Lamb Arayes (Lebanese Stuffed Pitas)

Crispy pita bread stuffed with shawarma spiced lamb—a unique weeknight dinner that’s both easy and delicious!

What are Arayes (Hawawshi vs Arayes)?

Arayes are a Middle Eastern street food made from flatbread stuffed with a spiced meat mixture. Each region has variations of this dish, like the Egyptian hawawshi. The main difference between arayes and hawawshi is the type of flatbread used. While arayes may use pita, hawawshi uses the typical whole-wheat Egyptian flatbread (called baladi).

What You’ll Need

• Yellow onion.
• Green bell pepper.
• Jalapeño.
• Fresh parsley.
• Fresh garlic.
• Ground beef.
• Ground lamb.
• Tomato paste.
• Spices. You’ll need salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. If you prefer to use a shawarma spice blend instead, use 2 tablespoons as a substitute.
• Pita bread. You can use my recipe here for a homemade version!
• Shredded cheese. Not traditional, but delicious all the same.
• Olive oil.

Arayes Tips and Tricks

• Preparing the filling. If you want to make the filling ahead of time, it can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
• Cooking the arayes. In this recipe, I bake the arayes on a wire rack in the oven, which prevents them from getting soggy from any lamb juices that leak during the cooking process. If you don’t have a wire rack, you can cook the arayes in a cast-iron skillet (simply make sure the lamb is cooked through with an internal temp of 160 degrees Fahrenheit).

How to Store Leftovers

1. Storing leftover filling. Since the recipe makes enough for 12 arayes, I often put half of the filling in a Ziploc bag and freeze it. When you want to make more, let the filling thaw in the fridge overnight or in a sink full of cold water, then continue with the recipe as written.
2. Storing cooked arayes. The arayes will last in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for a couple of months. When you want to reheat them, I’d suggest giving them a toast so the pita can crisp up again.

Lamb Hawawshi (Egyptian Stuffed Pitas)

Crispy pita bread stuffed with shawarma spiced lamb—a unique weeknight dinner that's both easy and delicious!

No ratings yet

Print Pin

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Egyptian

Keyword: dinner ideas, pita, sandwiches

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 arayes

Author: Mae Martin

Ingredients

For the filling

• 1 yellow onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño seeds removed
• 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

For the spice mixture

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon Morton's
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom optional
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne optional

For the pitas

• 6-7 pitas
• Olive oil
• 1-2 cups cheese of choice such as mozzarella (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat an oven to 400℉ and place an oven-safe wire rack onto a baking sheet.
• Measure all the spices into a bowl and mix well*. Set aside.
• Finely dice the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño, then put them in a bowl with the minced garlic and parsley. Add the ground beef, ground lamb, tomato paste, and all the spices to the bowl, mixing until homogeneous and evenly distributed.
• Slice the pitas in half and open them to form pockets. Stuff them with around ⅓ cup of the lamb mixture, depending on how big the pitas are, and flatten it into a smooth layer. If using, sprinkle cheese on top of the lamb layer and lightly press the pita to close. Repeat with the rest of the filling (you may freeze any leftover filling at this point for later use).
• Brush the pitas on both sides with olive oil and evenly space them onto the prepared rack of the baking sheet.
• Bake the arayes for around 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the lamb is fully cooked and the pita is crispy. Serve warm, with hummus, tzatziki, or a Mediterranean salad. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a few days, or in the freezer for a few months.

Notes

* You can substitute the homemade spice blend with 2 tablespoons of shawarma spice. If it doesn't have salt, be sure to add the amount listed in the recipe.