Skillet Beef Gyros
Beef Gyros are a Greek-inspired dish with steak, crisp salad veggies, and a creamy homemade sauce, all wrapped up in soft pita bread. A short marinade gives the beef a savory garlic and lemon flavor, and then a hot skillet adds browned edges.
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Treat your taste buds to some Greek flavor for dinner tonight with this easy beef gyro recipe. It’s homemade take on the Greek street-food favorite and full of bold, rich flavors.
These Air Fryer Greek Chicken Kabobs with Tzatziki are a similar dish you may enjoy, and Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas are a tasty option when you have steak strips to cook. Mexican Beef Tortas are rolls filled with seasoned beef and toppings and Picadillo is another tasty beef recipe with olives and warm spices.
Why You’ll Love It
- Speedy stovetop dinner: The filling cooks in a few minutes in a hot skillet.
- Contrasting textures: Warm filling, crisp toppings and chilled sauce are wrapped in soft flatbread, offering a range of satisfying textures.
- Short marinating time: Fifteen minutes is enough to infuse the beef with flavor.
- No oven needed: The skillet handles the cooking, which is handy during warm weather.
- Customizable and crowd-friendly: I like to put the toppings and sauce out separately so everyone can fill their own pita however they wish.
What are Gyros?
Gyros are a Greek dish made with meat served in pita bread with toppings like tomato, onion and tzatziki. Traditional gyros are cooked on a vertical rotisserie and shaved into thin pieces. This homemade beef gyros recipe is cooked in a skillet to make it easier. Once you know how to make beef gyros, you’ll crave these flavors often.
Skillet Beef Gyros Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Steak: Use flank or sirloin steak. Slice it thinly against the grain so the cooked strips come out more tender and easier to chew.
- Olive oil: To coat the beef and add a little richness to the sauce.
- Garlic: Minced garlic is added to the marinade and the sauce. I recommend mincing your own rather than using jarred garlic for a fresher flavor.
- Lemon: Lemon juice adds acidity to the beef marinade and balances the sauce flavor. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if you have a lemon. You can serve lemon wedges with the finished dish in case anyone wants more.
- Seasonings: Dried oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper season the beef.
- Pita breads or flatbreads: It’s best to warm them briefly before filling so they bend easily without breaking.
- Salad toppings: Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion add crunch and freshness to this beef gyros recipe.
- Greek yogurt: Use plain Greek yogurt for the sauce.
- Cucumber: Grate it and squeeze it dry before stirring it into the sauce. You may be surprised just how much liquid comes out of cucumber when you squeeze it in a tea towel!
- Dried dill: Adds a herby flavor to the cucumber yogurt sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Different steak cut: Skirt steak is another option. Slice it thinly against the grain.
- Flatbread swap: Use pita bread or another soft flatbread that folds easily.
- Extra topping: Add crumbled feta if liked.
- Other seasonings: You might like to try my Greek Seasoning Blend in this recipe.
- Fresh herbs: Replace the dried dill with finely chopped fresh dill weed.
- Spicier filling: Add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade.
Top Tips
- Slice against the grain: Look for the lines running across the steak and cut across them. Shorter muscle fibers make the cooked beef more tender.
- Cook in batches: I wouldn’t pile all the beef into a small skillet. A crowded pan steams the strips and cuts down on browning. And those crispy browned bits are too good to miss!
- Watch the beef closely: Thin strips can cook through in a couple of minutes. Flip them as needed and check a thicker strip for doneness. For food safety, steak should reach 145°F and rest for 3 minutes.
- Squeeze the cucumber dry: Press out as much liquid as possible before making the sauce. Excess water makes the sauce loose.
- Warm the pita briefly: A short turn in a dry skillet or microwave makes the bread easier to fold.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store the cooked beef, sauce and toppings in separate airtight containers. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Use the beef within 4 days and the sauce within 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the cooked beef in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Don’t freeze assembled gyros or the cucumber yogurt sauce because the textures change after thawing.
- Reheating: Warm the beef in a skillet over medium heat or use the microwave. Heat leftovers to 165°F. Warm the pita separately.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these beef gyros with Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad or these Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary. You may prefer a Caprese Salad or one of these Green Salad Recipes. And Garlic Parmesan Fries would also be a tasty pairing.
Beef Gyro Recipe FAQs
Look for the visible lines running along the steak. Cut across those lines, not in the same direction. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the cooked strips less chewy.
They only need warming. Use a dry skillet or microwave until they are soft enough to fold around the filling.
The grated cucumber may still contain too much liquid. Squeeze it firmly before adding it to the sauce. Stir the sauce until evenly combined. It won’t be completely smooth because the cucumber remains visible.
Yes. You can refrigerate the beef in the marinade for up to 24 hours. The lemon juice can soften the thin slices too much if they’re left much longer, so overnight is the upper limit for this recipe.
Beef Gyros
Equipment
- Mandoline Optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 pita breads or flatbreads
- 1 cup lettuce shredded
- 1 cup tomatoes diced
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- Lemon wedges to serve, optional
For the Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber grated and squeezed dry
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate the Beef
- In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper.
- Add the sliced beef, tossing to coat evenly.
- Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
Prepare the Sauce
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Keep this sauce chilled until ready to serve.
Cook the Beef
- Heat a large skillet over a moderate to high heat and add the beef.
- Cook for 2 to 4 minutes in a single layer until cooked through and browned. Thinner beef cooks faster. I recommend working in batches if you need to, so as not to overcrowd the skillet.
Assemble the Beef Gyros
- Warm the pita breads in a dry skillet until pliable and soft.
- Layer some of the cooked beef onto each one.
- Top with lettuce, red onion and tomatoes.
- Spoon the yogurt sauce on top.
- Wrap or fold the gyros and serve straight away.
Notes
- Cut before marinating: Slice the steak before adding it to the marinade so more surface area is seasoned.
- Stir until combined: The sauce won’t be completely smooth because of the grated cucumber bits, so just mix until combined.
- Serve with lemon wedges: Add lemon wedges to the plate for anyone who wants an extra squeeze.
Nutrition Information
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