This traditional Greek recipe for lamb souvlaki includes all the elements including the marinated and grilled lamb, homemade pita bread, and yogurt dressing. After being prepped, everything is cooked on the grill at once, including the bread. Don’t be intimidated, homemade pita is easier to make than you think!

Traditional flavors in the marinade include cumin, oregano, thyme, and paprika. The marinade is on the lamb for at least four hours so that it penetrates to create a rich flavor. This is balanced by the tart and fresh yogurt dressing.

Although homemade bread can sometimes seem a little daunting, this pita flatbread is quick and easy to make. Of course, you can also use store-bought pita bread. Or, use a flour tortilla in a pinch.

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Lamb has been marinated and skewered to make kebabs ready to grill on the barbecue.

Getting the Middle Eastern flavors into the lamb is part of the charm of this recipe.

Lamb souvlaki is cooked, stuffed into pita bread with salad, and ready to eat.

Lamb souvlaki includes all the components such as the homemade pita bread and yogurt dressing.

Pita bread is prepared and ready to cook on a flat top griddle barbecue.

Homemade pita bread is easier to prepare and cook than you may think.

Lamb Souvlaki is grilling on the barbecue.

Bring a little Greek to your next barbecue with this amazing lamb souvlaki recipe including the pita bread and yogurt dressing.

Lamb Souvlaki with Pita Bread Recipe

Ben Arnot

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This traditional Greek recipe for Lamb Souvlaki includes all the elements including the marinated and grilled lamb, homemade pita bread, and yogurt dressing.

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Preparation 4

Cook 25

Ready in 4 25

Servings Servings

CourseLunch

InfluenceMiddle East

DifficultyChallenging

MethodGrill

Similar RecipesBread

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Ingredients

Lamb Souvlaki

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked chili powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pink Himalayan rock salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds lamb loin or butterflied leg of lamb

Garlic and Yogurt Dressing

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Pita Bread

2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (105 degrees F | 41 degrees C)

To Serve

salad of choice

Equipment

zip lock bag
8 wooden skewers soaked
baking paper
grill
grill grates

Directions

Lamb Souvlaki

Add to a ziplock bag the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, smoked chili, salt, and pepper. Mix around to combine well.
Dice the lamb into 1-inch (3cm) cubes, then add to the bag of marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Place in a chilled location for at least 4 hours but no more than 12 hours.
Just before cooking divide the meat into 6 piles. Skewer each pile onto the soaked skewers to create a kebab ready to grill.

Garlic and Yogurt Dressing

In a bowl add the yogurt, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. Cover and chill until needed, the longer it sits the better the flavors will infuse.

Pita Bread

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Mix them thoroughly.
Make a small well in the middle of the flour mix. Add the water a little bit at a time, stirring in after each addition. It is important that the water is lukewarm to activate the raising agents in the flour. Once the dough is soft but not sticky leave covered with a cloth to rest for 20 minutes to activate the gluten.
Break the dough into 8 pieces. Place on a flat surface, top with parchment paper then flatten with a skillet or plate into a solid flat surface to create a round flat piece of dough about 5-inches (15cm) in diameter. Pierce multiple times with a fork to stop puffing into a ball when cooking. Repeat to make all 8 pieces of pita bread.

To Cook

Set up and preheat your grill. It will need to be a moderately hot temperature and have a grill grate section for the kebabs and a flat top griddle section for the pita bread.
Cook the pita bread on a dry (no oil) hot griddle. It is best to cook one at a time. Place on the griddle until brown, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook the other side also until brown. Place aside in a warm spot until needed. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cook the lamb souvlaki by placing them on the hot grill and turning a couple of times until cooked to your preferred doneness. This typically takes between 6 and 10 minutes.

To Serve

For each serving, halve one pitta bread then open up to create two pockets. To each pocket add half the lamb souvlaki from one kebab sliding it off the skewer, add the salad, then finally top with the garlic and yogurt dressing. Eat while hot.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 40gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 704mgPotassium: 542mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 149IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 4mg