My Cookbook: Souk to Table 
Weeknight Beyti Kebab (with Tortillas)
Beyti kebab is a Turkish classic that I often crave, so I make this weeknight friendly version which seriously hits the spot! Seasoned ground beef gets rolled inside a flour tortilla, then baked until golden and drizzled with a rich buttery tomato sauce and cool, garlicky yogurt sauce. It looks way more impressive than the effort required, and it’s my favourite way to use up ground beef and tortillas. Dinner is ready in 45 minutes, just serve with a salad!
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My Turkish Restaurant Favourite – Made Easier At Home!
This is by no means the traditional way of making Beyti kebab – one of my go-to orders at my local Turkish restaurant (Turkish recipes are a favourite at my home!). But its inspired by it and uses up tortillas that I usually have on hand, along with ground beef.
The traditional version uses phyllo or yufka pastry, which does require an extra layering and butter basting step. My version cuts this out and comes together a bit faster. And, of course, unlike restaurant style versions, the kebab is baked in the oven and not grilled over charcoal. But still quite a win for me if I get this on the table on a weeknight – the flavour pay off is real!
The two sauces are quite easy to whip up – the yogurt sauce is just whisked, and the tomato sauce is made on the stove top in a few minutes. They’re quintessential Turkish sauces used in other recipes like iskender kebab.
How To Make Beyti Kebab with Tortillas
Grab your ingredients. For the wrapper, tortillas is often the easiest way for me to make it. But you can also use any large unleavened flat bread like lavash.
Start by processing the parsley, onions, red pepper and garlic cloves in a food processor to finely chop them. Squeeze out the extra moisture from the vegetables and place them in a bowl.
Add the ground beef, the breadcrumbs and all the spices. Mix well together with your hands until mixed cohesively. Divide the mixture into 4 even sized portions.
Place an 8-inch flour tortilla on your work surface. Shape one portion of the ground beef into a log and spread it out onto the tortilla, then roll tightly. Cut into 1-inch wide pieces, and trim the tortilla ends. Repeat with the other 3 logs.
Place all the trimmed tortillas on the bottom of the pan, then place all the rolls side by side, snugly. Bake until perfectly cooked and golden. While they bake, work on the tomato sauce and the yogurt sauce.
I love to drizzle the whole dish with a bit of the tomato sauce and yogurt sauce, then serve the rest of the sauces on the side. Add more sauce as you serve in portions! Serve with a side salad or grilled vegetables (I often grill peppers and tomatoes on my stove top cast iron grill if I have the time).
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Weeknight Beyti Kebab (with Tortillas)
Ingredients
- 454 g lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, dry
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 flour tortillas, 8 inch
For the Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup full-fat plain yogurt
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, more per preference
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Place the 454 g lean ground beef in a medium sized bowl. Pulse the 1 yellow onion and 6 garlic cloves in a food processor until finely chopped. Scoop them out with your hand, squeezing the extra moisture over another bowl to catch the juices before you transfer them to the beef in the bowl. Add in the 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Mix well to combine. Split the meat mixture into 4 equal portions.
- Place the 4 flour tortillas on a flat surface. Roll each portion of beef out into a log about 1" wide. Ensure each log fits the width of the tortilla. Place the beef logs in the middle of each tortilla, closer to the bottom. Roll the tortilla over the beef to form cylindrical logs. Gently cut into 1-inch wide pieces, taking care not to squish the meat out as you cut. Trim the ends of the tortillas.
- In an 11" wide and 2" deep pan, place any tortilla scraps on the bottom. You will need a dish that will snugly fit all the rolls. Place the cut up pieces side by side on the bottom with the meat side on the pan and facing up. Ensure they are tight enough to keep the seams closed. If you end up with a larger dish and not enough rolls, you can use toothpicks to secure any loose seams. Spray the surface of the rolls with oil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes for extra colour on the surface.
For the Yogurt Sauce
- In a small bowl whisk together the 1 cup full-fat plain yogurt, 1/2 garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon dried mint and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
For the Tomato Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and add in the 3 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook for a few seconds, then add the 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Allow the sauce to bubble for 10 minutes on low heat. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Drizzle the rolls with tomato sauce and yogurt sauce just before serving and garnish with parsley. Serve with more sauce on the side.
Notes
- Tortillas are easy to work with here but you may use a similar thin flatbread like lavash if you would like.