These Ground Beef Gyros were born out of several very real needs in our life. First, the need to use ground beef. Second, the need for an easy weeknight meal. And third, the need for quick and easy gyros. I’m happy to say these deliver on all three counts!
Soooo, we bought a cow.
Okay, not an actual cow. As awesome as that would be, I think the city probably has an ordinance about keeping 2 tons worth of livestock in your backyard.
No, what I mean is we bought beef, an entire side of it to be exact. (Read my post about Buying A Side of Beef)
This isn’t the first time we’ve done this. In fact, I absolutely love buying beef this way. It allows us to support local farmers, gives us confidence in the way our beef is raised, and enables us to stock our freezer with high quality, grass fed beef for a really affordable price.
That said, buying meat in such a large quantity does present it’s challenges. We usually split a side of beef with friends or my parents simply because our freezer isn’t big enough to hold it all. Even with only about a 1/4 side coming directly to us, we always find ourselves in a game of freezer tetris, stuffing packages in between frozen cookie dough and containers of ice cream.
Then there’s the ordeal of actually getting the meat out of the freezer when you want to use it. We’ve gotten a little bit better at this each time, and now we know to keep a variety of cuts of beef on top of the deep freezer, not just pile all the ground beef at the bottom with all the steaks and roasts on top. A 6 month preggo woman does not take kindly to digging through 50 lbs. of steak for a single package of ground beef.
Then, of course, there’s the issue of using it up. This is the fun part. Of course, we eat are fair share of burgers, tater tot casseroles, and steak tacos. But the challenge for me is finding new ways to use up our stash and clear some valuable space in our freezer.
These Ground Beef Gyros were born out of several very real needs in our life. First, the need to use beef. Second, the need for an easy weeknight meal. And third, the need for a quick version of gyros.
We looooove gyros around here, but I rarely make them. It’s partially because they’re a bit of a pain to make, and partially because we can get amazing take out at King Gyros for fairly cheap. But recently I was thinking it’s a crying shame our gyro eating is limited to maybe a once a month take-out affair. Gyros are just too good not to be eaten on the regular. So I set out to create a recipe with the same flavors as our favorite gyro, but half the work.
I was actually surprised just how good these Ground Beef Gyros turned out. They don’t have quite the same texture as traditional gyros, but the flavor is spot on. With just a little bit of garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous heap of oregano, you have an easy gyro filling that’s cheap and delicious.
We like to top our gyros with tzatziki, feta cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and banana peppers. I like to use this homemade version of tzatziki from A Couple Cooks, but you can also buy it from the store to save yourself more time. Either way, you’re looking at a super simple, filling, and cheap meal you can make in 30 minutes or less. Now that’s what I call a win-win-win.
Looking for more easy ground beef recipes? First try my Skillet Ground Beef and Potatoes Recipe, then I would try one of our other favorites like Loaded Taco Tater Tots, Johnny Marzetti, or Mom’s Green Bean Chili.
If you still need more meaty inspiration, check out my roundups of Ground Beef Recipes, and 60 Beef Recipes for Every Cut!
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30 Minute Ground Beef Gyros
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the toppings:
- 4 Pita breads (warmed)
- Tzatziki sauce (store bought or homemade)
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded Lettuce
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Banana Peppers
Instructions
- To make the gyro meat, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until just starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Season with oregano, salt, and black pepper. Drain off most of the excess fat.
- To serve, pile the meat in warmed pita bread and top with tzatziki, tomatoes, lettuce, and banana peppers if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to use lamb if you are feeling traditional!
Nutrition
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