Greek Gyro-Style Lamb Salad with Tzatziki

Gyros grew from Greek street stalls where spiced meat meets cool yogurt sauce. This salad browns cumin-oregano lamb and piles it over crisp romaine with bright homemade tzatziki for a fresh midday plate.

Serves 4 · 20 min prep · 12 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 520 cal
• 32g protein
• 18g carbs
• 36g fat
• 4g fiber

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Ingredients

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 lemon lemon zest and juice
• 1 large English cucumber
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 large romaine hearts, chopped
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• for serving pita chips or warm pita
• 1.25 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. 1In a medium bowl mix ground lamb with 2 minced garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until just combined; do not overwork.
2. 2Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add lamb in loose clumps and cook undisturbed 3 minutes to brown, then break up with a spatula and continue cooking 5–6 minutes more until fully browned and crispy at the edges. Drain excess fat if needed.
3. 3While lamb cooks, grate half the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the grated cucumber firmly in a clean kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
4. 4Stir the squeezed cucumber into Greek yogurt with remaining minced garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make thick tzatziki. Chill until serving.
5. 5Chop the remaining cucumber into half-moons. In a large serving bowl or four individual bowls, build a base of chopped romaine.
6. 6Top greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumber half-moons, thinly sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta.
7. 7Spoon the hot spiced lamb over the salads. Drizzle everything with remaining olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
8. 8Add a generous dollop of tzatziki on each plate and serve with pita chips or warm pita wedges for scooping. The contrast of warm lamb and cool creamy sauce is what makes it lunch-craveable.