Shawarma-Spiced Meatball Pitas with Israeli Salad &Amp; Tzatziki

Pita pockets are the ultimate sandwich vessels-light, fluffy and perfect for holding a hearty filling. These shawarma-spiced meatball pitas are loaded with fragrant beef meatballs, cool and creamy tzatziki and a crisp cucumber-tomato salad. Every bite is a balance of warm spices, fresh vegetables and tangy yogurt.

Best of all, this recipe comes together in just 30 minutes. Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal or a fun dinner to share, these pitas deliver big flavor with minimal effort. Add a drizzle of hot sauce if you like heat!

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Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Whole Wheat PitasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon PaprikaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Finely dice half the red onion. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out excess moisture. Dice the tomato. Mince the garlic. Zest and juice the lemon.
3. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, half the minced garlic, shawarma spice blend, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined. Form into 12 small meatballs.
4. Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through and browned.
5. Meanwhile, make the tzatziki: In a small bowl, mix yogurt, sour cream, grated cucumber, remaining garlic, lemon juice to taste, salt and pepper. Set aside.
6. Make the Israeli salad: In another bowl, combine diced tomato, diced red onion, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper.
7. Warm the pitas in the oven or a dry skillet for about 1 minute per side. Cut each pita in half to form pockets.
8. Stuff each pita half with a few meatballs, Israeli salad and a dollop of tzatziki. Drizzle with hot sauce if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground lamb instead of beef?

Yes, ground lamb works beautifully with shawarma spices and adds a rich flavor.

How do I keep the pitas from getting soggy?

Assemble the pitas just before serving. You can also pat the Israeli salad dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Use gluten-free pitas and substitute panko with gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour.