Shawarma-Spiced Meatball Pitas with Israeli Salad & 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.

Useful Cookware

A few helpful kitchen tools for this recipe, with relevant Amazon picks for each item.

Baking sheet

GoodCook Everyday Nonstick Baking Sheet Set, 3 Pack Includes Small (13×9) Medium (15×1) and Large (17×11) Pans Carbon Steel Construction Cookie Sheets Bakeware Set, GrayView on AmazonNutriChef 3-Piece Nonstick Kitchen Oven Baking Pans - Premium & Stylish Non-Stick Steel, Commercial Grade Restaurant Quality Metal Bakeware with Red Silicone Handles - Easy to Clean, NCSBS3SView on AmazonNordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet - USA Made Aluminum Commercial Quality Sheet Pan for Baking or Roasting, Encapsulated Galvanized Steel Rim Prevents Warping, 2-PackView on Amazon

Parchment paper

Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll, Non Stick Parchment Paper for Cooking and Baking, Oven Safe up to 425 Degrees, Chlorine-Free, 45 Feet x 12 Inches, 45 Total Sq. Ft.View on AmazonAmazon Basics Non-Stick Parchment Paper for Baking, Cooking, Oven Safe, 15 inches, 90 Sq Ft Roll, 1 PackView on AmazonReynolds Kitchens Stay Flat Parchment Paper Roll, Non Curling Baking Parchment Paper for Baking and Cooking, Oven Safe up to 425 Degrees, 36 Feet x 15 Inches, 45 Total Sq. Ft.View on Amazon

Large bowl

Winco , 8-Quart, Stainless Steel (MXB-800Q)View on AmazonFox Run Brands 2.75-Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl, 9 x 9 x 4 inches, MetallicView on AmazonMfacoy 2 Pack Salad Bowl, 8 inch 60 oz Large Serving Bowl Set, Deep Bowl for Kitchen, White Ceramic Bowl Set for Soup, Cereal, Ramen, Pasta, Salad, Dishwasher & Microwave Safe, Easy CleanView on Amazon

Small bowl

Kaytee Stoneware Ceramic Pet Hamster Bowl, Brown, 3-InchView on AmazonDipping Bowls, Soy Sauce Dish Ceramic, 3 OZ Small Serving Bowls for Side Dishes Vintage Blue Stylish Design, Set of 6 Mini Appetizer Plates for Condiment Sushi Ketchup BBQ Party, 4 InchView on AmazonFarielyn-X 3.5in 4oz Small Glass Bowls, Mini Glass Containers, Ramekins, Prep, Pinch Bowl, Stackable Condiment Containers, for Prep, Dips, Nuts, Snacks, Candy Meal Prep Bowls, Dessert BowlsView on Amazon

Chef's knife

imarku Japanese Chef Knife - Sharp Kitchen Knife 8 Inch Chef's Knives HC Steel Paring Knife, Unique Gifts for Men and Women, Gifts for Mom or Dad, Kitchen Gadgets with Gift Box, Fathers GiftsView on AmazonVictorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife, 8 Inch - Swiss Army Kitchen Knife, High Carbon Stainless Steel Blade, Non-Slip Fibrox Handle, Dishwasher Safe, BlackView on AmazonPAUDIN Chef Knife, 8 Inch High Carbon Stainless Steel Sharp Kitchen Knife with Ergonomic Handle, Gift Box for Family & RestaurantView on Amazon

Cutting board

Astercook Deep-Carbonized Bamboo Cutting Boards for Kitchen with Wood Storage Stand, Reversible Charcuterie & Chopping Boards with Juice Grooves and Easy-Grip Handles, Fathers Day Gift for MenView on AmazonZeawec 3-Piece Set Bamboo Cutting Board for Kitchen - Crack-Resistant Wood Chopping Boards with Deep Juice Grooves, Pre-Oiled Butcher Block for Meat, Vegetables & Cheese, CarbonizedView on AmazonTitanium Cutting Board for Kitchen, Cutting Board Double Sided Food Grade, Pure Titanium/PP, Easy to Clean Large Size 15”×10.3”View on Amazon

Box grater

Urbanstrive Cheese Grater With Container Box Grater Stainless Steel Graters for Kitchen Cheese Shredder Parmesan Shredder Kitchen Gadgets Kitchen Tools Kitchen Gifts for Chef Dishwasher Safe ZesterView on AmazonSpring Chef Professional Cheese Grater - Stainless Steel, XL Size, 4 Sides - Perfect Box Grater for Parmesan Cheese, Vegetables, Ginger - Dishwasher Safe - BlackView on AmazonSpring Chef Professional Large Parmesan Cheese Grater, Stainless Steel Metal Box Grater with Handle, 4 Sided Handheld Kitchen Food Shredder for Cheese, Carrot, Veggie, Ginger, Potato - Dishwasher SafeView on Amazon

Citrus juicer

AmazonShop popular Citrus juicer on AmazonView on Amazon

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.