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While gyros rein supreme in the Greek handheld world, slow-roasted lamb on a spitfire isn’t something most common cooks have access to so we’ve found a way to enjoy all our favorite foundational flavors of a gyro in an easier form. Say hello to our Lamb Tacos – the perfect way to enjoy a gyro in 30 minutes.
Lamb Tacos
Here’s exactly what’s happening.
We pile soft flour tortillas high with savory ground lamb seasoned with garlic and oregano, then sprinkle a generous amount of feta cheese on top before folding it half and crisping each taco up in an oil-dusted cast-iron skillet. Much like our crispy tacos, after the tortilla becomes ultra crispy and the feta melts into a tangy oblivion, we open them up and stuff each taco with store-bought tzatziki (another shortcut), juicy cherry tomatoes, paper-thin red onions, and plenty of fresh dill.
The cool, crispy veggies and sauced nestled up against the hot lamb and melty feta is kind of perfect. They’re fresh, easy enough for a weeknight, and guaranteed to become part of your regular dinner rotation.
Why You’ll Love These Lamb Tacos
- Ready in about 30 minutes. Ground lamb, store-bought tzatziki and baby potatoes make the prep and cook time weeknight friendly.
- Loaded with fresh Mediterranean flavors. Need I say more?
- Easy to prep ahead. Make everything ahead of time and assemble/crisp the tacos when you’re ready to eat.
- Family-friendly. Don’t tell the kids (or any picky eaters for that matter) the tacos are ground lamb and they are sure to dig right in.
- Perfect for entertaining. These are not a part of your average taco night. Impress dinner attendees with something a little special.
The Ingredients
Ground Lamb. I love lamb here because it’s a classic Greek-inspired flavor you’d expect in a gyro. It’s rich, flavorful, and I can’t get enough of it (The lamb sliders are another favorite.)
Garlic + Oregano. A must in any Greek recipe
Potatoes. I like to use baby Dutch potatoes but a yukon gold works great, just make sure to cut them into small pieces so they cook up quickly.
Tzatziki. A creamy mixture of Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and dill. If you want, you can make it homemade – we occasionally do – but for a quick meal don’t hesitate to buy it at the store.
Tomatoes. I like to use sweet yellow cherry tomatoes but anything will do.
Feta Cheese. Salty, tangy, and essential.
Red onion. When you slice red onion paper thin, it gives the perfect amount of crunch and doesn’t have a significant onion bite.
Fresh Dill. Don’t skip!
Flour Tortillas. Make sure to get fajita size for perfectly petite lamb tacos.
Let’s Make Lamb Tacos
Cook the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the potatoes and prep your other ingredients for the remaining dish while the oven preheats. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and oregano. Toss to combine, pop in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until brown and crispy. Once they come out of the oven, squeeze lemon juice on top and sprinkle with fresh dill.
Cook the lamb. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, once hot add the lamb and salt. Use a spatula to press the lamb into the skillet, do not disturb for at least 3-4. minutes. The key is to get the lamb super crispy and brown!
Once the lamb is crispy and brown, add the garlic, oregano, salt, paprika and black pepper.
Assemble! Warm the tortillas so they are pliable. Pile the lamb in the tortillas and sprinkle with plenty of feta. Fold in half. Wipe the pan clean you cooked the lamb in. Drizzle with a little bit more olive oil. Place two folded lamb tacos into the pan and crisp over a medium heat. When one side is brown and crispy, flip and cook on the other side. Repeat for remaining tacos.
Open up the lamb tacos after you crisp them. Top with potatoes, tzatziki, tomatoes, red onion and plenty of fresh dill. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
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- Make the pickled onions up to three days in advance.
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- Drain the cucumber well before making the tzatziki.
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- If you can’t find ground lamb, a mixture of ground beef and lamb works well.
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- Serve with roasted potatoes or a simple Greek salad.
Substitutions
- Make it Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes to the lamb or drizzle with hot honey.
- Use Chicken or beef. While I think it’s really important to use lamb here, if you have to, you can swap out ground beef or ground chicken.
- For extra crunch, add in diced cucumber.
Lamb Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for cooking divided
- 2 cups baby dutch potatoes
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 10 flour tortillas fajita size
- 1 cup halved yellow cherry tomatoes
- 6 oz cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- Juice of half lemon
- 1/4 red onion sliced paper thin
- 1/2 cup tzatziki
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Cut the potatoes and prep your other ingredients for the remaining dish while the oven preheats.
- Add the potatoes to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and oregano. Toss to combine, pop in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until brown and crispy. Toss once halfway through. When you pull the potatoes out of the oven, squeeze lemon juice on top and sprinkle with a tablespoon of fresh dill. Toss and set aside.
- While the potatoes roast, cook the lamb. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add remaining olive oil. Swirl the pan to coat and add the lamb. Use a spatula to press the lamb into the skillet, do not disturb for at least 3-4. minutes. Sprinkle the top with remaining teaspoon salt. The key is to get the lamb super crispy and brown! Once the lamb is crispy and brown on one side, use a wooden spoon to flip the lamb over and brown on the other side. After a few minutes, use the spoon to break up the meat and add the garlic, oregano, salt, paprika and black pepper. Continue to cook the lamb until it's cooked through. When the lamb is finished cooking, remove to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
- To assemble: Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds so they are pliable. Pile about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the lamb in the tortillas and sprinkle with a few tablespoon of feta. Fold in half. Heat the pan you cooked the lamb in to a medium-high heat. Drizzle with a little bit more olive oil (you can even spray it with olive oil cooking spray to keep the calories down or omit the oil altogether. Place two folded lamb tacos into the pan and crisp over a medium heat. When one side is brown and crispy, flip and cook on the other side. Repeat for remaining tacos.
- Once the tacos are all crispy, open them up and top with a few roasted potatoes, a dollop of tzatziki, tomatoes and plenty of fresh dill.
Nutrition Information
Greek Tacos
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
Lamb
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup finely diced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving
- 8 small flour tortillas
- 1 cup diced yellow tomatoes
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh dill
Instructions
- Combine the red onion, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
- Stir together all tzatziki ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb and cook until browned.
- Stir in garlic, oregano, salt, paprika, and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes longer.
- Warm tortillas.
- Spread tzatziki on each tortilla. Top with lamb, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, pickled onions, and dill.
- Serve immediately.
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