I fell in love with Greek food in, well, Greece. I’ve always loved a good fresh Greek salad or gyro, but I realized I’d never really had Greek food until I traveled to that beautiful country and realized what I was missing.
Every restaurant I went to, a sidewalk cafe in Athens or a little taverna in the middle of nowhere, served food that tasted like it had just been picked from the garden behind the restaurant, which, hello, it had been. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted restaurant food that fresh, before or since.
Every cucumber, every tomato, every head of lettuce, every thin slice of grilled lamb…it was mind-blowingly fresh. And so, when I happened to order a Greek salad last week, it sparked a memory. I knew I had to try to re-create that magnificent food and this Greek Gyro Salad was born!
Of course, this is literally the ONLY time of year this magic could happen, at least in Utah.
I just picked the first lovely little cherry tomatoes of the season, and the cukes are almost there. It’s garden nirvana for a precious two or three months before the weather comes crashing down and we have to resign ourselves to hothouse tomatoes for nine months. I am going to live it up, and I’m starting right here.
Greek Gyro Salad’s got all the flavors of the classic gyro, just lightened up a tad. Marinated, grilled lamb, garden-fresh veg, feta, grilled herb-y pitas, all topped with drizzles of fresh, homemade tzatziki. It’s as if I were back in Nafplio again.
All hail the magic of August! Oh how I love this time of year. It’s delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh herbs (we use basil, rosemary, thyme, chives and parsley)
- 3 garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp. fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 lamb tenderloins
- 2 pita rounds
- 1 head green or red leafy lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1/3 cup pitted Greek olives
- 1/4 cup red onion or shallots
- 1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese
- Fresh mint
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Seal and shake to combine well.
- Reserve 2 Tbsp. of marinade to brush on pita rounds.
- Add lamb to bag and marinate for an hour (can marinate overnight.)
- Add all ingredients to food processor or blender and combine until smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat grill on high and then turn down to medium heat.
- Grill marinated lamb pieces over medium heat 4-5 minutes per side, until medium rare. (internal temp should be 145 degrees)
- Brush pita rounds with reserved marinade, place on grill and heat for about 2 minutes per side.
- Let lamb sit for 10 minutes, and then thinly slice lamb and pitas.
- Wash lettuce, tear into pieces and place in large bowl.
- Chop tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and onion. Place over lettuce.
- Add lamb and pita slices to salad and top with feta and fresh mint.
- Drizzle with tzatziki dressing.
Notes
*Most of the prep time is for the meat to marinate. Actual active prep time is about 1/2 hour.
*If you don't like lamb, substitute beef, pork or chicken.
2 Comments
OMG this looks AMAZING and I love GREEK Salads you just can’t get a good one anywhere. Thank you so much for this recipe, I will definitely have to try this.
Hope you love this one! Cheers:)