Arayes (Middle Eastern Stuffed Pita)

Arayes are a Lebanese classic street food which is grilled pita bread that is stuffed with spiced ground beef (or kofta). This stuffed pita recipe is so easy to make and they're a quick weeknight dinner that everyone loves!

Table of Contents

1. What are Arayes?
2. Ingredients You Will Need
3. How to Make Arayes (Grill or Oven)
4. FAQs and Expert Tips
5. Recipes You Will Love

What are Arayes?

Arayes are really simple to make and they're a common street food in the middle east. They are one of my favourite ground beef recipes. There's an Egyptian version called Hawawshi as well. They're stuffed pita bread typically served as a light dinner and dipped into either yogurt, a tahini sauce or even ketchup.

I love to serve mine with fries for the kids. I typically use my kofta ground beef mixture (or this lahm bi ajeen mix if I have any leftover) which is made of onions, parsley and various spices. The best part about this arayes recipe is that:

1. Its so simple and perfect for using up ground meat in your fridge
2. Its a finger food and easy for kids to handle
3. Its very quick to make!

Here is what you'll need to make Arayes

You need the typical Kofta ingredients for the pita filling. I also add pomegranate molasses to the filling to give it extra depth. The onions and parsley are there to give it lots of moisture, but if you're rushing, you can skip them.

One note on the ground beef: make sure you use extra lean ground beef to avoid a really greasy result. That's because they end up getting brushed with olive oil at the end!

Finally, you need pita bread of course! I love using the smaller rounds that are thicker, similar to Greek style pita. I find they hold up really well to the stuffing.

How to Make Arayes step by step

As promised, we're going to keep this super simple. Start by making the ground beef mixture. This involves finely chopping the onions, garlic and parsley, OR using a food processor to make this faster.

Next, mix the onions and parsley with the ground beef, all the spices, olive oil (only add this if you are using lean or extra lean ground beef), and pomegranate molasses. Mix well using your hands. You can allow it to marinate in the fridge for a few hours if you have time.

The next thing you need to do is cut your pita in half to create half circle pockets. Place a few tablespoons of the mixture inside and spread it out evenly. You don't want a really thick layer so they cook all the way through. You also want the filling to come all the way to the edge so it gets a nice sear when we grill them.

This step is optional but highly recommended if you have a stove-top grill. Brush the arayes with olive oil on each side, then sear on each side for a few minutes to get those beautiful grill marks. I also flip it onto the exposed meat side and get a nice sear on that too, which helps the meat caramelize.

You can do this using an outdoor BBQ as well, and continue cooking them on the grill by lowering the heat slightly after searing. They need a total of 12-15 minutes to cook all the way through. This method will result in the crispiest Arayes.

If you want to bake them, after searing, place them on a baking sheet spaced evenly apart. If you have an oven sheet rack such as this one, I suggest you use it. This will ensure that the liquid drips to the sheet and allows the arayes to stay nice and crispy. Bake them for approximately 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Then, broil each side for a few minutes to crisp them up.

FAQs and Expert Tips

How to avoid soggy Arayes and ensure they are crispy?

1. Use lean or extra lean ground beef to avoid too much oil making the bread soggy
2. Grill them on a grill vs. baking in the oven for a crispier result
3. If baking, don't use parchment paper. I suggest laying them on a rack on top of a baking sheet which will ensure the air circulates them and the drippings fall onto the sheet.
4. Broil them at the end for a few minutes on each side (watch them closely!)

Can I make these in advance?

I have not tried freezing them uncooked. However, if you would like to make this easier, you can make the kofta mixture a few days ahead and store in the fridge, covered.

What can I serve with Arayes?

I love serving them with a yogurt tahini sauce and ketchup (which is the kids' favourite). You can also serve with plain or herby yogurt, or my 5-minute toum if you love garlic! I also usually make some fries which makes this a quick meal, or serve them with a bowl of Arabic lentil soup.

More Recipes You Will Love:

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