These beef arayes are Lebanese meat-stuffed pitas loaded with a bold, herbaceous mixture, then cooked until perfectly golden and crisp on the outside. Finished with creamy tahini sauce, crunchy sumac onions, and a drizzle of tangy pomegranate molasses. Every bite is savory, juicy, crispy, and full of big Middle Eastern flavors!
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About This Recipe
Beef arayes are delicious Lebanese meat-stuffed pitas with roots across the Levant. They’re filled with a kofta-style blend of ground beef, warm spices, and fresh herbs, then pan-fried until perfectly golden and crisp.
These make a fantastic weeknight dinner, and because I can never resist fun toppings, finish them with a generous drizzle of creamy tahini sauce, crunchy pickled sumac onions, and tangy pomegranate molasses. The combination of savory beef, crisp pita, bright onions and creamy tahini is unbelievably delicious!
📋 Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Use a ground beef mixture with 80% lean / 20% fat ratio. This keeps the filling juicy and flavorful without drying out.
- Spices: (Paprika, Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Sumac, Aleppo Pepper): This warm, aromatic blend gives the meat its signature Middle Eastern flavor. Learn more about Mediterranean Spices here!
- Aromatics: Onion, Garlic & parsley is pulsed finely so they blend well into the beef mixture.
- Pita Bread: Look for thicker, sturdier pitas so they hold the filling without tearing. Or if you feel ambitious, there is nothing like homemade pita bread.
- Pomegranate molasses: This condiment is used throughout Middle Eastern cooking. It’s reduced pomegranate juice with a tart and slightly sweet flavor and pairs wonderfully with ground beef and spices.
- Sumac Onion Salad: This salad is popular in Mediterranean cooking and often added to meat dishes. It's made by mixing thinly slice onions with lemon and sumac.
- Tahini Sauce: Look for a good-quality pourable tahini to make tahini sauce. It adds a delicious creamy and nutty addition.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Protein: Use a mixture of half beef and lamb, all ground lamb, or ground dark meat chicken.
- Spices: If you don’t have the full list, use what you have. A combo of cumin, coriander, and paprika will still taste amazing.
- Sumac: If you’re out of sumac, add a little fresh lemon zest for brightness.
- Pomegranate molasses: A thick, aged balsamic glaze can work in a pinch. It’ll be sweeter but still adds tang.
- Pita: Any thicker pita works. If yours are very large, cut them into quarters.
⏲️ Instructions
Pulse the aromatics: Add onion, garlic, and parsley to a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Drain any excess liquid.
Mix the filling: Add the onion mixture to a bowl with the ground beef, spices, salt, and pepper. Gently mix until evenly combined.
Stuff the pitas: Cut pitas in half and gently open the pockets. Divide the meat mixture among the pita halves, pressing it in evenly without overfilling.
Sear until golden: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear pitas on both sides and use tongs to sear the cut edge as well.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Choose thicker pita bread: Thin pitas can tear once stuffed. Thicker pitas or fresh pitas hold up best.
- Don’t overfill the pita: Divide the mixture among the pitas evenly. You want them about ½–¾ inch thick so they cook through without breaking the pita bread.
- Pulse the aromatics finely: Use a food processor to pulse the aromatics to avoid large chunks of vegetables in the meat mixture. You can also use a knife and finely chop the best you can. Or use a box grater for the onion and garlic, just be sure to drain any liquid before adding to the meat mixture.
- Don’t overmix the meat: Mix until just combined to keep the texture tender.
- Sear all sides: Sear both the flat side of the stuffed pita, as well as the cut edge. This gives the arayes that signature golden, crispy bite.
- Make-ahead: Cook the beef arayes fully, then reheat in a 325-350°F oven until warmed through. Add toppings right before serving so nothing gets soggy.
Serving Suggestions
These beef arayes are fantastic for a weeknight dinner but also fun for entertaining. Keep the toppings and dips separate so everyone can assemble their own.
Serve along side:
- Lebanese potato salad with sumac
- Tabbouleh
- Kale, Apple and feta salad
- Israeli chopped salad
- Dips like whipped feta or hummus
- Fresh herbs and lemon wedges on the side
More Beef Recipes to Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Beef Arayes (Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pitas)
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Meat Filling:
- 1 small onion cut into chunks
- 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- Small bunch of parsley about ½ cup packed
- 1 pound ground beef 80–85% lean
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
For Assembling:
- 3-4 pita breads cut in half
- Olive oil for brushing
For Serving:
- Tahini sauce for drizzling or dipping
- Pomegranate molasses for drizzling
- Sumac-pickled onions
- Fresh herbs parsley, mint, or cilantro
Instructions
- Make the filling: Add the onion, garlic, and parsley to a small food processor. Pulse until finely minced.
- If mixture is too wet, transfer the mixture to a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth and press to remove excess moisture.
- Mix the beef: In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture with the ground beef and all the spices; paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, sumac, Aleppo pepper, and salt. Mix with your hands until evenly combined, but don’t overmix.
- Assemble the arayes: Stuff each pita half with the beef mixture, spreading it evenly so it’s about ½-3/4 inch thick throughout. Don’t overfill or the pita can tear.
- Cook: Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Cook the stuffed pita for 3–4 minutes per side, pressing slightly until golden and crisp. Then, stand each pita upright and sear the cut side for another minute or so, until it’s deeply golden and the edges are crisp.
- Serve: Drizzle stuffed pitas with tahini sauce, pomegranate molasses, and top with sumac-pickled onions and herbs.
Notes
- Use thicker, sturdier pita so it doesn’t tear once stuffed.
- Don’t overfill and keep the meat layer about ½–¾ inch thick so it cooks evenly.
- Pulse onion, garlic, and parsley finely (or grate if needed) and drain excess liquid.
- Mix the meat gently to keep the texture tender.
- To make ahead, cook fully, then reheat at 325–350°F until warmed through. Add toppings just before serving.
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