Arayes: Grilled or Baked Pita Sandwiches Filled with Spiced Ground Meat and Served with Tahini Dipping Sauce Recipe
Arayes are delicious Middle Eastern pita pockets stuffed with seasoned ground beef, grilled or baked to perfection, and optionally served with a tangy tahini dipping sauce. This versatile and flavorful recipe offers a perfect blend of spices like baharat and sumac, combined with fresh parsley and onion, making it a satisfying meal or appetizer that is quick to prepare and easy to customize.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 stuffed pita pockets 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Filling
- 1 Medium white onion, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 ½ lbs extra lean ground beef (alternatively ground lamb or chicken)
- 1 tbsp baharat (7-spice blend)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sumac
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Breads
- 3–4 thin pita breads
- Olive oil, for brushing
Tahini Sauce (Optional)
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Cold water, to thin the sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Process: In a small food processor, pulse the chopped onion and parsley until finely chopped and combined.
- Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, onion and parsley mixture, baharat, garlic powder, sumac, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Fry a small tablespoon of the mixture to taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Prepare Pita: Cut the pita breads in half and carefully open each half to create a pocket without tearing the bread.
- Scoop: Using an ice cream scoop, fill each pita pocket with about two portions of the meat mixture.
- Spread: Use a butter knife to evenly spread the meat mixture all around inside the pita pockets.
- Grill: Lightly brush the stuffed pita halves with olive oil. Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the pita pockets on each side for about 4-5 minutes until the meat is cooked through and grill marks appear on the bread.
- Bake (Alternative Method): Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil the stuffed pita halves and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.
- Make the Tahini Sauce (Optional): In a small bowl, whisk together tahini and lemon juice until forming a smooth paste. Gradually add cold water one tablespoon at a time until reaching a dipping sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with ground lamb or chicken based on preference.
- Adjust the garlic powder amount if you prefer a stronger garlic flavor.
- Test seasonings by frying a small portion of meat mixture before stuffing the pitas.
- Ensure the pita pockets remain intact while opening to easily fill them.
- Use olive oil to achieve a nice crispy exterior when grilling or baking.
- The tahini sauce is optional but adds a delicious tangy contrast to the spicy meat.
- For a quicker option, cooking in a grill pan is faster than baking.
Keywords: Arayes, stuffed pita, Middle Eastern recipe, ground beef pita, grilled pita pockets, baharat spiced meat, sumac, tahini sauce, easy Middle Eastern dish
