Lahmacun (Turkish Spiced Meat Flatbread)
Lahmacun (Turkish Spiced Meat Flatbread)
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Topping
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 tomato
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste, or more tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
For Serving
- lemon wedges
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon active dry yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, allowing the yeast to bloom and become foamy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bloomed yeast mixture.
⏱️ 1 min
- 3
In a separate large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Pour the wet ingredients (yeast mixture with olive oil) into the dry ingredients (flour and salt). Mix with a spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Place the kneaded dough back into the large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
⏱️ 60 min
- 7
While the dough is resting, prepare the topping. Roughly chop 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 green bell pepper, 1 red onion, 1/2 bunch parsley, 1 tomato, and 2 cloves garlic.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add all the roughly chopped vegetables and garlic to a food processor.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
To the food processor, add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (or an additional tablespoon of tomato paste if red pepper paste is unavailable), 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Process the mixture until it is finely chopped and resembles a thick paste. Be careful not to over-process into a liquid.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Transfer the processed vegetable mixture to a bowl. Add 1/2 pound ground beef, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup water.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Mix all the topping ingredients thoroughly with your hands until well combined. Ensure the meat and vegetables are evenly distributed.
⏱️ 3 min
- 13
Once the dough has rested and risen, gently punch it down and divide it into 6 equal portions.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Take one portion of dough and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out very thinly into an oval or round shape, approximately 8-10 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Spread a thin, even layer of the prepared meat topping over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
⏱️ 1 min
- 16
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, or preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a baking steel or pizza stone inside if using. If using a grill, ensure the grates are clean and lightly oiled.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 450
- 17
Carefully transfer the lahmacun to the hot grill grates or preheated oven. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes per side on the grill, or 6-8 minutes in the oven, or until the dough is cooked through, lightly browned, and the meat topping is cooked and slightly crispy.
⏱️ 4 min
- 18
Remove the cooked lahmacun from the grill or oven and stack them on a plate. Repeat with the remaining dough and topping portions.
⏱️ 18 min
- 19
Serve the lahmacun immediately with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing and extra fresh parsley for garnish.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Lahmacun (Turkish Spiced Meat Flatbread)
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Topping
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 tomato
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste, or more tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
For Serving
- lemon wedges
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon active dry yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, allowing the yeast to bloom and become foamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bloomed yeast mixture.
⏱️ 1 min - 3
In a separate large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Pour the wet ingredients (yeast mixture with olive oil) into the dry ingredients (flour and salt). Mix with a spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Place the kneaded dough back into the large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
⏱️ 60 min - 7
While the dough is resting, prepare the topping. Roughly chop 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 green bell pepper, 1 red onion, 1/2 bunch parsley, 1 tomato, and 2 cloves garlic.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add all the roughly chopped vegetables and garlic to a food processor.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
To the food processor, add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (or an additional tablespoon of tomato paste if red pepper paste is unavailable), 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Process the mixture until it is finely chopped and resembles a thick paste. Be careful not to over-process into a liquid.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Transfer the processed vegetable mixture to a bowl. Add 1/2 pound ground beef, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup water.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Mix all the topping ingredients thoroughly with your hands until well combined. Ensure the meat and vegetables are evenly distributed.
⏱️ 3 min - 13
Once the dough has rested and risen, gently punch it down and divide it into 6 equal portions.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Take one portion of dough and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out very thinly into an oval or round shape, approximately 8-10 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Spread a thin, even layer of the prepared meat topping over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
⏱️ 1 min - 16
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, or preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a baking steel or pizza stone inside if using. If using a grill, ensure the grates are clean and lightly oiled.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 450 - 17
Carefully transfer the lahmacun to the hot grill grates or preheated oven. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes per side on the grill, or 6-8 minutes in the oven, or until the dough is cooked through, lightly browned, and the meat topping is cooked and slightly crispy.
⏱️ 4 min - 18
Remove the cooked lahmacun from the grill or oven and stack them on a plate. Repeat with the remaining dough and topping portions.
⏱️ 18 min - 19
Serve the lahmacun immediately with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing and extra fresh parsley for garnish.
⏱️ 1 min