Greek Gyro Lamb Tacos

Greek Gyro Lamb Tacos are a fantastic way to use up any leftover lamb! The fresh, homemade tzatziki and cucumber tomato salsa is refreshing and an ideal pairing for the hearty meat. You can even use chicken or beef in place of lamb, if you prefer. Serves 4.

Easter is this weekend and if you’ve got lamb on the menu, I’ve got the best way to use up any leftover lamb you end up with on Monday!

We tend to have leftovers when it comes to lamb in our house. While the Man enjoys it for a meal, he tends to be over it and doesn’t want to eat leftovers the next day.

So I wanted to think of a creative way to enjoy those leftovers for a couple of days and I landed on these Greek gyro lamb tacos!

You can make rack of lamb or leg of lamb, it really doesn’t matter. Whatever you have will match beautifully with this recipe!

The meaty lamb has a tasty flavor when paired with a refreshing homemade tzatziki and a punchy vibrant cucumber tomato salsa. When you wrap all that in a warm pita, you are going to be addicted in no time.

I love to make this for dinner, but you can also make the elements and store them separately to eat for lunch over a few days!

ingredients

leftover lamb – you can use whatever leftover lamb you have, whether it’s from the racks or a leg. I chop it into bite-sized pieces for this particular recipe.

cucumber – you will need one regular cucumber for the salsa and an English cucumber for the tzatziki sauce.

tomato – I use two roma tomatoes for this recipe, but you can use one large red tomato if that’s what you have on hand.

red onion – the red onion gives a nice bite to the salsa!

jalapeño – before you start, be sure to halve them and scoop out the seeds (I’ll explain how in a minute). Be sure to wash your hands well afterwards and don’t touch your eyes until you do so!

garlic – minced garlic is my go-to for recipes like this since you only need a couple of cloves.

Greek yogurt – I recommend using whole-milk plain greek yogurt because it gives better flavor that skim.

lime juice – fresh lime juice is best, in my opinion!

feta cheese – buy the feta cheese crumbles to save yourself a step of crumbling it yourself.

fresh herbs – you will need fresh parsley and fresh mint for the salsa and the sauce.

this recipe’s must haves

You’ll need a few tools for this recipe. I highly recommend a good chef’s knife and cutting board since you will be doing a good amount of chopping vegetables and herbs.

To make the salsa and the sauce, you will need a couple of bowls from a metal mixing bowls set. You will also need a whisk for the sauce and a grater to grate the English cucumber.

Finally, I warm the pita in a Lodge cast iron skillet! You can also use a griddle pan if that’s what you have handy.

here’s how to make greek gyro lamb tacos

make salsa

For the salsa, simply stir together the cucumber, tomato, red onion, jalapeño, lime juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Set it aside in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.

make sauce

Grate the English cucumber into a bowl. There’s no need to remove the moisture that lands in the bowl as you grate – it helps loosen the sauce.

Add in salt, greek yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, and mint. Stir until the sauce is smooth and well-combined.

warm pita

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once warm, add pita and warm it for about 20 to 30 seconds per side until softened. You can also warm them in the microwave for about 30 seconds, wrapped in a damp paper towel.

assemble

Spread a layer of tzatziki sauce in the center of the pitas – I use about 2 Tablespoons total. Top with warmed leftover lamb, a couple spoonfuls of salsa, and top with a sprinkle of feta and fresh parsley. Serve immediately!

tips for success

you can use beef. If you have leftover ground beef or steak instead of lamb, you can definitely use that instead! Since lamb can be expensive, when you don’t have that leftover, beef can be a better option. You can even opt for leftover chopped chicken!

use fresh herbs. Fresh herbs are a must for this recipe in my book. The fresh herb flavor is SO much better than dried, as dried is more concentrated and doesn’t taste as light and refreshing.

Other tasty taco recipes to explore: Grilled Blackberry Steak Tacos | Sheet Pan Chipotle Pineapple Chicken Tacos | Charred Chicken Caesar Tacos | Guacamole Tacos

what is a gyro taco?

This is a combination of everything you love about a gyro, with a little twist. Instead of sliced vegetables, I like to make a cucumber tomato salsa with some jalapeño and red onion! It’s basically a gyro with a taco twist.

can I make this ahead of time?

You can definitely make the elements of these tacos ahead of time. The lamb is already cooked, so you can make the salsa and sauce, storing them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Then all you need to do is warm the lamb and pita before completing assembly!

Need some more inspiration for dinner? Check out my dinner recipes page!

how to serve greek gyro lamb tacos

These tacos are usually my go-to for an easy meal or a meal prep lunch, but you can serve them as a main for a dinner party too!

• If you are making these lamb tacos and want an appetizer, I like to keep the Greek theme going with greek stuffed roasted sweet peppers or greek hummus mini tostada stacks.
• For cocktail inspiration, I recommend a refreshing limeade margarita or a spicy jalapeño gimlet to pair with the flavors in this meal.

Love the flavors here? Try these greek beef pitas!