Arayes Middle Eastern Meat-Stuffed Pitas
Arayes is an incredibly popular Middle Eastern appetizer! It is pita bread pockets stuffed with seasoned ground lamb meat similar to kofta, baked, and then grilled for an extra crispy texture. You can also make it on the stovetop and I’ll teach you how.
You’ll have Lebanese arayes on your dinner table in less than an hour. From start to finish, it takes 30 minutes! Yes, it’s truly that quick and easy to make
The stuffed pita bread recipe is simple and straightforward. It results in Juicy and tender meat in crispy, flavorful pita bread. It is on every Middle Eastern restaurant menu, and it’s great party food.
You can make my homemade pita bread on the stovetop, and use it in making this recipe, and serve it with homemade hummus. Don’t forget to watch the video below to learn how to make this delight.
What is Arayes?
In Egypt, it is known as Hawawshi, and in Lebanon, it is known as Arayes. it’s more like burgers but is flat and has so much flavor.
Arayes is all about being crispy and delicious on the outside and tender on the inside. They are pita bread sandwiches stuffed with minced lamb meat, spices, and herbs and are incredibly popular throughout the Middle East. It’s like Arayes burger.
What Does Arayes Mean?
The word ‘Arayes’ in Arabic (عرايس) is the plural of the word ‘Aroussa’, which means ‘the bride.’
Some people say that the reason is that they were originally in Syria and were sold wrapped in white paper, which had been compared to white bridal gowns at the time.
Expert Tips
Use high-fat meat: To make a great-tasting lamb Arayes use ground meat with a high amount of fat. The fat brings out more flavor and keeps the meat tender.
Finely chop the onion: By finely chopping the onions, the juices spread in the stuffed pita bread, adding moisture to the meat and leaving a hint of sweetness.
Add warm earthy spices: Not many spices are used, but the combination of spices for this recipe works great with lamb meat. Don’t make the mistake of adding more spices; the amount used gives a balanced flavor.
Tomatoes: Remove the seeds from the tomatoes to reduce the acidity. Tomatoes tenderize the meat. You’ll achieve an incredibly juicy and tender stuffing in this Arayes recipe, just like I promised you.
Ingredients
Making Lebanese arayes requires the simplest of ingredients!
Ground meat: I’ve chosen ground lamb meat for this recipe, as that is what is most commonly used to make Arayes. But you can also use ground beef instead or use half-ground beef and half-ground lamb meat. Many people also like using ground chicken instead of minced meat. It’s all up to your personal preferences, but I’ve included the authentic recipe here. Feel free to adapt it to your preferences.
Onions: As I mentioned above, onions will add an incredibly juicy flavor and texture to your Arayes. They’ll also impart a slightly sweet touch of flavor to the final product that you’re going to absolutely love. Make sure to chop them finely or use a food processor to do the trick for you!
Tomatoes: These add the perfect texture and flavor to the Arayes and it’ll be truly incomplete without them. To reduce the acidity, remove the seeds from the tomatoes to prevent the stuffed pita bread from getting soggy.
Parsley: Fresh parsley adds the perfect balance and freshness to this dish.
Spices: We’ll use a few spices to season the meat correctly, namely ground cumin, paprika, black pepper, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder. This combination of spices will give you the perfect Middle Eastern flavor.
Garlic: Fresh, finely chopped garlic helps bring out the flavors in the meat.
Olive oil: For an authentic feel, opt for olive oil as your choice of oil in this recipe.
Pita bread: Arayes can’t be complete without Pita Bread. Make yours at home or use store-bought ones if you’re in a hurry. Thick or thin pitas will work.
How to Make Arayes – Step by Step
There are five simple steps to make Arayes! It’s almost unbelievable how such a simple recipe can easily win everyone’s heart.
Step 1
Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 392F or 200C.
Step 2
Mix all ingredients except pita bread. In a large bowl, add all the filling ingredients. Mix well and keep aside.
Step 3
Stuff the pita bread. Cut the pita bread in half and stuff each pita pocket. Alternatively, you can open the pita bread and spread the meat mixture on one side, and then place the plain side of the bread over it.
Step 4
Bake for 30 minutes: Now it’s time to bake them! Cut large enough aluminum foil to cover all sides of the pita bread. Next, drizzle olive oil on the aluminum foil place the stuffed pita bread on the aluminum foil. Now, drizzle olive oil over the pita bread and close the aluminum foil from all sides. Place the sealed pita bread on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 5
Grill for a few seconds for extra crunch: Once done, remove the pita bread from the oven and the aluminum foil. Place the pita bread on a hot grill or a cast iron grill pan and grill it until it turns a little crispy and has grill marks.
That’s it! Cut the pita bread sandwiches into triangles before serving. I recommend serving these stuffed pitas with Tahini sauce or Toum sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use lamb; it cooks faster than beef, but you can still use beef or mix half beef with half lamb. Make sure that the meat has a good amount of fat.
If you are using thin pita bread, then it might burn because the meat needs time to cook. To be on the safe side, it’s best to bake the Arayes in the oven and then grill it.
No, doing so will make the juices from the stuffing come out and dry, besides the nightmare of washing the baking sheet. Wrapping each pita bread in aluminum foil helps capture the moisture within the pita bread and prevents it from burning while the meat slowly cooks.
You can use both, but I prefer to use thick pita bread. It’s the pita bread made mostly in Egypt, and I have the recipe on my blog. You can use homemade or store-bought pita bread in this recipe, but thick pita bread makes better tasting Arayes because it absorbs the flavors coming from the meat and olive oil without getting soggy.
Cooking Stuffed Pita Bread on Stovetop
You can grill or cook the Arayes on the stovetop, but it’s best to use a thicker pita bread to prevent it from burning.
After stuffing the pita bread with the meat mixture, place it on a hot and slightly greased grill or pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, pressing the pita bread gently.
More Recipes with Stuffed Meat
Storing Arayes
When the Arayes are cool, place the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Arayes freeze very well for up to two months. First, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then place them in a freezer bag to save space in your freezer. When you’re ready to use them, take them out of the freezer. They’ll thaw quickly, and you can even bake/reheat them directly from frozen.
Related Recipes
- Chicken shawarma.
- Cheese and zaatar manakeesh.
- Lebanese spinach pies.
- Kibbeh recipe.
- Egyptian Fattah.
- Egyptian Goulash.
⭐Please Review and Rate
If you have tried my Arayes recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Arayes
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING
- 500 grams ground lamb meat
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt to taste. For this recipe I have used ½ teaspoon
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato chopped. Seeds removed
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
PITA BREAD
- 4 medium pita bread around 5 to 6 inch or 2 large pita bread.
TO BRUSH THE BREAD
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/392F.
- In a bowl, add all the filling ingredients. Mix well and keep aside.
- You have to options here, either cut the pita bread in half and fill the pockets with the stuffing previously prepared, or open the pita bread and spread the filling evenly on one side and then cover with the other half of pita bread.
- Cut large enough aluminum foil to cover all sides of the pita bread.
- Sprinkle olive oil on the aluminum foil place the stuffed pita bread on the aluminum foil.
- Sprinkle olive oil over the pita bread and close the aluminum foil from all sides.
- Place the sealed pita bread in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pita bread from the oven and the aluminum foil. Place the pita bread on a hot grill and grill it until a little crispy and have grill marks.
- Cut the pita bread in triangles before serving.
- Serve with plain yogurt, salad, or Hummus.
Video
Notes
- It is essential to preheat the oven. Turn on the oven and use it after 15 to 20 minutes.
- You can place the sealed pita bread on the oven shelf or on a baking sheet if you are concerned about the juices coming out of the aluminum.
- If you don’t have a grill, then place the Arayes after baking it in the oven on a hot pan and cook until a little crispy from both sides.
- To heat the Arayes, place them in the oven or heat them on the stovetop in a pan.
- Heating the Arayes in the microwave is possible, but the Arayes will not come out crunchy.
