Greek Gyros with Tzatziki
Juicy marinated meat, warm pita, fresh vegetables and cool tzatziki — classic Greek street food made at home.
Gyros is the king of Greek street food: the very word means 'turning', because the meat is traditionally roasted on a vertical spit and shaved off in thin slices. In every taverna in Athens and the islands, gyros is wrapped in warm pita with tomatoes, onion, tzatziki and a handful of fries. At home you don't need a spit — juicy marinated meat cooks beautifully in a pan or oven, and the flavor is exactly right: fragrant, garlicky, with a smoky hint of oregano.
🧺 Ingredients
🍽 4 servings👩🍳 Method
- 1
Marinade
Cut the meat into thin strips. Mix olive oil, crushed garlic, oregano, paprika, lemon juice, salt and pepper, pour over the meat and marinate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
- 2
Tzatziki sauce
Grate the cucumber on the coarse side and squeeze out excess liquid. Mix with the yogurt, one crushed garlic clove, chopped dill and a spoon of olive oil — this is the tzatziki.
- 3
Cook the meat
Heat a pan over high heat and fry the meat in batches for 4–5 minutes until the edges brown and a light crust forms.
- 4
Veg and pita
Slice the tomatoes into wedges and the red onion into thin half-rings. Warm the pita on a dry pan for 20 seconds per side until soft.
- 5
Assemble
On the warm pita spread a spoon of tzatziki, then add meat, tomatoes and onion, and a few fries if you like. Roll tightly and serve at once.
💡 Tips
- 💡
Marinate the meat for at least a couple of hours — lemon and oil make it especially juicy and tender.
- 💡
Cook the meat in batches over high heat: pile it all in at once and it will steam instead of browning.
🔄 Swaps & variations
- 🔄
Instead of pita, serve the meat and tzatziki on a plate with rice and salad — a gyros bowl.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of pork in gyros?
The classics are pork or chicken, but turkey and lamb work great too. For a vegetarian version use large slices of seared mushrooms or spiced chickpeas.
How do I store ready gyros?
Keep the meat and tzatziki separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Assemble the pita only just before serving, or it gets soggy from the sauce.
What to serve with gyros?
Traditionally gyros is served with fries tucked right inside the pita, alongside a horiatiki Greek salad and a lemon wedge.