Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Anne-Marie

Make these easy homemade gyros at home. As tasty as what you get at your favorite Greek restaurant and much healthier.

Why this recipe works

Do you love Greek gyros? I adore them. I love the combination of lamb and beef, though many people crave Greek chicken gyros.

But there's no need to go out for a gyro sandwich when you can make them at home.

That's because making homemade gyro meat is like cooking up a lamb and beef meatloaf seasoned with Greek flavors. Yes, it's that simple!

Gyro meat ingredients

• ground lamb
• ground beef
• red onion
• garlic cloves
• dried oregano
• dried ground rosemary
• dried ground thyme
• dried marjoram
• paprika
• ground black pepper
• sea salt
• fresh lemon juice
• Cooking spray

For serving:

• Flatout Foldit 5-Grain Flax Flatbreads or Light Italian Herb Wraps
• tzatziki sauce
• red onion
• English cucumber
• heirloom tomato
• low-fat feta cheese
• Kalamata olives and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) – optional

How to make this recipe

Forget restaurant gyros. Making authentic gyros at home is easy!

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the cooking spray) and mix thoroughly with your hands. Cover the bowl and place it in your refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow flavors to blend.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Then line the pan with aluminum foil for easy meatloaf removal.

3. Remove the gyro meatloaf mixture from the refrigerator. Thoroughly knead the meat mixture once more. Then place the meat mixture into a meatloaf pan and pat down evenly.

You can use a food processor if you don't want to knead the meat mixture with your hands.

4. Place the meatloaf pan on a cookie sheet or baking dish. Then bake the gyro meatloaf at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes or until the homemade gyro recipe reaches an internal temperature of 160° to 165° F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

5. Remove the gyro meat loaf pan from the oven. Then carefully remove the meat from the pan and allow it to cool for 20-25 minutes on a wire rack. Blot any grease with a paper towel.

6. Slice the gyro loaf as thinly as possible with a sharp knife or, if you have one, an electric knife.

After slicing, if the gyro meat is still pink, place the slices on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 350 degrees F until completely cooked through. (Gyro meat should be brown.)

You can also fry the slices on a cast iron skillet if only a few center slices are pink.

7. Serve gyro slices on Flatout Foldit Flatbread or Flatout Wraps with slices of onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Add tzatziki sauce and sprinkle on some feta cheese. Serve with Kalamata olives and dolmades on the side for an authentic Greek touch.

8. Store any leftover meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

FAQs

What type of ground meats?

This cooked loaf is made with ground beef and lamb plus amazing Greek flavors. And the cooked gyro meat has a meatloaf texture.

Beef: don't use lean ground beef. I recommend an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio. This way, the meat is won't dry out during cooking. Also, more importantly, the loaf won't fall apart during slicing.

Lamb: ground lamb is traditionally used in gyros. If you can't find it, you could use ground pork instead.

Chicken: if you want to make a Greek chicken gyro, you could use ground chicken instead of beef. Again, use an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio. However, since chicken is bland, use more seasoning in this homemade gyro meat recipe.

Combinations: Making a 100% beef gyro or chicken would be OK. However, since pork is quite fatty, making a 100% pork gyro recipe isn't advised. Instead, use a combination of beef and pork or chicken and pork.

Best flat bread and wraps

When I came up with this homemade gyros recipe, I used Flatout flatbreads and wraps as a healthier alternative to Greek pita bread.

Both the 5-Grain Flax Flatbread and Light Italian Herb Wraps are smart choices. These varieties are available in my area, but you’ll have to see what’s available in yours.

The 5-Grain Flax version is 90 calories and high in protein and fiber.

Light Italian Herb Wraps are perfect for making a keto meal with only 6g net carbs, 6g protein, and 60 calories.

However, you can serve this with a regular warm pita.

Gluten-free alternative

If you’re gluten-free, make a gyro Greek salad. Chop up the Greek gyros meat and add it to salad greens, cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, and red onion slices (or diced yellow onion or sweet onions in a pinch).

Serve it with tzatziki sauce as the dressing or your favorite Greek-style vinaigrette with Greek spices.

How to serve

Serve beef and lamb gyros with homemade or store-bought tzatziki sauce.

If you’re dairy-free, you can make tzatziki Greek with my Vegan Tofu Sour Cream Recipe instead of Greek yogurt.

Along with the olives and stuffed grape leaves, serve it with these delicious side dishes:

• Easy Vegan Garbanzo Bean Salad Recipe
• Seven Layer Salad
• Cucumber Onion Salad Recipe
• Gluten-Free Tabbouleh Recipe

For more ideas, check out 27 Best Side Dishes to Serve with Meatloaf or gyros.

Serve with baklava for dessert for a complete meal.

Can you freeze gyro meat?

After you slice the gyro meat, transfer the gyro meat slices to freezer-safe bags and place them in your freezer.

The Greek gyro meat will stay good for 3-4 months.

More recipes

If you like meaty sandwiches, check out this Leftover Meatloaf Sandwiches Recipe.

Looking for more Greek dishes? Try this Healthy Moussaka Recipe with Gluten Free Bechamel Sauce. Never tried it? Imagine a cross between shepherd's pie and eggplant parmesan.

Love lamb? Try this Easy Smoked Leg of Lamb Recipe.

What are some of your favorite Mediterranean meals?