Lamb Pitas with Cucumbers and Yogurt Sauce

Name: Lamb Pitas with Cucumbers and Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 sandwiches
Ingredients: 8 ounces whole-milk plain yogurt; 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro; 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 medium garlic clove, minced; Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon; Pinch cayenne pepper; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar; 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 2 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half; 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber rounds; 8 ounces sliced cooked lamb, warmed

Yogurt Sauces Lamb Cucumbers Easter Mediterranean Picnic Healthy Olive Oil Lemons Cilantro Cumin Mint Garlic Lunch Sub / Sandwich Easy

Save (278)

Rate

4 sandwiches Easy

Total: 30 mins

2 Ratings

Ingredients (17)

For the yogurt sauce:

8 ounces whole-milk plain yogurt
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium garlic clove, minced
Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
Pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the sandwich:

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber rounds
8 ounces sliced cooked lamb, warmed

Try Amazon Fresh

Nutritional Information

Calories525
Fat46.27g
Saturated fat22.0g
Trans fat
Carbs20.37g
Fiber2.97g
Sugar4.28g
Protein8.59g
Cholesterol51.03mg
Sodium150.59mg
Nutritional Analysis per serving (4 servings) Powered by

Get fresh food news delivered to your inbox

Leftover Easter lamb can quickly be transformed into a satisfying pita sandwich. Just stuff slices of the lamb into a toasted pita, add some onion and cucumber tossed with a simple vinaigrette, and spoon on a fresh herb-yogurt sauce. Serve with a Mediterranean Couscous Salad or Tabbouleh.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easter Leftovers recipe slideshow.

by Amy Wisniewski

Tips for Lamb

Tip

How to Pick Lamb

Lamb is readily available in most supermarkets. The freshest lamb will have soft pink and red flesh with marbling throughout. Avoid anything that looks grey in color.

1 of 3

Next: How to Freeze Lamb

Tip

How to Freeze Lamb

Wrap the lamb in it in its original packaging, airtight, with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. From there, you can also place the meat in an airtight freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Chops and loins fare best when wrapped individually.

2 of 3

Next: How to Thaw Lamb

Tip

How to Thaw Lamb

Lamb can be defrosted in three ways. As with most meat, refrigeration is the most effective, albeit slowest method. Lamb meat defrosted in the fridge can actually be re-frozen before or after cooking, though there may be a loss of moisture. If you're in a pinch, lamb can be defrosted in the microwave, or placed in a bowl of cold water (which should be replaced every 30 minutes).

3 of 3

Next: How to Pick Lamb

Instructions

For the yogurt sauce:

1Combine all of the measured ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

For the sandwich:

1Place the oil and vinegar in a medium, nonreactive bowl and whisk to combine. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Set aside until the onions mellow in flavor, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly toast the pitas and set aside.
2When the onions are ready, add the cucumbers to the bowl and toss until coated with the vinaigrette.
3Spread about 1 heaping tablespoon of the yogurt sauce inside each pita.
4Place a quarter of the lamb and a quarter of the cucumber-onion mixture in each of the pitas. Drizzle the desired amount of remaining sauce over the tops of each pita and serve.