An Easy Greek Meal: Souvlaki Pitas & Tzatziki Recipe
Souvlaki pitas are one of my favourite meals - not only are they easy to make, but they taste absolutely magnificent. I first discovered souvlaki at a local Greek restaurant, and from that very day, I was hooked. I was on a lunch date with my mum at the time, and as soon as we'd finished our meals, I asked mum if we could go grocery shopping to get the fixings so I could make souvlaki that evening for dinner! Caveat emptor: these pitas are quite messy, so do not eat this meal in front of someone you are trying to impress - unless you're trying to impress them with your spilling skills.
Tzatziki is a creamy, decadent sauce that can be used as a dip (yummy with fries, pita, and veggies!) in addition to being the perfect pairing with a souvlaki pita. The more the better, in my opinion. The addition of cayenne to this recipe gives the tzatziki a nice kick.
Happy cooking!
Souvlaki Pitas & Tzatziki Recipe
Serves: approximately 11 | Preparation Time: 1.5 hours | Marinating: 24-36 hours
Souvlaki (Meat Kebabs):
- approximately 3 lbs steak, cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp oregano
- 2 heaping Tbsp coriander
- 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp black pepper
Directions:
1. Cube the steak and set aside.
2. Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a spill-proof container. Add the steak and let sit for at least 2 hours (up to 36 hours). Agitate occasionally to ensure the spices don't stick to the bottom of the container.
3. After the meat has marinated, skewer the cubes into kebabs. I like to use metal skewers, so the meat cooks from the inside as well, but wooden ones work fine too. Barbecue the skewers for about 8-15 minutes, or until cooked (I usually aim for medium-well, because some of my siblings are highly skeptical of "uncooked" meat).
Tzatziki:
- 1 cucumber, finely grated
- 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yoghurt
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. Finely grate the cucumber, including the peel. Place cucumber in a towel, and gently pat dry to remove excess liquid. Place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add yoghurt, garlic, dill, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Then add black pepper and cayenne. You may want to adjust the amounts of black pepper and cayenne to your own tastes. Stir the tzatziki well.
Souvlaki Pitas:
- finely chopped lettuce
- finely diced tomatoes
- finely diced red onion
- finely diced jalapeños
- cucumbers sliced in quarters
- souvlaki skewers
- feta cheese
- tzatziki
- fresh pita bread
Directions:
1. Chop, dice, or slice all of your fresh ingredients and place in separate bowls (for the most aesthetic effect).
2. Spread tzatziki in the middle of a pita. Pull some souvlaki off of a skewer and lay along the pita. Top with your favourite toppings, fold in half, and find yourself enraptured in the fresh, juicy flavours of souvlaki and tzatziki!
Now I present to you a short gallery of souvlaki photos to help inspire you to make this delicious recipe for yourself!
