I first fell in love with the flavor combo of zucchini and herbs thanks to Yotam Ottolenghi’s famous turkey zucchini burgers. They were juicy, fragrant, and such a clever way to sneak in vegetables without sacrificing taste. That recipe inspired me to experiment with one of my favorite Middle Eastern comfort foods: arayes. These crispy, beef-stuffed pitas get a fresh twist with grated zucchini, garlic, and a handful of herbs, making them both light and flavorful while staying satisfyingly hearty. Grilled until golden and finished in the oven, they’re crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfect for a quick dinner or a crowd-pleasing snack.
Crispy Beef Arayes Recipe with Zucchini and Fresh Herbs
These Middle Eastern–style stuffed pitas are packed with juicy ground beef, fresh herbs, zucchini, and garlic, then grilled and baked until golden and crispy. Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, arayes are an easy, flavorful dinner or snack that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Arayes
Tomato Herb Salad
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes cut into bite size pieces
- kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- olive oil
Instructions
- Mix together ground beef and all the ingredients that come before in the list.
- Cut pita pockets in half and fill with 1/8 of the meat mixture. use your hands to even out the meat and flatten the opening. Cut the stuffed pocket in half. Repeat with remaining meat and pita.
- Preteat oven to 350°. Place a grill pan on the stove on medium-high heat. Drizzle pitas with olive oil and use your fingers to rub on both sides.
- Working in batches, place pitas on the hot pan, starting with one of the exposed sized and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and place on a tray. Finish in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Toss together tomatoes and herbs with sumac and a generous pinch of salt. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. Top with Maldon slat if you're feeling fancy.