This sheet pan Gyro Recipe turns seasoned beef and lamb into juicy, flavorful gyro strips right in the oven! Stuff the meat into warm pitas with tzatziki, feta, and your favorite fixings for a weeknight dinner worth getting excited about.
A gyro recipe for the rest of us!
And by “the rest of us,” I mean those of us who don’t have a vertical spit to roast the meat on. (Which I’m guessing is probably everyone reading this.)
I have to give credit to my sister Elaine for this gyro recipe—or at least some of the credit. She gave me the idea to make gyro meat on a sheet pan and then I rolled up my sleeves and got to work making that idea a reality. It was a team effort!
And teamwork really did make the dream work here because these gyros are GOOD.
To season the meat, I took inspiration from the Greek Pita Pizzas in The Well Plated Cookbook. Cumin, oregano, a touch of cinnamon, and garlic give the meat warmth and depth.
Let’s talk about what makes this recipe a standout:
- No Special Equipment. Traditional gyro meat is cooked on a vertical rotisserie spit, but here, you only need a sheet pan and your oven.
- Infinitely toppable. Is toppable a word? It should be! Pile the meat onto pita bread with creamy tzatziki, feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions for a family-friendly build-your-own dinner.
- Versatile. Pitas are the classic choice, but the meat is also excellent served bowl-style over rice.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Lean Ground Beef. My first test used a combination of 90% lean ground beef and lamb, which gave the meat excellent flavor without making it overly greasy.
- Ground Lamb. Gyro meat can be made with a combination of meats, and I loved the complexity lamb brought to this version. If lamb isn’t your thing, I recommend combining 90/10 ground beef with 85/15 ground beef. When I tested the recipe using only lean beef, the meat turned out drier than I wanted.
- Garlic. Mince them finely so the garlic distributes evenly throughout the mixture.
- Seasonings. Dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Olive Oil. To get the meat browned and lightly crisped on the outside.
- For Serving. Pita bread or rice for the base, plus something creamy like Homemade Tzatziki Sauce, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese, fresh veggies like cucumbers, red onion, and tomato, crumbled feta, and/or parsley.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix the Gyro Meat (photo 1). Place a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat it to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, lamb, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Mix until the seasonings are evenly distributed, but don’t over-work the meat.
Press It onto the Sheet Pan. Transfer the mixture to the prepared sheet pan. Use your fingers to press and squish it into a thin, even layer extending almost to the edges of the parchment. Keeping the thickness even is important so the meat cooks at the same rate throughout.
Score the Meat (photo 2). With a bench scraper or butter knife, score the meat lengthwise down the center. Then score it crosswise into approximately 1-inch strips. Lightly brush the surface with olive oil. The scoring gives you a guide for slicing the cooked meat and helps reduce some of the shrinkage as it bakes.
Bake. Bake on the upper-third rack for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and beginning to brown on top.
Drain and Cut into Strips (photo 3). As soon as the meat comes out of the oven, carefully pour off the excess liquid. Run your bench scraper or knife back along the original score marks to re-cut the meat.
Serve. Warm the pitas and add the meat strips and your desired toppings. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Sheet Pan Gyros
- Hummus. Ben and I love gyros with my Homemade Hummus Recipe on the side.
- Greek Salad. For a lighter pairing, try my Greek Salad or this Mediterranean Salad.
- Fries. Serve it restaurant-style with a side of Homemade Fries!
Gyro Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Gyro Meat:
- 1 pound lean ground beef I used 90% lean
- 1 pound ground lamb or 85/15 ground beef
- 3 cloves minced garlic about 1 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Olive oil for brushing
For Serving:
- Pita bread brown rice, white rice, or Lemon Rice
- Tzatziki sauce, plain Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese
- Chopped vegetables (cucumbers, red onion, tomato)
- Crumbled feta
- Finely chopped fresh parsley
- Hummus a fun bonus on the side
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (I used an 11×17-inch sheet pan).
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground lamb, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Turn it out onto the prepared baking sheet. With your fingers, squish it into a thin, even layer that extends nearly to the edges of the paper.
- With a bench scraper or butter knife, score the meat lengthwise (hot dog style) down the center, then crosswise into 1-inch strips. Lightly brush the top with oil (I drizzled a bit on, then used a pastry brush to spread it).
- Place in the oven on the upper-third rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and beginning to brown on top. It will release a good amount of liquid and some grease, but don’t be alarmed—it’s going to taste great.
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour off the excess liquid. With a bench scraper or knife, separate the meat back into strips (it will have fused along the score lines as the meat cooked).
- Warm the pita in the microwave, or place it on a lower oven rack for a minute or two. Load up your gyro with tzatziki, strips of the cooked gyro meat, and your toppings of choice. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover gyro meat in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the pita and fresh toppings separate so they don’t become soggy.
- TO REHEAT: Gently reheat the strips in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Avoid cooking them longer than necessary so the meat stays juicy.
