Lahmacun, often called “Turkish pizza,” is a crispy flatbread topped with spiced lamb and baked until golden. It’s bold and savory, finished with a fresh chopped salad and a lemony tahini drizzle that's perfect for bringing vibrant flavors to your weeknight table. Fold it up like a wrap and savor every bite!
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About This Recipe
Lahmacun (pronounced lah-mah-JOON) is a traditional Turkish flatbread topped with a thin layer of spiced ground meat and baked until golden and crisp. Sometimes called “Turkish pizza,” this dish is all about contrast. Savory, spiced meat is pressed directly into the thin dough, baked at a high temp, then topped with a fresh, lemony chopped salad and creamy herb tahini sauce.
This version uses store-bought pizza dough for ease, with a flavorful topping of lamb, sweet bell pepper, garlic, tomato, and warm spices like cumin, paprika, and sumac. It’s finished with sumac onions and a squeeze of lemon to brighten every bite. Traditionally served rolled or folded, it makes for an unforgettable lunch, dinner, or appetizer spread.
📋 Ingredients
- Ground Lamb: Look for 80/20 ground lamb, which has enough fat for flavor without making the mixture greasy. You can also use a 50/50 mix of lamb and beef if you prefer a milder taste or don’t have access to lamb.
- Red Onion, Garlic & Tomato: These aromatics add depth and balance to the meat topping. Be sure to strain the mixture after pulsing to remove excess liquid so your dough doesn’t get soggy.
- Sumac: A tangy, lemony spice that’s essential in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking. It brightens the meat mixture and adds a sharp pop when sprinkled on sumac onions.
- Turmeric, Cumin, Paprika, Dried Mint: This warm and earthy blend brings depth and color to the dish. If you're new to these, check out my Mediterranean Spice Guide for more info on how to use them.
- Tahini: A creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s nutty, smooth, and fantastic drizzled on just about anything! You can usually find it in the international aisle or near the nut butters.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Meat Options: Use all ground beef if lamb isn’t your thing, or try a 50/50 mix.
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Try this vegan Lahmacun recipe, which swaps the meat for a spiced mushroom mixture.
- Extra Veggies: Add grated zucchini (squeeze it dry first) or finely chopped mushrooms for more texture.
- Dough Swaps: Use lavash or pita for a super thin base.
🌶️ Curious about the spices in this recipe?
Check out my Essential Spice Guide to learn more about Middle Eastern spices like sumac, cumin, and dried mint, and how to use them in your cooking!
⏲️ Instructions
Make the Vegetable Mixture. In a food processor, pulse together the red bell pepper, red onion, garlic, tomato, parsley, until finely chopped.
Strain the Vegetables. Transfer mixture to a sieve and strain any excess moisture.
Make the Meat Mixture. In a bowl, mix the ground meat with turmeric, cumin, paprika, dried mint, sumac, and salt. Add the strained vegetable mixture and mix until well combined.
Assemble. Spread one portion of the meat mixture evenly over each dough circle, pressing into the dough and leaving a slight border around the edges. Then bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Roll the Dough Thin: Aim for about ⅛ inch thick (8–9 inches wide). This helps the crust crisp up quickly and hold the topping well.
- Use a Pizza Stone or Steel: Preheat it in a 450–500°F oven for at least 30 minutes to mimic the intense heat of a traditional Turkish oven.
- Strain the Veggies: After pulsing the onion, tomato, bell pepper, garlic, and herbs, press out the liquid with a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Too much moisture = soggy lahmacun.
- Spread Meat All the Way to the Edges: Use your fingers to press the meat mixture directly onto the dough so it sticks and cooks evenly.
- Serve Immediately: Lahmacun is best hot from the oven. Have your toppings and salad ready so you can assemble and enjoy right away.
Serving Suggestions
Lahmacun is best served hot, right out of the oven, with:
- Sumac Onions: Toss thinly sliced red onions with sumac, lemon, and a pinch of salt.
- Chopped Salad or Fattoush Salad: A fresh, crunchy contrast.
- Tahini Sauce: If you want a simpler drizzle, this version’s great too.
- Turkish Breakfast-Inspired Sides: Olives, cheeses, fresh herbs, cucumbers, and flatbread.
- Turkish Börek: Spinach & Feta Pie layered with flaky phyllo. Another great addition to your mezze table.
More Turkish inspiration
Lamb Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
For the Lahmacun
- 1 pound pizza dough at room temperature
- Flour for rolling the dough
- 1 pound ground lamb or a mix of ground lamb and beef
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped
- ½ small red onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 small tomato seeds removed and chopped
- Small handful of fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Chopped Salad
- 2 Persian cucumbers peeled and diced
- 1 large tomato seeded and diced
- Fresh mint leaves chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Herb Tahini Sauce
- ½ cup tahini
- Small handful of parsley or cilantro
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Water to thin the sauce
For the Sumac Onions
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Chopped parsley optional
Garnishes
- Additional sumac
- Aleppo pepper flakes
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats.
Make the Chopped Salad:
- In a bowl, combine cucumbers, tomato, mint, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss well and set aside.
Prepare the Herb Tahini Sauce:
- In a food processor, combine tahini, herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until smooth, then slowly add water (start with ¼ cup) until the sauce is pourable but still thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Make the Sumac Onions:
- Toss sliced red onions with sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped parsley. Let marinate while preparing the rest of the recipe.
Make the Meat Topping:
- In a food processor, pulse together the red bell pepper, red onion, garlic, tomato, parsley, until finely chopped. Strain any excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground meat with turmeric, cumin, paprika, dried mint, sumac, and salt. Add the strained vegetable mixture and mix until well combined.
Roll and Assemble:
- Divide the pizza dough into four equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into an 8 to 9 inch circle.
- Spread one portion of the meat mixture evenly over each dough circle, pressing it gently into the dough and leaving a slight border around the edges.
Bake:
- Carefully transfer each flatbread to a baking sheet or pizza stone. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the dough is crisp and the meat is fully cooked.
Garnish and Serve:
- Top each lahmacun with chopped salad, sumac onions, a drizzle of tahini sauce, and a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper and extra sumac. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy folded like a wrap.
Notes
-
- Roll the Dough Thin: Aim for about ⅛ inch thick (8–9 inches wide). This helps the crust crisp up quickly and hold the topping well.
- Use a Pizza Stone or Steel: Preheat it in a 450–500°F oven for at least 30 minutes to mimic the intense heat of a traditional Turkish oven.
- Spread Meat All the Way to the Edges: Use your fingers to press the meat mixture directly onto the dough so it sticks and cooks evenly.
- Serve Immediately: Lahmacun is best hot from the oven. Have your toppings and salad ready so you can assemble and enjoy right away.
- Meat Options: Use all ground beef if lamb isn’t your thing, or try a 50/50 mix.
- Dough Swaps: Use lavash or pita for a super thin base.
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Try this vegan Lahmacun recipe, which swaps the meat for a spiced mushroom mixture.
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