Beef Gyros (2024)

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Flank steak stars in this street cart-inspired pita wrap recipe. Tuck the Greek-marinated Beef Gyros inside a fluffy pita bread, and top with homemade tzatziki sauce.

I love to cook everything I possibly can at home, but for YEARS Greek gyros felt out of reach. I didn’t have gyro machine or the “Gyro meat cone” (that cone-shaped blend of beef and lamb spinning on an upright rotisserie at your local Greek establishment).

After dabbling in Chicken gyros, I decided to make a straight beef version. It tastes MUCH closer to the real thing and you don’t even have to shave meat off a cone.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Plain Greek yogurt: Any fat percentage will do, but I adore the richness that you can only find in a 2 to 5 percent variety (translation: 0% yogurt is not my top choice; proceed with caution).
• Beef flank steak: While traditional gyros are made with lamb, beef is a wonderful, crowd-pleasing alternative. Flank steak is widely available and budget-friendly. If desired, swap in skirt steak, hanger steak, or flat iron steak.
• Cucumber: Peel, grate, and strain this before incorporating into your tzatziki sauce so the condiment doesn’t get too watery.

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk well. Add the beef pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover bowl or transfer into zip-top bag and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

2. While the beef is marinating, shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Toss with ½ teaspoon salt and set over a strainer or paper towels (a coffee filter also works well) and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze cucumber to remove as much liquid as possible.

3. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, garlic, and white wine vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish with oil or nonstick spray and arrange beef in a single layer. Cover with parchment paper, tucking the paper around the beef so it is completely covered.

5. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until the beef reaches 140 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice or chop into pieces.

6. Serve on pita bread with feta cheese, tomatoes, red onion, tzatziki sauce, and fresh dill.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes enough to build 4 generous gyros with approximately 4 ounces of beef per gyro.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make ahead: Make the tzatziki up to 4 days in advance. Marinate the beef one day in advance.
• Greek omelet: Put leftover gyro meat to work in an omelet with feta cheese, tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Just sauté all your filling ingredients together until hot before adding to the omelet.
• Think outside of the pita: A gyro wrap is my favorite way to serve Beef Gyros, but feel free to try this same beef recipe and tzatziki sauce as part of a grain bowl, salad, or even piled atop pita chips for a Mediterranean twist on nachos.
• Pick a different protein: If red meat isn’t your favorite, try my Chicken Gyros instead.
• Favorite sides: I love to eat Gyros with a huge pile of French fries, but Lemon Rice Pilaf and Greek Salad make a delicious platter, too.

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