Arayes, a classic Lebanese delight, involves stuffing pita bread with seasoned meat and grilling or baking it until it's just right. If you love the idea of enjoying bold, savory tastes tucked inside a crispy, warm pita, then this dish is an absolute winner. It's a wonderful meal that's simple to make and brimming with delicious Mediterranean flavors.
Arayes- Stuffed Pita Pockets
Arayes is all about simplicity and bold flavors. The dish typically features ground lamb. The lamb is mixed with a variety of spices, herbs, and onions, creating a filling that is both aromatic and deeply flavorful.
It is a classic Lebanese street food—grilled pita bread stuffed with spiced ground lamb. This stuffed pita recipe is super easy to make and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that everyone loves!
Perfectly seasoned meat, with a hint of sweetness from the onions and a subtle kick from the spices. The pita is crispy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside, creating a perfect contrast of textures.
The flavors and presentation of arayes are universally appealing, making them a hit with kids and adults alike. Arayes are easy to pack and take on the go, making them an excellent option for picnics, lunches, or road trips.
I have also made other Mediterranean dishes like Stuffed Tomatoes, Greek Chicken Gyros, Pinchitos, Baked Chicken, and Muhammara that you will like.
Jump to:
⭐Why You'll Love This Arayes Recipe
Quick and Easy to Make: This recipe is easy and doesn’t need any complicated techniques or special equipment.
Customizable: You can easily tweak the spices to fit your taste. Add more chili for extra heat or try different herbs and seasonings to make it your own.
Versatile: Arayes can be served as an appetizer, snack, or main course. They're great for family meals, parties, or even as a quick weeknight dinner.
🧾Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make Arayes:
Minced Lamb: I love using lamb for arayes, but you can easily swap it out for another type of meat if you prefer.
Onion, Garlic, and Parsley: I love using these ingredients to add sweetness, freshness, aromatic flavor, moisture, and a pop of color to the kofta filling.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil because it adds richness and keeps the meat mixture moist and flavorful. It also helps grill the pita bread to a nice, crispy texture.
Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon Powder, Chili Flakes, Chili Powder, and Cumin Powder: I enjoy seasoning my arayes with these spices to bring out a rich, flavorful taste.
Pita Breads: I prefer using smaller, thicker pita breads because they hold up really nicely to the stuffing. Just heat them up first to easily open the pockets for filling.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Arayes
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
1. Chop an onion and parsley, put them in a food processor, add garlic cloves and extra virgin olive oil, then blend until you get a rough paste.
2. In a large bowl, mix the minced lamb with the onion mixture, salt, pepper, cinnamon, chili flakes, chili powder, and cumin powder.
3. Mix everything well until it's fully combined. Then set it aside.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then warm the pita bread for 30 seconds on each side.
5. Take the pita bread out of the skillet, place them on a cutting board, and cut them in half to create pockets.
6. Fill each pita pocket with the lamb mixture, spreading it evenly inside.
7. Brush the outside of each filled pita with extra virgin olive oil.
8. Heat a grill pan over low-medium heat. Put the filled pita breads on the grill pan. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes until the pita is crispy and golden brown, and the filling is cooked through.
9. Once cooked, take the arayes off the heat and let them cool for a minute or two.
10. Serve the arayes with yogurt sauce and a tomato-onion salad.
📖Variations
Cheesy Twist: Add some shredded cheese, like feta or mozzarella, for a gooey, melty surprise in your arayes.
Vegetarian Version: For a tasty vegetarian twist, try using a plant-based ground meat alternative or a mix of cooked lentils and finely chopped veggies. It's a delicious option that's packed with flavor!
🍽 What to serve with Arayes
This dish is great on its own, but I really enjoy serving it with a crisp tomato onion salad and a refreshing yogurt sauce for dipping. It also goes well with hummus, muhammara, bubble potato pillows, and crispy smashed potatoes. It's the ultimate finger food experience.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Proper Filling Technique: When filling the pita pockets with the lamb mixture, make sure to distribute it evenly by pressing gently. Avoid overfilling to keep the pita from breaking while cooking.
Oil for Crispiness: Before cooking, I like to brush the outside of the filled pitas generously with olive oil. It really helps to get that crispy, golden-brown exterior that makes them so delicious.
Don't overcook: Cook the arayes just until the lamb is fully cooked through. If they're overcooked, the filling can become dry and tough.
Storage: Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
❓Commonly Asked Questions
A pita is a round, flat bread with a pocket in the middle, commonly used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines for sandwiches, wraps, and dipping.
To open a pita, warm it up slightly, cut it in half, and gently separate the pocket with a knife.
🍛More Comfort Food Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite comfort food recipes! Try these:
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my Newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
📖 Recipe
Arayes
Ingredients
- 1 Onion
- 30 g Parsley
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 500 g Minced Lamb
- 1&¼ tsp Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
- 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 4 Pita Breads
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Cut an onion and parsley, place in a food processor, add garlic cloves and extra virgin olive oil, and pulse to achieve a coarse paste.
- In a large bowl, combine the minced lamb, coarse onion mixture, salt, pepper, cinnamon powder, chili flakes, chili powder, and cumin powder.
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly until well combined. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, place the pita bread, and heat them up for 30 seconds on each side.
- Remove the pita breads from the skillet, place them on a cutting board, and cut them in half to create pockets.
- Fill each pita pocket with the lamb mixture, pressing the filling evenly inside.
- Brush the outside of each filled pita with extra virgin olive oil.
- Heat a grill pan over low-medium heat. Place the filled pita breads on the grill pan. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes until the pita is crispy and golden brown and the filling is cooked through.
- Once cooked, remove the arayes from the heat and let them cool for a minute or two.
- Serve the arayes with yogurt sauce and tomato onion salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
These Arayes are amazing! The filling is so flavorful and the pita bread is perfectly crispy on the outside. YUM!