Lebanese-inspired Sloppy Joe Pitas
Bursting with aromatic spices, this twist on classic sloppy joes combines ground beef simmered in a flavorful Lebanese tomato sauce, served inside warm pita bread pockets with a cool, refreshing yogurt sauce. A Middle Eastern delight with a messy, meaty twist.
ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 pita bread pockets
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cucumber, diced
steps
- 1.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces. Drain excess fat from the skillet.
- 2.
Add the chopped onion, garlic, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté until the vegetables are softened.
- 3.
Sprinkle in the ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to coat the meat and vegetables with the spices.
- 4.
Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 5.
In the meantime, lightly toast the pita bread pockets in a toaster or oven until warm.
- 6.
In a small bowl, mix together Greek yogurt, chopped mint, parsley, lemon juice, and diced cucumber to make the refreshing yogurt sauce.
- 7.
Carefully open each pita pocket and fill them generously with the Lebanese sloppy joe mixture.
- 8.
Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the filling or serve on the side for dipping.
- 9.
Serve the Sloppy Joe Pitas warm and enjoy the delicious messiness!
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