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My Big Fat Greek Tacos

40 Comments

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Big Fat Greek Tacos will please every appetite, ground meat seasoned perfectly and served with tomato and cucumber relish with mint tzatziki.

Big Fat Greek Taco with olives and feta on the side

This is one big fat Greek taco for sure! A gyro and taco all in one. And delicious, hearty and satisfying all in one too!

Customize your own condiments if you like, but the Mint Tzatziki and Tomato-Cucumber Relish are essential to the Grecian vibe in this sure-to-be-a-regular on your go-to menu.

A collage of tomato and cucumber relish and mint tzatziki

 

The relish and tzatziki can be made ahead, in fact I think it’s necessary for the flavors to marry before serving. So, make both condiments at least an hour ahead of time or even the night before.

A few variations to try: Serve with hummus instead of the tzatziki for a dairy-free option if that matters to you. Or include the hummus and the tzatziki because both are fabulous! The recipe calls for (and pictured) Greek no-pocket pita bread, but you could use pocket bread which would be especially easy at a party, or serve salad-style with no bread at all! For extra veggies per serving; as the meat is finishing, seed and chop an additional tomato, add to the meat mixture and cook just until the tomato breaks down.

These Greek tacos will be perfect at a buffet-style party. The entire meal can be made ahead. Just reheat the meat (this could be done in the crockpot so it stays warm during multiple trips to the buffet line), griddle the pitas quick and set it all out for your guests to pile everything together. As written, the recipe serves four and we were able to make the tacos into extra generous portions with lunch leftovers. Cook’s update: I just made these for a very large crowd and here is a tip to follow  for the best flavor. Have the meat ready at least 4 hours before the party. Place in a crockpot on low for 4 hours and the juices/flavors will just increase until when it’s time to serve. I made both condiments the morning of the party also for optimum flavor.

Side view of Big Fat Greek Tacos with mint tzatziki and tomato relish

 

The recipe can be made with ground beef (our favorite), lamb or turkey.

And, as if the tacos aren’t delicious enough, look what you can do with leftovers. A healthier alternative to corned-beef hash.

Greek Taco filling with fried egg on tip served on a white plate

 

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5 from 4 votes

My Big Fat Greek Tacos

These Greek Tacos will be the hit of any party buffet or family weeknight dinner. Make the relish and tzatziki the night before if you like for even more low effort prep time. The flavor is over-the-top and sure to be requested again and again. If making for a party or large group, after the meat mixture is finished, heat on low in a crock pot for 4 hours to increase the flavors and seasonings.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 454
Author Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients 

For the Cucumber Tomato Relish:

  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 firm tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For the Feta Mint Tzatziki:

  • 1 English cucumber
  • Salt
  • 1 cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, plus extra ½ cup or so for serving
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh mint

For the Lamb or Turkey Filling:

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds ground lamb, beef or turkey
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ red onion, minced
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 4 Tablespoons dry red wine or cooking wine or red wine vinegar

For the pitas:

  • 4-6 non-pocket Greek pitas

Cook's Note:

  • This is not necessary for yummy impressive flavor, BUT if you happen to have a little Za'atar seasoning, add 1-2 teaspoons to the oregano when cooking the meat mixture. It will add just that much more out-of-this-world Greek gyro flavor. I have made it without and had huge success.

Instructions

  • At least one hour or as early as one day before you prepare the meat, prepare the relish and tzatziki:

Prepare the Cucumber Tomato Relish:

  • Toss 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 Tablespoon vinegar, 2 diced tomatoes, 1 diced cucumbers and ½ onion in a bowl and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and let sit at least 1 hour to marry the flavors.

Make the Tzatziki:

  • Seed and then finely dice 1 cucumber and place in a fine-meshed strainer or cheese cloth fitted over a bowl. Salt the cucumber and let sit 10 minutes. Then squeeze out any excess moisture. Add the strained cucumber into a bowl with 1 cup yogurt, ½ cup feta, 1 minced garlic and 2 Tablespoons mint. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  • The day of the tacos, start about 20 minutes before ready to serve:

Make the Meat:

  • In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 ½ pounds ground meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the meat gets nice and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and reserve. Lower the heat to medium and sauté ½ minced red onion in the lamb juices until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons oregano and 4 minced garlics and cook until fragrant. Season. Add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste and cook until it caramelizes. Deglaze 4 Tablespoons red wine and scrape any bits up that have adhered to the pan. Add the meat back in, stir and keep warm.

Toast the Pitas:

  • In a cast iron or other heavy skillet, drizzle a small amount of olive oil and heat to medium high.
  • Place pita in pan and heat each side for just about 20 seconds.
  • Serve buffet style with extra feta, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
My Big Fat Greek Tacos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 454 Calories from Fat 306
% Daily Value*
Fat 34g52%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 266mg12%
Potassium 657mg19%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 665IU13%
Vitamin C 12.2mg15%
Calcium 161mg16%
Iron 2.8mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe adapted from Food Network.
My Big Fat Greek Tacos Pinterest pin

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Published on August 9, 2013

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    Recipe Rating




  1. melanie w says

    May 21, 2022 at 10:35 AM

    5 stars
    I made this with my homemade pitas. It was tummy satisfying šŸ™‚ I am definitely going to make this again! Thank you for all that you do Sally!

    Reply
  2. ginger h says

    May 17, 2022 at 6:11 AM

    5 stars
    Very, Very good! The tomato relish and Tzatziki sauce combination is spectacular. Whole family recommend I make these more often. Thank you Sally.

    Reply
  3. Malinda Miller says

    April 15, 2020 at 10:38 AM

    Sally,
    We are meatfree and mostly dairy free over here. Do you think this recipe would convert well? Maybe crumbled tofu or tempeh? Chickpeas? My husband has been craving Greek food and this looks delicious!
    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      April 15, 2020 at 11:10 AM

      Hi Malinda! My son is meat free and lactose intolerant, and the whole family is mostly meat free these days so I can relate to your needs. This would be fabulous with tofu crumbles, crumbled Beyond Meat or similar. Also would be good but different with jackfruit. You could definitely use chickpeas but that wouldn’t be my first option. However, speaking of chickpeas, when you want a taco dinner, be sure to check out my BBQ Cauliflower Tacos with Chickpeas. I just made those again last night. But back to the Greek Tacos, you won’t be disappointed. Let me know how they turn out for you!

      Reply
      • Malinda Miller says

        April 26, 2020 at 10:54 AM

        I already love the BBQ cauliflower toac is which is why I knew you would have a meet free solution! Thanks Sally! I have them on the menu to try with tofu, I can’t wait to try it!

        Reply
        • Sally Humeniuk says

          April 27, 2020 at 7:28 AM

          Malinda, what a great idea! šŸ™‚

          Reply
  4. Maria says

    February 22, 2018 at 8:33 PM

    5 stars
    My husband and I have made this recipe three times in as many weeks and it’s just fantastic! We sub za’atar for all of the oregano (might be a bit strong for some) and serve on couscous, so easy to throw together bowls of this on weekdays after work. Just delicious, thank you!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      February 23, 2018 at 1:31 PM

      Maria, this comment made my day! Thanks so much for taking the time to drop a note and I’m so glad you liked the recipe as much as we do. šŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Meril says

    January 26, 2018 at 4:02 PM

    This was delicious! Kids said it tasted just like a Gryo. I thought I made enough for two days, I am going to have to double the recipe next time. I also had enough to make a hash for breakfast. Yes, this is definitely a winner!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      January 27, 2018 at 1:45 AM

      Thanks Meril! So glad you all liked it. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and comment, it means a lot.

      Reply
  6. Molly says

    December 23, 2017 at 3:47 PM

    5 stars
    Made this last night for a christmas party, it was delicious. The Za’atar seasoning really puts it over the top. I used red wine vinegar and it turned out amazing. I threw the yogurt sauce in the blender because of picky eaters and it was fantastic blended up (I added extra yogurt and it still worked great). This is a great meal and we’ll be repeating it. Family requested I remake it tonight šŸ™‚ Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      December 23, 2017 at 6:34 PM

      Molly, I love that idea about blending the yogurt mixture to smooth it out. I’m definitely going to do that next time. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  7. kay says

    August 28, 2017 at 6:17 PM

    Made this tonight w/ lean Ground Turkey. I may have added a bit more of this or that, but nothing essential. The recipe is excellent. I’ll make it again. I calculated one Gyro w/ wheat pita (6 1/2 round), 1/2 cup turkey, 3 T. Tzatziki sauce and fresh veg topping is approx. 465 calories. So, I think I’ll put it on a bed of lettuce tomorrow to save on the pita calories. šŸ˜€

    Thanks so much for sharing~

    Reply
    • Sally says

      August 28, 2017 at 6:44 PM

      Hi Kay! We make it a lot without the pita and top everything on a lettuce and like it just as much. Thanks for the calorie calculations for our friends who need that information. šŸ™‚

      Reply
  8. Leslie says

    July 23, 2017 at 9:00 PM

    SO. good. I usually try to get most ingredients as called for but we recently retired and cooking for 2 so I try to use up what’s on hand. I used sour cream for Tzatziiki and not as much cucumber and it worked great but I had fresh mint and that was well worth it. Also used tortillas in place of pitas and it was fantastic!! Will definitely make again

    Reply
    • Sally says

      July 24, 2017 at 6:45 AM

      Great way to make it simple and adaptable, Leslie! I’m going to add your “stand ins” to the recipe because sometimes we don’t have everything on hand or sometimes we just want to make things easier. Thanks so much for making the recipe and for stopping by to comment. It means a lot.

      Reply
  9. Stacia says

    December 28, 2016 at 9:30 AM

    This is my family’s favorite meal šŸ™‚ We’re making them (again!) for New Years Eve dinner. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      December 28, 2016 at 12:06 PM

      Stacia, you just made my day! Thanks so much for letting me know how much your family likes the Greek Tacos. Happy New Year to you all. šŸ™‚

      Reply
  10. Mimikat says

    June 15, 2016 at 2:16 PM

    I used red wine vinegar instead of red wine in the meat as the recipe suggested and it was terrible. So acidic! I had to add some sweetness to balance it out. Also finely dicing the cucumber for the tzatziki did not work, grated would be better. I definitely want to try it again but this time I will use red wine, grate the cucumber, and try out the Za’atar seasoning.

    Reply
  11. Hilda says

    May 16, 2016 at 5:53 PM

    Make these often for our family but usually use the soft “taco boats” for this. Sometimes it’s a “bowl/salad” recipe. As a former food prep teacher, I am particular about blog recipes.? Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      May 16, 2016 at 8:47 PM

      Hilda, I am honored that you feel my recipe is worthy of your time. I too am picky about the blog recipes I seek out. Thanks so much and I’m glad you like it. I’ll have to try the “bowl/salad” myself.

      Reply
  12. Yana says

    January 12, 2016 at 2:03 PM

    Great recipe, you should credit Food Network though:
    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jeff-mauro/greek-taco-recipe.html

    Reply
    • Sally says

      January 12, 2016 at 2:15 PM

      Done. Thanks for catching that. As you can see by my other recipes, I always give outbound links. I must have missed the link up in my credit at bottom of recipe.

      Reply
  13. LaTrice says

    August 11, 2015 at 5:07 PM

    I LOVE Greek food, and these tacos are making my mouth water!!

    Reply
  14. Mari says

    April 18, 2015 at 9:09 AM

    These were fabulous. I never heard so za’atar so I bought some just for this recipe. I also made my own pita bread since I was never crazy about the dry, tasteless store bought things. Happy to say those turned out great, too. I’ll be making these again next week. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply
  15. Moira says

    February 14, 2015 at 7:17 PM

    My husband and I just made these tonight. I made homemade pitas because I find the store bought are always too dry. This recipe is absolutely amazing and delicious. We decided it’s becoming a staple in our house!!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      February 14, 2015 at 7:42 PM

      Moira, Thank you so much for this wonderful comment. I’m sitting here in the kitchen after a family Valentine’s Dinner with my son and husband and just read this to them (while they clean up the dinner I made). We all loved that you took the time to let me know about the recipe. I’m so glad you liked it. Homemade pitas sounds amazing. Thanks again! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  16. Andi @ The Weary Chef says

    February 27, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    I LOVE this recipe! These tacos look so creative and delicious. I’m happy I found you on Pinterest šŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Sally says

      February 27, 2014 at 10:28 PM

      Thanks Andi, we love these greek tacos and I hope you do too!

      Reply
  17. Tiffany Jessop says

    September 16, 2013 at 9:55 PM

    We looooooooved these, Sally! Awesome recipe! Thanks so much for answering all my questions today too. You’re the best!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      September 16, 2013 at 10:02 PM

      Tiffany, I am honored that you made them and so glad you liked them! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  18. Emily says

    September 13, 2013 at 6:49 PM

    Just made these for dinner, and they were absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Sally says

      September 13, 2013 at 7:44 PM

      Emily, thank you for visiting my blog and I’m glad you liked the Big Fat Greek Tacos! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  19. Karlette says

    September 10, 2013 at 9:44 AM

    I just made the tzatziki and the relish both already taste amazing. I am making this for dinner tonight but I am making the pitas myself as well. Cannot wait to try the whole meal!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      September 10, 2013 at 11:53 AM

      Homemade pitas!! You are my kind of gal, Karlette!

      Reply
  20. Nicole @ What Matters Most Now says

    August 14, 2013 at 12:07 PM

    I’m so excited to have found your site as you seem to have similar healthy eating goals as we strive for and your recipes look amazing! I can’t wait to try this one soon as we love Mediterranean-inspired foods. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  21. Ronnie says

    August 13, 2013 at 5:41 PM

    These look amazing, I will be trying these for sure!!

    Reply
About Sally - Good Dinner Mom.

About Good Dinner Mom

My name is Sally and I love to be in the kitchen. Making fresh, unique dishes is my way of showing love for family and friends and I hope that here you’ll find recipes of both healthy and indulgent dishes that will inspire you to cook more at home while sharing some love of your own. more about me

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