Big Fat Greek Tacos

Name: Big Fat Greek Tacos
Prep time: 1 h 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 2 firm large tomatoes; 1 English cucumber; ½ cup diced red onion; salt and black pepper to taste; 1 English cucumber; 1 cup plain greek yogurt; ¾ cup crumbled Feta cheese; 1 clove garlic; 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh mint; salt and black pepper to taste; 2 pounds ground lamb or turkey; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; ½ cup minced red onion; 4 cloves garlic; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; ¼ cup broth; 6-8 non-pocket pita or soft wrap breads (see note)

User Reviews

4.8

69 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
1 hr 25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings
8 Servings
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Big Fat Greek Tacos

Iris Warren

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A simple and flavorful recipe that's sure to be a favorite.

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Ingredients

Servings

Cucumber Tomato Salsa:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 firm large tomatoes seeded and diced
1 English cucumber seeded and diced
½ cup diced red onion
salt and black pepper to taste

Feta Mint Tzatziki:

1 English cucumber
1 cup plain greek yogurt
¾ cup crumbled Feta cheese
1 clove garlic finely minced
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
salt and black pepper to taste

Lamb or Turkey:

2 pounds ground lamb or turkey
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup minced red onion
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup broth chicken, vegetable or beef

For the pitas:

6-8 non-pocket pita or soft wrap breads (see note)

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Instructions

At least one hour or as early as one day before you are serving, prepare the salsa and tzatziki. For the cucumber salsa, toss the olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or up to 24 hours to marry the flavors.
For the tzatziki, peel the cucumber and shred on the large holes of a box grater. Place the shredded cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the excess water until the cucumber is very dry. In a medium bowl, stir together the strained cucumber, yogurt, feta, garlic and mint. Again, season with salt and pepper to taste. The tzatziki can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Give it a good stir before serving.
For the meat, heat a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground lamb or turkey with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces and cooking until the meat is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
Drain any excess grease. Stir in the oregano and tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the broth and let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Warm the pita breads in a cast iron skillet or in the microwave until soft and heated through. Serve the tacos by spooning meat into the center of a pita bread and topping with cucumber salsa and tzatziki.

Notes

Pita Bread: here is my favorite homemade version.
Make Ahead: the cucumber salsa and the tzatziki sauce can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated.
Crockpot: Sally mentions that she's made the meat mixture and kept it on low in a crockpot for up to 4 hours to let the flavors develop (and help when entertaining or if you need some flexibility).

Nutrition Information

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Serving 1 Serving Calories 538kcal (27%) Carbohydrates 33g (11%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 32g (49%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Cholesterol 97mg (32%) Sodium 975mg (41%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 5g (10%)