Arayes, Middle Eastern Ground Beef Stuffed Pitas. This popular Lebanese street food is seasoned ground beef and cheese cooked inside of pita bread either on the stovetop or in the oven. They’re crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and so easy to make!
Make these amazing Arayes (Middle Eastern Burger Stuffed Pitas) to add a Lebanese twist to dinner tonight! They’re infused with minced onion, garlic, herbs, spices and are bursting with flavor in every bite. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, and you won’t be able to get enough.
Arayes are so incredibly flavorful and a great change up from the classic American burger! They’re juicy and tender, and the taste of the seasoned beef is just so good!
We’re sharing instructions for making them on the stovetop, in the oven or in an air fryer. How you choose to prepare them is up to you! They’ll be wonderful no matter how you cook them.
Ingredients needed
The ingredients needed to make this arayes recipe are simple and inexpensive, yet come together for major deliciousness. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Onion & garlic: Very finely chopped to add a savory taste that easily disperses throughout the meat.
- Herbs: For added freshness and color, you can use fresh parsley or cilantro.
- Beef: Lean ground beef is best, so the pitas don’t get too greasy. Use 93/7, so it’s still plenty flavorful just with less fat.
- Tomato paste: Added to the meat for extra flavor.
- Spices: A blend of allspice, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, paprika, salt to give the meat delicious flavor.
- Pita bread: You’ll need 4 pita breads. Use the type that can be cut open to stuff. The thinner the bread, the better, so the meat can easily be cooked through.
- Cheese: Optional, but these are delicious with melty cheese inside. Use any variety from cheddar cheese to pepper jack cheese.
- Olive oil: For brushing over the outside of the pita, so it gets golden and crisp.
- For serving: We like to serve arayes with a dipping sauce like shawarma sauce.
How to make this recipe
It’s actually super easy to make this pita burger recipe at home. Plus, it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish! Here’s how everything comes together:
- Mince the veggies and herbs: In a small food processor, pulse the chopped onion, garlic, and parsley until fine. You can also do this using a knife.
- Meat mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion mixture, ground beef, tomato paste, and spices. Mix until fully combined.
- Assemble pitas: Cut your pita breads in half or 1/4th and very carefully open them up. Place about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each pita pocket and press to evenly distribute, until about 1 inch thick. If desired, add a layer of shredded cheese of choice into the pita pocket. You can also use yellow American or cheddar cheese slices if desired.
- Cook on the stove: Heat a large heavy duty skillet or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil both sides of the stuffed pita bread and grill for 2-3 minutes per side, pressing down with a spatula until golden and cooked through.
- Cook in the oven: Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Lightly oil both sides of the stuffed pita and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Or you can air fry on 400℉ for 12-15 minutes flipping halfway.
- Serve: Enjoy with Tzaakiti or shawarma sauce. Garnish with fresh red onions and lemon slices.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook: These cook very quickly, so watch them closely as they either bake or cook on the stovetop. If you overcook them, the beef will be dry. They are done when the pita is golden and crisp. You can gently lift up the pita to check that the beef is done.
- Meat: We typically use beef to make these but any ground meat would work. You can try lamb, chicken or turkey.
- Vegetables: While it’s traditional to make arayes with just the seasoned meat stuffed in the pitas alone, you could bulk them up by adding extra veggies like lettuce, tomato and/or sliced mushrooms.
Frequently asked questions
What is arayes made of?
Arayes are typically made with some type of seasoned meat like lamb or beef stuffed in pita bread. The ingredients are very simple, yet combine for an incredible appetizer or meal.
What is the meaning of Arayees?
Arayes means bride in Arabic and is used to describe the combination of the well-seasoned meat and the crispy pita as a marriage made in Israeli heaven. It has also been said that it signifies the way a bride is wrapped in her wedding dress like the way this burger is wrapped in the pita bread.
What do you eat arayes with?
These are great served as an app or main course. We love to enjoy them with a dip like shawarma sauce, tzatziki, hummus or any other type of yogurt sauce. As far as sides, try them paired with a tabbouleh salad, roasted potatoes, vegetables or French fries.
Storage recommendations
Arayes are best enjoyed just after being cooked, but if you have any leftovers allow them to cool completely and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until they are heated through and the pita bread is crispy. You could also reheat them in an air fryer at 350ºF for approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
More ground beef recipes to try
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Cream Lasagna Soup
- Smash Burger Tacos
- Korean Beef Bowls
- Beef Sambusa
- Spinach and Ground Beef Stuffed Shells
Arayes
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or cilantro
- 1 lb lean ground beef *
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste or pomegranate molasses
- 1 teaspoon EACH allspice, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, paprika, salt
- 4 pita breads
- ½ cup shredded cheese of choice, optional
- Olive oil for brushing
- Serve with shawarma sauce
Instructions
- In a small food processor, pulse the chopped onion, garlic, and parsley until fine. You can also do this using a knife.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion mixture, ground beef, tomato paste, and spices. Mix until fully combined.
- Cut your pita breads in half or 1/4th and very carefully open them up. Place about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each pita pocket and press to evenly distribute, until about 1 inch thick. If desired, add a layer of shredded cheese of choice into the pita pocket. You can also use yellow american or cheddar cheese slices if desired.
- Stove-top Method: Heat a large heavy duty skillet or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil both sides of the stuffed pita bread and grill for 2-3 minutes per side, pressing down with a spatula until golden and cooked through.
- Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly oil both sides of the stuffed pita and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Or you can air fry on 400℉ for 12-15 minutes flipping halfway.
- Serve with Tzaakiti or shawarma sauce. Garnish with fresh red onions and lemon slices.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Layla Atik // Gimme Delicious | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
