Easy Homemade Gyros

By
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/3/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Gyros rolled-up in flatbread with lettuce; bottom half of sandwich wrapped in paper

The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Marinate: 60 mins
Total: 78 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 gyros
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
838 Calories
44g Fat
70g Carbs
40g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 838
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g 56%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 1331mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 70g 25%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 25mg 123%
Calcium 174mg 13%
Iron 6mg 35%
Potassium 1009mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The gyro (YEE-row) is a classic Greek dish, with the meat traditionally cooked on a vertical spit and shaved off in individual servings. While this delicious method for preparing meat is often used in Greek restaurants, it's not easy to accomplish at home. This Greek-American take on the dish uses ground lamb or beef and is quick and easy to make in a home kitchen.

Gyros are a delicious sandwich for lunch or dinner, with spiced, grilled meat topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and a flavorful tzatziki sauce. You can find tzatziki in the refrigerated condiment section of the grocery store or make your own using Greek yogurt, sour cream, cucumber, and fresh dill.

For best results, let the uncooked meat mixture marinate for an hour before grilling or pan-frying. This will let the flavors marry for a better tasting sandwich. A charcoal or gas grill will add a nice smokey flavor, but a hot grill pan or a skillet will work just fine.

1:13

Click Play to See This Classic Greek Homemade Gyro Recipe Come Together

"The meat patties for the gyros were full of flavor, and the recipe was very easy to follow and prepare. We loved the spiciness of the meat, and the tzatziki balanced the flavors perfectly. Using ground beef in the gyros made it an economical meal as well." —Diana Rattray

Easy Homemade Gyros Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Meat Mixture:

  • 1 pound ground lamb, or beef

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup minced red onion

  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Oil, for grilling or frying, as needed

For the Sandwich:

  • 4 rounds flatbread, or pita

  • 4 leaves lettuce

  • 1 medium tomato, sliced or diced

  • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup Tzatziki sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for gyros recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  2. To make the meat mixture, thoroughly combine the ground lamb, salt, black pepper, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, garlic, red onion, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.

    Ground lamb mixed with seasonings, garlic, onion, and lemon juice in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  3. Divide into four equal portions and shape into oblong patties about 3-inch wide by 6-inch long by 1/2-inch thick. Notice that the patty is shaped more like a sausage (long and thin) rather than a hamburger patty. This is intentional, to ensure the patty fits in the flatbread. Refrigerate for one hour.

    Meat shaped into four equally sized oblong patties

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  4. Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Alternatively, heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat.

    Large cast-iron grill pan being preheated

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  5. If grilling, brush the grill or grill pan with oil. If pan-frying, add a dollop of oil to the pan. Grill or pan-fry the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through with crispy edges.

    Patties being fried deep brown in large cast-iron grill pan

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  6. To assemble the sandwiches, spread tzatziki sauce down in the center of a flatbread round or the pocket of the pita.

    Tzatziki sauce being spread with a spoon in the center of a flatbread

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  7. Add a lettuce leaf, some sliced tomato, and a few thin onion slices.

    Lettuce leaf, chopped tomato, and onion rings placed in center of a flatbread

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

  8. Add the patty and fold the bread over the lamb. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Serve and enjoy.

    Gyros patty placed on top of lettuce; the two sides of the flatbread folded over in the center to overlap slightly

    The Spruce Eats / Ahlam Raffii

Tip

  • Gyros are messy to eat. You can help curb the mess by wrapping each gyro in foil.
  • If you're worried about the meat sticking to the grill, brush the patties with oil before cooking.

Recipe Variations

  • Ground pork can also be used instead of lamb or beef.
  • Add a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese for extra richness.

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