In this delicious Mediterranean taco twist, seasoned ground meat is folded in a warm tortilla and loaded with feta, tomatoes, cucumber salsa, fresh herbs, and more. Ready in 30 minutes.
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Why You Will Love this Recipe
Greek tacos are seriously one of our favorite lazy dinners. The recipe is a lifesaver; especially when it's too hot out, or we're just too tired to cook. It's simple, easy, adaptable, and ready in under 30 minutes.
In this delicious Mediterranean taco twist, seasoned ground meat is folded in a warm tortilla and loaded with feta, tomatoes, cucumber salsa, fresh herbs, creamy Greek yogurt, and more. Greek tacos taste a lot like a regular gyros, but the ground meat (or "loose meat," as they say in the Midwest) makes them so much faster and easier to make. Swapping out pita for a tortilla makes them taste lighter, too.
Greek tacos are a kid-approved, budget-friendly answer to that relentless question: What's for dinner? They make a tasty option year round. Late summer is a particularly good time to make them, when garden-ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and greens push all those fresh flavors over the top.
What Goes into this Recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
★ Ground Meat: Greek tacos can be made with ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken; all with good results. Optimally, choose meat that is about 85% lean. You can use a lighter ground meat (i.e., 93% lean/7% fat), but the meat mixture won’t be as flavorful.
If using ground chicken, you will probably need to use significantly more Greek seasoning.
★ Tortillas: Use store-bought or homemade flour tortillas.
Substitutes include pita, naan, lavash, or any other flatbread you want to use.
★ Feta: You can substitute in any mild, crumbly cheese, but once again, it may significantly impact the overall flavor of the dish. Greek halloumi, queso fresco, goat cheese, and ricotta are all good substitutes. If you use a cheese that you love, chances are you will love the tacos just as much.
★ Arugula: Arugula is an amazing leafy green! Lemony, peppery, and bright, it can stand up to the heat of the meat mixture, and makes a great lettuce bed for these tacos.
Use baby or regular arugula, based on your preference. Baby arugula has smaller, more tender leaves and a milder flavor.
Substitutes include fresh spinach, fresh basil, or any lettuce or leafy green you have on hand.
★ Cucumber: We prefer to use an English cucumber when they are available, but any cucumber will do. Be sure to seed the cucumber before you dice it.
★ Tomatoes: Use quartered or halved cherry tomatoes, or diced regular tomatoes.
★ Onions: You can use any combination or red and sweet onions for the meat mix and the cucumber salsa.
We use a sweet onion in the meat mixture because the onion doesn't completely break down in this preparation, and the onion retains some of its sweet flavors.
We like to use a red onion in the cucumber salsa because it has the right sweet-to-bite ratio, and it looks pretty.
★ Greek yogurt: Use a good, whole milk plain Greek-style yogurt. You can substitute any plain yogurt, but there will be a trade-off in the flavor and texture.
You can also substitute sour cream, or make some Creamy Tzadiki Sauce or Yogurt Dill Sauce.
★ Garlic: Fresh is best, but you can substitute in granulated garlic for fresh if you must.
★ Basil: Fresh basil makes an aromatic garnish. Fresh mint also works well.
★ Greek seasoning: We've included a simple Greek seasoning as part of this recipe. The homemade seasoning takes just minutes to mix up, and it makes enough for 3 to 4 batches of Greek taco meat.
If you don't want to make your own, we recommend using Cavenders All-purpose Greek Seasoning.
How to Make Greek Tacos
Greek Seasoning Mix
This makes more than enough Greek seasoning! (You only need 2 to 3 teaspoons for the taco recipe.)
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, cinnamon, dill, black pepper, onion powder, rosemary, and nutmeg.
If you own an electric spice or coffee grinder, pour the mixture into the grinder and pulverize it so everything has a similar texture; however, this is totally optional.
Prep Taco Fillings
Cucumber-Onion Salsa
In a medium mixing bowl, toss together diced red onion, diced cucumber, and red wine vinegar. Cover and set aside.
You can add some chopped fresh basil to the cucumber mix if you would like; however, we prefer to sprinkle it on as garnish.
Seasoned Ground Meat
Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles away immediately. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
Into the hot pan, break off the ground meat a bit at a time until the entire amount is covering the bottom of the skillet. For optimal flavor, allow the meat to sizzle and caramelize for a couple minutes before you release it and break it up.
Once the the ground meat has gotten that first sizzle, stir in the chopped onions and garlic. Season the mixture with 2 teaspoons of Greek seasoning. Continue to cook until the meat has fully browned, stirring occasionally to break things up.
Drain off any excess fat in a colander if needed. (DO NOT rinse the meat!) Taste meat and season with additional Greek seasoning, salt, and pepper as desired.
Assemble Tacos
For nearly effortless assembly, serve everything up Taco Bar Style, and let everyone make their own tacos!
Layer filling down the middle of one flour tortilla, in order:
- arugula
- seasoned ground meat
- plain yogurt
- cucumber-onion salsa
- tomatoes
- feta
- fresh basil
- Squirt of lemon
This is only a suggestion. Assemble tacos according to your own preferences.
Expert Tips
Sauces for Greek Tacos
Plain Greek yogurt is a simple, easy sauce option for Greek tacos. However, if you'd like to give your sauce-game an extra boost, try one or more of these dips and sauces:
- Creamy Tzadiki Sauce
- Creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce with Feta
- Garlic Hummus
- Easy Sriracha-Garlic Yogurt Dip (Exactly what it sounds like: to each half cup of yogurt, mix in a half-teaspoon of minced garlic and a teaspoon or more of Sriracha.)
- Muhammara (Red Pepper Walnut Dip)
More Greek-inspired Recipes
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Greek Tacos
Equipment
- 1 Enameled Cast Iron Skillet or heavy skillet
- 1 spice grinder optional
Ingredients
- 8 medium flour tortillas warmed
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey, ground chicken, etc.
- ½ large sweet onion chopped: ~8 ounces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium red onion diced ¼-inch; ~8 ounces
- 1 large cucumber diced ¼-inch; ~8 ounces
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 6 ounces cherry tomatoes halved; or large tomato, diced
- 1 ounce fresh basil chiffonade or rough chop
- 6-8 ounces feta crumbled
- 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
- 2-3 teaspoons Homemade Greek Seasoning or Cavender's Greek Seasoning
- 1 generous handful baby arugula
Homemade Greek Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground rosemary
- ¼ teaspoons fresh ground nutmeg
Instructions
Greek Seasoning Mix
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, cinnamon, dill, black pepper, onion powder, rosemary, and nutmeg.If you own an electric spice or coffee grinder, pour the mixture into the grinder and pulverize it so everything has a similar texture; however, this is totally optional.
Prep Taco Fillings
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss together diced red onion, diced cucumber, and red wine vinegar. Cover and set aside.
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles away immediately. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swill to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Into the hot pan, break off the ground meat a bit at a time until the entire amount is covering the bottom of the skillet. For optimal flavor, allow the meat to sizzle and caramelize for a couple minutes before you move it or break it up.
- Once the the ground meat has sizzled a bit, stir in the chopped onions and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium. Season the meat mixture with 2 teaspoons of Greek seasoning. Stir occasionally to break up, and continue cooking until the meat has browned. Drain off any fat in a colander if needed. DO NOT rinse the meat! Taste meat mixture and season with additional Greek seasoning, salt, and pepper as desired.
Assemble & Serve
- Gather tortillas, arugula, seasoned ground meat, yogurt, cucumber-onion salsa, tomatoes, feta, fresh basil, and lemon wedges. Assemble tacos according to your own preferences.
- Suggested: Layer down the middle of one flour tortilla, in this order: arugula, seasoned ground meat, yogurt, cucumber-onion salsa, tomatoes, and feta. Garnish with fresh basil and a lemon wedge.
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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