Quick and Easy Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza with Seasoned Meat) Recipe
Lahmacun is a traditional Middle Eastern flatbread topped with a flavorful mixture of ground meat, vegetables, and spices. This recipe guides you through making a soft, thin dough topped with a well-seasoned lamb or beef mixture, baked to crispy, golden perfection in a hot oven. It’s perfect for serving with fresh onion salad, parsley, and lemon wedges for an authentic and delicious meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp cane sugar
- 2 tsp dried instant yeast
- 1 cup lukewarm water
For the Meat Mixture
- ½ pound ground beef or lamb
- ⅓ cup small-diced red bell pepper, packed
- ½ cup small-diced onion, lightly packed
- ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley, lightly packed
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt (do not use iodized)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, scraped and leveled
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, kosher salt, cane sugar, and instant yeast. Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing and knead until a smooth ball of dough forms. Transfer to a floured surface, dust with flour on top, and knead vigorously for five minutes. Cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the Seasoned Meat Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef or lamb, diced red bell pepper, diced onion, chopped parsley, garlic, dried oregano, dried mint, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, Turkish red pepper paste, water, and additional kosher salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands for five minutes until the mixture becomes fragrant and well combined. Set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat and Shape Dough: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). Once the dough has proofed, divide it into six equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle using a rolling pin, flattening the edges as well. Remove any excess flour from the surface.
- Assemble Lahmacun: Place each rolled-out dough circle on a nonstick baking sheet. Spread about 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture evenly over the dough using your fingertips, being careful not to press too hard or create holes. Extend the mixture to the edges and wet any bare spots with meat juices to encourage even browning.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 6-8 minutes without opening the oven door. Use the oven light to monitor. Once golden and cooked through, transfer the lahmacun to a heat-safe serving tray. Repeat with remaining dough and meat mixture.
- Serve: Serve Lahmacun fresh with onion salad, extra parsley sprigs, and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the flatbread.
Notes
- Do not use iodized salt as it can affect the flavor of the meat mixture.
- Rolling the dough thin and even ensures a crispy texture typical of authentic lahmacun.
- Avoid using parchment paper in the oven, as it can burn at high temperatures; use a nonstick pan or pizza stone instead.
- Adding meat juices to bare dough spots on the edges prevents burning and gives golden edges.
- Maintain oven temperature and avoid opening the oven door during baking to ensure even cooking.
- This recipe works well with either ground beef or lamb according to your preference.
Keywords: Lahmacun, Turkish flatbread, Middle Eastern bread, ground meat topping, homemade flatbread, Turkish recipe, baked meat flatbread
