Turkey Lahmacun

If you're looking for a quick weeknight dinner that's packed with bold Mediterranean flavors, this turkey lahmacun needs to be on your menu! Incredibly easy to prepare and bursting with goodness from the savory turkey to the creamy harissa yogurt to the refreshing tomato sumac salad.

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Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Turkey Lahmacun

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: pizza, turkey

Servings: 6 pitas

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Harissa dill yogurt sauce

• 1 cup Greek yogurt plain
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill
• juice of ½ lemon
• salt and pepper

Cherry tomato sumac salad

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• ½ red onion thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• salt and pepper

Turkey lahmacun

• ½ red bell pepper roughly chopped
• 2 shallots roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic whole
• ⅔ cup parsley
• 8 ounces ground turkey
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 6 pita breads

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Prepare harissa dill yogurt sauce. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, harissa, dill, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Make tomato sumac salad. Combine cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, olive oil, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Combine bell pepper, shallots, jalapeno, garlic, and parsley in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add turkey, tomato paste, olive oil, paprika, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper, and baking soda. Pulse until well combined.
• Spread about ¼ cup turkey filling per pita bread, spreading the filling to make a thin layer. Place the lahmacun on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
• Remove lahmacun from the oven and let sit for 2 minutes to allow the juices to get reabsorbed. Transfer to serving plates and top with harissa dill yogurt sauce and cherry tomato sumac salad. Serve immediately.

Notes

 You can prepare the harissa dill yogurt sauce and turkey filling the day before.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare toppings

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper. While the oven is heating, prepare your toppings.

For the yogurt sauce, simply mix Greek yogurt, harissa, chopped dill, and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside to let the flavors meld. If you're looking to save time, make the sauce up to a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator.

Next, prepare the tomato sumac salad by combining halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with sumac, salt, and pepper. Give it a gentle toss and set aside.

The longer this sits, the more the flavors will develop, so feel free to make this ahead of time!

The harissa dill yogurt sauce adds a cooling creaminess with a kick of heat, while the cherry tomato sumac salad brings brightness and a pop of color. If you haven't cooked with sumac before, you're in for a treat! This deep red spice adds a lovely lemony tartness.

Step 2: Make turkey filling

For the turkey topping, your food processor does all the work. Add red bell pepper, shallots, jalapeño, garlic, and parsley to the bowl and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed-you want some texture here!

Add the ground turkey, tomato paste, olive oil, and all those wonderful spices, along with that key ingredient, baking soda.

A touch of baking soda might seem unusual, but it's my secret for keeping the turkey moist and tender as it bakes.

Pulse again until well combined. The mixture should be fairly smooth but still have some texture to it.

When spreading the turkey mixture onto the pita breads, use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to create a thin, even layer. The key here is to spread it as thin as possible without leaving any holes-about ⅛ inch thick is perfect.

Make sure to spread the mixture all the way to the edges. I find that slightly warming the pita breads for about 10 seconds in the microwave makes them more pliable and easier to work with.

Step 3: Bake

Bake the lahmacun for 10-12 minutes, but keep a close eye on them. They're done when the edges of the pita start to crisp up, and the meat is fully cooked but still juicy. The turkey should have a slightly caramelized appearance on top.

You'll notice that as they bake, the meat might release some juices-this is completely normal. Let them rest for a couple of minutes after taking them out of the oven, which allows those flavorful juices to be reabsorbed.

To serve, top each lahmacun with a generous dollop of the harissa yogurt sauce and a heaping spoonful of the tomato sumac salad. For a true Mediterranean experience, fold it in half or roll it up like a wrap and eat it with your hands!

This turkey lahmacun is perfect for busy weeknights, casual entertaining, or any time you're craving something a little different from your usual dinner routine. The leftovers (if you have any!) reheat beautifully in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, though I recommend storing the yogurt sauce and salad separately and adding them fresh when serving.

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the meat mixture and the toppings up to a day in advance and store them separately in the refrigerator. However, it's best to assemble and bake the lahmacun just before serving for the best texture.
• Store: Store any leftover assembled lahmacun in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes until warmed through. The yogurt sauce and salad should be stored separately and added just before serving.

More Mediterranean recipes

Looking for more Mediterranean dishes? Try these: