It's summer and grilling is on the mind. Or anything that requires minimal cooking, because there's so much fun to be had outdoors, who's spending hours in the kitchen these days? Arayes: middle eastern stuffed pitas, are the perfect thing to add to your dinner rotation. Don't worry if you don't have a grill, these babies can be made in the oven too and taste just as good!
Where does Arayes originate from?
Arayes is a Lebanese classic street food in which you stuff a grilled pita with spiced ground beef or lamb. With Middle Eastern cuisine becoming really popular lately, this dish has been making it's debut all over from blogs to restaurant menus.
What you need:
- Pitas- whole wheat, regular.. whatever kind you like
- Ground beef
- Assorted spices such as cumin, coriander, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and all-spice.
- Onion- Recommended but not necessary
- Garlic- you may sub for garlic powder
- Fresh parsley- may be substituted for parsley flakes
- Olive oil
How to make Arayes: Middle Eastern Stuffed Pitas
Start by making the ground beef mixture. This involves chopping up the onions, garlic, and parsley into a fine mince, or using a food processor to make this faster. Next, mix the garlic and onions with the ground beef and spices. Slice the pitas in half to create half circle pockets. Place a few tablespoons of the mixture inside the pita and spread it out evenly. Make sure the filling comes all the way to the edge. I then like to slice the pitas in half again and brush both sides with olive oil. At this point you can bake or grill them either on an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill.
FAQ's and tips:
Making Arayes ahead of time:
The only part of the recipe I would suggest making ahead of time is the ground beef mixture. Once it's made, cover and store in the fridge until ready to use.
What to serve arayes: middle eastern stuffed pitas with:
I love serving it with hummus or tahini for dipping and a side of Israeli salad. Fries also make the perfect side!
Arayes: Middle Eastern Stuffed Pitas
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small bunch of parsley or 1 tablespoon parley flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- 3 pitas
- olive oil for brushing
- tahini for serving
Instructions
Grill
- Start by making the ground beef mixture. This involves chopping up the onions, garlic, and parsley into a fine mince, or using a food processor to make this faster. Next, mix the garlic and onions with the ground beef and spices. Slice the pitas in half to create half circle pockets. Place a few tablespoons of the mixture inside the pita and spread it out evenly. Make sure the filling comes all the way to the edge. I then like to slice the pitas in half again and brush both sides with olive oil.
- Heat your grill to medium-low heat.
- Grill the pitas for approximately 5 minutes per side.
Baked
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Follow the assembly instructions above.
- Bake for 10 minutes on each side on a parchment lined baking sheet.
More great summertime recipes
Grilled Wings with Mango BBQ Sauce
Thin Crust Margherita Pesto Pizza
I love to hear from you! Please leave any questions or comments below in the comments section.
