Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza) with Chopped Salad and Herb Tahini Sauce

I am sharing one of my most regretted non-eats when we visited Turkey. Lahmacun AKA Turkish Pizza (or flat bread), however you want to perceive it. Topped with crisp chopped salad and creamy herb tahini sauce.

Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza or Flatbread)

One of my greatest foodie regrets is not having lahmacun in Turkey. With so many bites and dishes in our trip, it was difficult to try everything. So since, I’ve made it a routine to remake lahmacun at home.

I hope I have done the Turks proud, as this lahmacun recipe is modernized a bit. Traditionally, you see the locals wander the streets with lahmacun rolled up tightly in hand. Just as any quick street food would be easily accessible and eaten.

A spicy meat mixture is pressed into the dough (I used pizza dough for ease) and toppings include thinly sliced raw onion, fresh herbs and a generous squeeze of lemon. To add contrast and texture, I added my favorite chopped salad and the creamiest herb tahini sauce, which I’ve been putting on absolutely everything! Seriously…make the sauce.

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Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)

Lahmacun, a Turkish pizza with a spicy meat mixture and topped with chopped salad and herb tahini dressing.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Keyword: Lahmacun recipe, Turkish lahmacun, Turkish pizza

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 587kcal

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Equipment

Food Processor

Pizza Stone

Ingredients

Chopped Salad:

• 2 Persian cucumbers peeled and diced
• 1 large tomato seeded and diced
• Few leaves of fresh mint chopped
• 1 lemon juiced
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Salt and pepper to taste

Lahmacun

• ½ pound pizza dough at room temperature
• Flour for rolling dough
• ¾ pound ground beef or lamb or mixture of both
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon sumac
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1 to mato roughly chopped and seeds removed
• 1 shallot roughly chopped
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• Small bunch of fresh parsley and cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Herb tahini Dressing

• ½ cup tahini
• Small bunch of fresh parsley and cilantro
• 1 garlic clove roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• Pinch of cayenne optional
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Water for thinning out dressing

Additional Toppings:

• Sumac Onions
• Lemon wedges

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Begin by making the chopped salad and toss all of the ingredients together and set aside.
• For the herb tahini sauce, add everything except the water to a food processor and pulse to combine until well blended. Add about ¼ cup of water to thin out consistency. It should be the same thickness as syrup and be pourable. Continue blending until everything is smooth and add more water if necessary. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
• For the lahmacun, in a large bowl, add the chopped meat and spices and mix together well.
• In a food processor, add the tomato, bell pepper, shallot, garlic and herbs and pulse until blended well and it looks like a “salsa”. Remove and drain any excess moisture and add the tomato mixture to the meat and mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Next, divide pizza dough into 4 equal pieces, about 2 ounces each and roll out on a very floured surface with a rolling pin. Roll dough as thin as you can, or to about 8-9 inches in diameter.
• Divide the meat mixture into 4 portions and add one portion of the meat onto the dough, using your hands to gently press the meat mixture evenly into the dough, leaving a shallow border.
• Place lahmacun on baking sheet or pizza stone and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5-7 minutes or until meat and dough is fully cooked.
• Once done, garnish lahmacun with chopped salad, sumac onions creamy tahini sauce and extra squeeze of lemon juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1068mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1771IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 6mg