Mediterranean Inspired Hamburger Pitas with Peppers and Onions
Cure The Mediterranean Cravings
You’ll love these Mediterranean Inspired Hamburger Pitas with Peppers and Onions topped with Lemon Pepper Cucumbers. Imagine a warm, fluffy pita bread filled with savory ground beef seasoned to perfection.
Nestled alongside the meat are tender sautéed onions and green peppers, adding layers of flavor and texture. On top, a refreshing marinated lemon pepper cucumber topping adds a burst of tangy zest, perfectly balancing the richness of the beef.
With each bite you experience a delightful harmony of savory, tangy, and aromatic flavors, making this pita sandwich a satisfying and memorable culinary delight.
Mediterranean Inspired Hamburger Pitas with Peppers and Onions makes a great weeknight meal.
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Worcestershire Powder
This is a newer to me ingredient that I have been trying out in a few recipes. I am a big fan of the flavor of Worcestershire Sauce but I do not always want the excess liquid of the sauce for every dish.
I also have been finding out that I love using this Worcestershire Powder to make my own Bloody Mary mix! It adds great flavor and texture to a Bloody Mary.
I loved it in this recipe for Mediterranean Inspired Hamburger Pitas with Peppers and Onions because it sort of bound the meat together slightly, making a bit of a gravy which tasted delicious.
Where To Buy Worcestershire Sauce Powder
I buy this Worcestershire Sauce Powder on Amazon. It is $11.99 for a decent sized bag.
*This is an Amazon affiliate link, meaning Amazon pays me a small commission if you use the link.*
This powder will last forever. I have a few recipes coming up where i use this, so it won’t go to waste if you buy it.
Stay tuned for some awesome Caesar Salad croutons I made using the powder!
Persian Cucumbers
A Persian cucumber is a small, tender cucumber with a smooth exterior, thin skin, and very few seeds. They’re narrower than regular cucumbers and have a crisp interior and mild flavor.
They tend to be less watery than other cucumbers. I like these for a marinated cucumber salad where you don’t want a ton of excess liquid.
I find mine at Aldi but you can also use a seedless cucumber for this recipe. In a pinch, a regular cucumber is just fine as well.
The Pitas
These pocket pitas are from my local Mediterranean grocery store. I topped the pita with the filling but you could also stuff the pockets with the filling as well.
I love this local brand of fresh pita. I realize that not everyone has access to this so any pita will do.
You can also use bread or tortillas in a pinch.
Make Ahead For Busy Weekdays
This is a GREAT recipe to make and keep warm in a crock pot for meal times that are all over the place for different members of your family. I would make this all as is and then add it to a slow cooker on warm to nibble on throughout the day.
This is also easily reheated and therefore would make a GREAT meal to take to a friend in need.
This can be a great way to shake up your usual dinner party standards.
Mediterranean Inspired Hamburger Pitas with Peppers and Onions
Mediterranean Inspired Hamburger Pitas with Peppers and Onions topped with Lemon Pepper Cucumbers. Imagine a warm, fluffy pita bread filled with savory ground beef seasoned to perfection. Nestled alongside are tender sautéed onions and green peppers, adding layers of flavor and texture. On top, a refreshing marinated lemon pepper cucumber topping adds a burst of tangy zest, perfectly balancing the richness of the beef. With each bite, you experience a delightful harmony of savory, tangy, and aromatic flavors, making this pita sandwich a satisfying and memorable culinary delight.
Ingredients
- For The Hamburger
- 1.5 pounds of lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, cut in slices
- 1 large green pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce (I use powder, see the post before the recipe card for info)
- 1/2 of a whole lemon
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of celery salt
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano (adjust to your preferences)
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 cup of water
- Olive oil for cooking
- For The Cucumber Salad
- 1 package of small Persian cucumbers or 1 seedless cucumber
- 1/2 tablespoon of lemon pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dried chives
- 2 tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of dill
- 1/2 of a whole lemon
- 1 teaspoon of white sugar
- Additional Ingredients
- 6 pitas
- Feta Cheese (optional)
- Diced tomatoes (optional)
- Shredded lettuce (optional)
Instructions
- For the beef mixture, add your olive oil to a pan and sauté your sliced onions and diced green peppers until they are golden brown and soft. I like them to have some char. Season these at the end of cooking with some of the celery salt, the squeeze of the half lemon and half the black pepper and oregano. Remove these to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet add your ground beef and cook until fully cooked and break into a fine crumble. Add your Worcestershire sauce or powder, and the remaining ingredients and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. At the end, add back the peppers and onions to the beef mixture and sauté for a few minutes until well combined and aromatic.
- While the meat cooks, slice your cucumbers very thin. I use a vegetable peeler to peel them super thin.
- Add the cucumbers to a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the vinegar, juice from the lemon and all the other ingredients until well combined. Pour this over the cucumbers and let this sit for a couple of minutes. It is even better if it sits for a few hours or overnight, so if you think of it, make it ahead.
- In a separate skillet add a little olive oil and toast your pitas on both sides until they are golden brown and toasty.
- Top your pitas with the beef mixture, the cucumbers and then I add feta. You can also add lettuce and tomato.
- This can also be eaten as a "bowl" and omit the pita.
*all ingredients that may seem unique are explained, photographed and linked in the post before you get to the recipe card.
Looking for a light pairing for the side? My Pizza Salad isn’t only for pizza.