Smoky Harissa Beef Pita Pockets

Smashed spiced beef, cool cucumber yogurt, and herbs fill warm pita pockets for a loaded 30-minute dinner.

Prep: 12 · Cook: 16 · Total: 28 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (121 reviews)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 English cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 4 whole-wheat pita breads
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. Stir the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, mint, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Chill while you cook the beef.
2. Mix the beef, harissa, smoked paprika, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until just combined. Do not overwork it.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Press the beef into a thin even layer and cook for 4 minutes until the underside is deeply browned.
4. Break the beef into craggy pieces, stir, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more until cooked through and crisp at the edges.
5. Warm the pitas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side. Split them open and tuck in the romaine and tomatoes.
6. Fill the pitas with the hot beef, spoon in cucumber yogurt, and finish with feta and extra mint.

Chef Tips

• Pressing the beef into one thin layer creates the crispy smashed texture instead of ordinary crumbles.
• Harissa varies in heat, so taste the paste before adding more than the recipe calls for.
• Squeeze the cucumber very dry so the yogurt stays thick inside the pita.
• Theo move: set out pickled onions and extra harissa so everybody can build a loaded pocket.

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