My Cookbook: Souk to Table 
Arayes (Middle Eastern Stuffed Pita)
Arayes are a Lebanese classic: pita pockets stuffed with spiced ground beef and then grilled to perfection. You can also pan fry them or throw them in the oven! It’s so easy to make for a quick weeknight dinner that everyone loves! I love them dipped in tahini sauce but my kids dip them in ketchup!
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5-STAR READER REVIEW
“Currently trying to resist eating my third pita at the moment, incredibly delicious! Super easy to follow as well, thank you for the recipe!”
—Carole
My Answer to A Quick Dinner: Arayes!
Arayes are really simple to make and they’re one of my favourite ground beef recipes. I tell my kids they are pita burgers and they go to town on them. I love dipping them in yogurt, a tahini sauce or ketchup if you’re my 8-year old.
I’ve tried making them in countless different ways: using smaller thicker pitas, using the larger thin 8″ Lebanese style pita, and even using tortillas if I had some on hand. They all work! I tend to prefer the thicker smaller pitas because it yields to the crispiest arayes since the bread layer is more substantial.
Here is what you’ll need to make Arayes
You need the typical Kofta ingredients for the pita filling. I also sometimes add pomegranate molasses to the filling to give it extra depth, but this is optional. The onions and parsley are there to give it lots of moisture and flavour.
Important note on the 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!
How to Make Arayes – Step by Step
Start by throwing the parsley, onions and garlic in a food processor. If you don’t have one, you can finely chop everything.
Add the vegetables to the ground beef along with all the spices and pomegranate molasses (if using). Mix well using your hands.
Cut your pita in half to create semicircle pockets. Place a few tablespoons of the mixture inside and spread it out evenly. Don’t make the layer too thick so they cook all the way through.
My favourite way to cook them is on a stove-top grill. Brush the arayes with olive oil on each side, then cook each side for 3-4 minutes, pressing down on them using a spatula. I also flip it onto the exposed meat side and get a nice sear on that too, which helps the meat caramelize. If you find they are browning too much, lower the heat until the meat is fully cooked (I cut into one to check).
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 10-12 minutes to cook all the way through. This method will result in the crispiest Arayes.
Baking method: brush with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet with an oven sheet rack, spaced evenly apart. The oven rack ensure that the liquid drips to the sheet and allows the arayes to stay nice and crispy.
The photo below is when I tested them without the oven rack and ended up with less crispy results. Bake them for approximately 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Then, broil each side for a few minutes to crisp them up.
How to Avoid Soggy Arayes!
Here are my best tips, but keep in mind that they will be crispy when served immediately but will soften as they sit!
- Use lean or extra lean ground beef to avoid too much oil making the bread soggy
- Grill them on a grill vs. baking in the oven for a crispier result
- 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.
- Broil them at the end for a few minutes on each side (watch them closely!)
If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!
Arayes (Middle Eastern Stuffed Pita)
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef, (500g)
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 cup parsley, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon seven spice, or substitute with allspice
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, see notes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for the meat
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, for the pitas
- 4 round pitas, smaller 4 inch pitas
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400F (if baking)
- Finely chop the onions, garlic and parsley or throw them in a food processor and process until fine. Use your hands or a cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the vegetable mix.
- Mix the ground beef with the onion, garlic and parsley mixture, along with all the spices, pomegranate molasses and the olive oil. Mix well using your hands, ensuring all the spices are well incorporated.
- Cut pitas in half and open them to form pockets. Stuff them with about 1.5 to 2 tbsp of the meat mixture, ensuring the pita is full but without overfilling it. Press them down to flatten and ensure the filling comes all the way to the edge (check photos in post). Brush the outside of the pitas with olive oil on all sides
To Grill:
- Brush a cast iron gril with oil, then cook the pitas for 3-4 minutes on each side, on medium high heat, pressing down with a spatula. Flip onto the exposed meat side (the open side) and sear as well. Lower the heat if required, and check one piece to ensure the meat has cooked.
To Bake:
- Place on a baking sheet with a rack if you have it (don't use parchment paper) and bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, turning them half way through. The oven rack allows them to get more crispy and avoids sogginess.
- Ensure the pita is crispy by broiling for a few minutes if necessary. Watch them closely so they don't burn.
- Serve immediately with some yogurt, tahini sauce or ketchup and some fries. Enjoy!
Notes
- Serving suggestions: Ketchup or Yogurt tahini sauce
- If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, you can skip it
- You can also use the large 8″ pita bread and cut it into 4 quarters for stuffing (but I prefer the smaller ones because they make a perfectly sized pocket)
- If you don’t have an oven rack, bake directly on a baking sheet without parchment paper to ensure the Arayes crisp up evenly
I just made these and they were so easy and delicious! I cooked them in the air fryer! Turned out perfectly!
So happy you loved the Arayes, Tiffany! I haven’t cooked them in the air fryer before, time to try it myself!
LOVE the option for baking! SO much easier for me, as I was able to make a huge batch and multitask while they were baking. Turned out great. Hubby loved it! Will make again, for sure. Thank you, Amina!
Amazing, so glad you loved it Joan! Love great hands-off recipes and I’m glad you were able to get other things done while they bake up 🙂
How would I adjust the spices, if I wanted to use chicken?
Hi Colleen! You can use the same exact spices, I’d maybe do an extra 1/2 teaspoon of seven spice!
Hello! I just discovered your intriguing recipes and will try them soon. Although the ingredients for the “7 spice mix” are listed, the quantities for each ingredient is not mentioned. I know it says that allspice can be substituted for the mix, but I like the idea of using each ingredient and making it myself. Thanks for whatever clarification you can provide!
Hi Tess! If you click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page or simply scroll to the bottom, you will find a recipe card that has all of the ingredients in detail as well as the method. Hope that helps and let me know how it goes!
May want to add that squeezing the liquid out of the onion prior will also prevent the arayes from becoming soggy. My attempt at this dish (while the filling was delicious), ended up soggy. Watched a couple vids and found out the liquid from the onion needs to be squeezed out. Was not mentioned in this recipe at all :/
Hi! Thanks so much for your feedback – I have fixed the recipe to add this very important detail in, because yes you’re right, squeezing out the moisture is always recommended. I’m glad you loved the flavours anyway 🙂
What was the white sauce he used on the sandwich ?
Hi June, Humaira here from the HP Team. Arayes can be served with just yogurt or kids often like it with ketchup. It’s also typically served with a tahini sauce like tarator, that can be found on the website. Hope that helps!
vraiment délicieux ; merci bp!
Hello, Humaira from the HP Team here. So glad you enjoyed it!
Masha’Allah absolutely delicious! I’m a basic cook and Subhan’Allah this was fairly easy to whip up, wasn’t spicy and yet flavourful. The nutritionist in me loved it. Would pair perfectly with a salad for a wholesome meal insha’Allah!
Hi Naveen, Humaira from the HP team here. Amazing! Love that you enjoyed it and yes, it pairs so well with a simple salad. Thank you for letting me know, happy cooking!
Love this recipe! I make it all the time, but this last time I used 80/20 beef that I had on hand and let me tell you all, the lean beef is recommended for a reason! After I popped my arayes into the oven the fat started to comes out of the beef and soaked the bottom of the pitas, making it so you MUST eat with a fork and knife compared to when I use lean beef and am able to pick up a pita with my hands with no fuss. Flavor is still impeccable of course so no complaints from me, just wanted to advise 🙂
Hi Carol! Thanks so much for sharing this – such an important tip! I mean, the 80/20 sure is more flavourful but definitely makes it fall apart because of the fat as you noted. I’m going to add this note specifically on the recipe card for everyone. Thanks so much for the review!
So delicious and easy! Will add to the dinner rotation for sure.
This was not a win for me and I’m an experienced cook. I followed it EXACTLY and it was just okay. The meat flavor needed something more, I’m not sure what. The pita was hard to crisp up with the wet meat inside and when I finally got it crisp, it lasted about five minutes and then started getting soggy fast. A decent meal, but would not repeat.
Sorry to hear it didn’t go perfectly for you! The pita crispiness will totally depend on the type of pita you use, and if baking, an oven rack will really help. They get very crispy in a cast iron skillet! And yes, of course due to the moisture in the meat, they will definitely soften as they sit so best served right away. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I did not have 7 spice but wish I would’ve looked up a recipe because I have all the spices to make my own. I cut the allspice down by half and it was a bit overpowering still. Otherwise, pretty good. Mostly, I liked learning the technique, so thank you.
Hi Joy! Thanks for sharing your feedback! The spices can definitely feel overpowering if you’re not used to these specific ones. Hopefully you can adjust for your preference going forward!
Made it and put them on the bbq, delicious!e Everyone loved it and perfect for school lunches
I’ve made this before but without the pomegranate molasses. The molasses REALLY improves the flavour of it all! Loved it.
Glad you enjoyed the pomegranate molasses addition! Thanks for the feedback ! 🙂
What do you do with the pomegranate molasses? Thank you
Hi Jax! It’s added into the meat mixture in step 4. I’ll update that step to clarify! Hope that helps 🙂
Ohhh ok, so sorry! I must be blind, lol. Anyway, I’m making it right now, with the pomegranate molasses, which is amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you so much!!
You mention cooking on the, “…exposed mear side,” but they are pockets. Bread on both sides. Is it a typo or are they open faced? Thank you.
Hello! Good question! So I am referring to the small side where you inserted the ground beef. Some of the beef will be peeking through as you can see in the photos and that’s the part you can sear to brown it up nicely! Hope that helps 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Hi Amina:
I don’t the recipe for the Yogurt Tahini sauce? The link doesn’t go there?
Thanks,
Jane
Sorry about that Jane – I just fixed it. It’s this sauce here, I highly recommend you try it!
https://www.hungrypaprikas.com/5-minute-shawarma-sauce/
Currently trying to resist eating my third pita at the moment, incredibly delicious! Super easy to follow as well, thank you for the recipe!
The picture shows paprika and cumin but the recipe only shows seven spice.
You are right sorry about that! You can use all the spices or just seven spice if that is all you have. 🙂
I’ve made this recipe before and it’s super delicious. But, is it possible to grill for the full time on an outdoor grill? Will it get crispy still?
Hi Victoria! Yes it definitely is possible. You can keep grilling the arayes a few minutes at a time, flipping to cook both sides, until fully cooked. It should take 10-15 minutes at the most!
My first time making arrayes and I was super stressed about it. But this was soooooo easy to follow! And the results were amazing. I made 12 arrayes and only 3 were left!
That’s amazing to hear Aisha! Thank you so much for the feedback 🙂