve. Top the meat off with all your toppings and a sprinkle of fresh dill.
Gyros Recipe tips
This Gyros recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are a few of my tips for recipe success every time.
- Prep the sauce first. The longer the sauce sits, the more flavorful it gets. Prep it ahead of time!
- Line the baking sheet. You can line the baking sheet with parchment paper or with foil greased with a nonstick spray. This helps prevent the patties from sticking as they bake.
- Use your hands. I like to wear disposable gloves to mix the meat with my hands. It might feel weird, but it makes mixing so much easier and faster.
- Donât over-mix. Over-mixed meat can become tough and dry. Mix only until just combined so it stays moist and tender.
How to store and reheat this Gyro Recipe
Once your gyro is fully assembled, you should definitely serve it right away. However, you can prep the different components ahead of time, so theyâre ready to go whenever the gyro mood strikes. Hereâs how:
- Veggies: Slice the veggies up and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Tzatziki Sauce: Make the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Gyro meat: Prep and cook the meat, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the oven until heated through.
- Pita bread: Pita bread can be kept on the counter for 2-3 days, or you can freeze it for 2-3 months and just warm it up in the microwave whenever you like.
Serving Gyros
Gyros are traditionally served on pita bread. Pita is a thick, soft, delicious flatbread and makes a great sandwich filled with gyro meat and toppings. You can find pita bread at most grocery stores.
Gyros are also often served with seasoned French fries, which is absolutely delicious! If you donât feel like making french fries, you could serve these gyros with these easy 3 Ingredient Roasted Potatoes. You could also make this Greek Salad with Feta as a refreshing side dish!
Greek Gyro Recipe FAQ
How to say Gyro
Gyro is actually pronounced completely differently than it probably looks to most of us. If you say it properly, youâll be saying âYee-roâ or âYee-rosâ. So yes, it sounds more like a European currency than a food. But if youâre saying it âheroâ or even âjy-roâ believe me I am not here to judge.
Is gyro meat lamb or pork?
Itâs both! Or either. Or neither. Traditional gyros are made using a combination of lamb and pork. Some are made using one or the other. Some are even made using other meats entirely like chicken or beef. Itâs more about the seasonings anyway.
What kind of meats are in a gyro?
Gyro meat isnât a special cut of meat â itâs actually made from ground meat, which comes from a variety of cuts of beef or lamb (or from pork shoulder for ground pork). Sometimes, your ground beef might be labeled âground round,â âground sirloin,â or âground chuck,â but any ground beef is perfectly fine.
What are the fillers in gyro meat?
Gyro meat includes eggs, milk, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, onion, and garlic to give it flavor and moistness.What else? Seasonings, seasonings, and more seasonings! Weâre using a combination of salt, pepper, dried oregano, rosemary, thyme, cumin, and marjoram.
What does a gyro consist of?
A gyro is a warm pita bread, topped with lemony-garlicky Tzatziki Sauce, gyro meat, onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Itâs the ultimate Greek sandwich. Gyro meat itself is a Greek preparation of heavily seasoned ground meat. The meat may be beef, lamb, pork, or some combination of the above. Iâve never had a combination I didnât like, itâs all about the seasonings!
Why is gyro meat called gyro?
The word gyro comes from a Greek word which means âcircleâ or âturn.â It makes sense because gyro meat is usually cooked on a rotisserie. Ever watched a rotisserie chicken spin around at Costco? Thereâs a spit (a large, heavy metal skewer in the middle of the meat) that turns the meat around in a circular motion to cook it evenly.
More Greek recipes you will enjoy!
- Gyro Style Shredded Beef (Instant Pot/Crock Pot) << This recipe for shredded beef is another great idea for filling gyros! Or eat it bowl-style with cauliflower rice!
- Chicken Shawarma << this is the same idea as gyros but uses yogurt-marinated chicken. YUM.
- Oven Baked Greek Chicken with Veggies << one of my most favorite 30 minute meals!
- Greek Salad with Feta Cheese<< I could eat this every day.
- Greek Lentil Tacos with Cucumber Pico de Gallo << a delicious vegetarian meal!
- Greek Spinach Feta Chicken Pockets<< basically a Greek style hot pocket. Whatâs not to love??
- Moussaka<< An insanely complex Greek layered casserole. Worth every second.
- Tzatziki Sauce Recipe << Make this as an appetizer and bring it to a party with toasted pita. Everyone will love you.
- The Best Greek Chicken Marinade from FoodieCrush
- Greek Meatballs from Recipe Tin Eats
- Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls from Real Greek Recipes
Greek Gyro with Homemade Gyro Meat
4.85 from 77 votes
Prep: 20 minutes mins
Cook: 15 minutes mins
Total: 35 minutes mins
Servings: 8
Make your favorite American-style Greek gyros at home! This gyro meat recipe combines ground beef and lamb to get that distinctive flavor you find at Greek restaurants. The texture is meatloaf-style rather than restaurant-style, but the flavors are on point. Doing it this way saves tons of time. Top with Tzatziki Sauce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers!
Ingredients
For the gyro meat
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease , OR butter*
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, yes, 4 teaspoons**
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, optional
To assemble
- 1 batch Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 large red onion, sliced thin
- 2-4 tomatoes, sliced
- 1-2 cucumbers, sliced
- 8-10 pita rounds
- fresh dill, to garnish, optional
Instructions
Start by making the Tzatziki Sauce. It needs time to marinate, so get it done first so it can sit in the fridge while you make the rest.
Make the gyro meat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Or line with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
If you have a food processor, use it to finely chop the onion and garlic. If not, use a knife to chop finely.
In a large bowl, add all gyro meat ingredients: 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground lamb, 2 tablespoons butter OR bacon grease,* 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 cup Panko crumbs, chopped onion, minced garlic, 4 teaspoonskosher salt (see note), 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon marjoram. (Itâs ok if you donât have the marjoram.)
Combine the meat using your hands. I like to wear disposable gloves when I do this. Using your hands feels a little weird, but it mixes the meat so much faster and more evenly than using a spoon, resulting in nice tender meat (as opposed to being overworked.)
Shape the meat into about 10 oval patties. See photos. Line them up on the pan making sure they are not touching each other.
Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
Meanwhile, prepare the gyro toppings:Thinly slice a red onion. Slice the tomatoes. Slice the cucumbers. Warm the pita bread either in the microwave or in the still-warm oven. Chop extra fresh dill, if you want.
How to construct your gyro: Add a layer of Tzatziki Sauce to a warm pita. Slice a gyro patty in half lengthwise for easier eating, and place on top of Tzatziki. Garnish with red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh dill. Devour!
Gyros are traditionally served with french fries, or you could try it with these 3 ingredient Roasted Potatoes. It would also be great served with this Greek Salad!
Notes
*I tried this recipe once with butter and once with bacon grease. I added it because lamb is very lean and tends to dry out when baked. You can probably skip it if you have high-fat ground beef.
**If you are using table salt, add 3 teaspoons salt.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gyro | Calories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 2087mg | Potassium: 602mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 693IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 265mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 718
Keyword: Greek, gyros
Did you make this? Iâd love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!
Categorized as Beef Recipes, Dinner, Greek Recipes, Healthy Dinner, International Flavors, , Pork, Quick and Easy Dinners
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Comments
This is a comment for a totally different recipe that you posted. Cubano pork roast. It was delicious. I will be making the cuban sandwiches tonight. The butcher at publix cut a 10# pork butt that he said was a pork shoulder into 3.5 lbs. Next time I will be more attentive. There was alot of fat that I had to cut off when I sliced it and it was very hard to tell if I was cutting cross grain. Is there another type of roast or is there a way to tell if its the right one?
Thanks and love your stories and recipes.Reply
So sorry your butcher failed you Cindy! Sometimes pork shoulders can have a significant layer of fat on them. A pork shoulder/pork butt (same thing) is the right kind of roast, boneless or bone-in. Donât be afraid to speak up and tell your butcher if you donât want the fat!
Reply
Tried this recipe for the first time and it was a hit!!! My large family inhaled it in no time lol. I tripled (yup, large family problems haha) the recipe but used a half cup less of milk + used crushed pork rinds instead of bread crumbs to make it somewhat low carb, and it was perfect! We paired it with your tzatziki sauce (also one of the best recipes I have tried) + a yellow rice recipe from another gal to make gyro bowls, and it was delicious!!! Love the idea of making it homemade compared to some of the gyro meat you find at less-than-authentic restaurants (yes, read the ingredients to their highly processed product đ±). Definitely a recipe weâll use over and over again!!! Thanks for sharing!Reply
Oh this makes me so happy Tish! Iâm so glad the whole family loved it! I feel you on big family problems I am terrified for when my kids are teens. How will I even keep up with their appetites?? đ Great idea to turn this into a bowl, love that. Thank you for commenting and sharing!
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This is amazingReply
We loved your recipe. I didnât have bread crumbs so I used oats, we try to be gluten-free as much as possible. Amazing recipe, thank you for sharing. So much deliciousness, we will be making this again and again.Reply
Very authentic tastingâŠjust like our favorite restaurant that serves gyros. I used a pound of each, lamb and beef, made a lot more than could be used, so sliced and froze in one meal size and it gave me enough for 6 meals, one gyro eachReply
This was great! Thank you for sharing. :)Reply
Would love to try this but itâs a little hard to trust a Gyro recipe from someone who canât pronounce Gyro. Lol. âYee-roâ. ;-)
Reply
Hi C.! You say âyee-ro,â I say âheroâ ;-) Hopefully weâre both too busy stuffing our faces with delicious meat and Tzatziki sauce to notice! Let us know if you give it a try :-)
Reply
Whatâs the point of this comment?Reply
Excellent. The flavors are on point. It is worth the time it takes to chop the meat in a food processor to achieve a smoother texture. I used olive oil instead of bacon grease and baked it as I would a meatloaf. Other than that, no changes. Thank you for such a great recipe!Reply
Iâve made this for the first time today and I couldnât believe how delicious it was! Thanks for the recipe!Reply
It looks delicious but it isnât even remotely close to greek gyros
Reply
This was delicious, seriously so authentic tasting. I have a food processor and I feel like using that made a huge difference. Best gyros ever!Reply
Amazing!! My husband and I typically make grilled chicken pitas biweekly, but this recipe might just make us replace the chicken with gyro meat! We made way too much for just the two of us (next time, weâll half the recipe), have you ever tried freezing the leftover meat? If so, how does it do warmed up after being frozen?Reply
Hi Courtney! Iâm so glad you are loving it! Yes you can absolutely freeze. Seal well in a ziplock and let thaw in the fridge. Then heat either in the microwave or on a low temperature (covered) in the oven so it doesnât dry out. Like make 30 minutes at 250, or 20 minutes at 300. something like that. Enjoy!
Reply
I cut the kosher salt in half, still Too much salt! I rolled the meat out with rolling pin, under wax paper. Found it so salty after I baked it. I soaked it in lemon water, dried it on paper towel & chopped it & refried it. The flavour is very good, but Iâm going to cut the kosher salt to 1/4 tsp next time I make it.
Reply
Can I use venison?
Reply
I havenât tried that Sylvia! Let me know how it goes!
Reply
I use venison, and itâs delicious. Just have to know that venison is very lean. I add about 20% sausage, or bacon when I gring my venison so it isnât too dry.
Reply
Fantastic recipe! My baking sheet ended up with a lot of juice/grease so the next time I will use beef with less fat or maybe use a grilling rack.Reply
Super good. I used too much salt my fault that I didnât read the note at the end about table salt vs kosher. Definitely make again but I would half the salt. Also I used organic grass fed beef and the beef to ratio of lamb seemed off. Less beef more lamb next time too.Reply
Oh my gosh, this recipe is incredible! Iâve made it twice (subbed ground turkey for lamb), and both times we have thought it was soooo good. Thanks for sharing it!
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Great idea using ground turkey Ellen! Love that idea. Thanks so much for sharing and reviewing!
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