Lahmacun is a beloved Turkish dish, often referred to as Turkish pizza. It’s a thin, flavorful flatbread topped with a mixture of ground beef, tomatoes, peppers, and spices. It is surely one of the best Turkish street foods of all time to enjoy. In this blog post, I will give you a step-by-step process of making a homemade lahmacun recipe that’s just as good, if not better, than what you’d find in a restaurant.
Lahmacun is a popular Turkish and Middle Eastern dish that consists of the following main components:
What Does Lahmacun Consist Of?
Dough: Lahmacun starts with a thin, round, and unleavened, or sometimes leavened dough. The dough is typically made from flour, water, and salt. It’s rolled out into thin, round sheets, providing the base for the dish. For home-style making, we will use a bit of yeast and sugar although we will not going to wait to double.
Topping: The topping for lahmacun is a flavorful mixture made from a combination of ingredients, including ground meat, (finely ground beef, or lamb) fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices. In some regions, they use garlic instead of onions.
Optional Ingredients: Some recipes may also include ingredients like pepper paste or tomato paste for added flavor and texture.
Serving Accompaniments: Lahmacun is typically served with various accompaniments, like thinly sliced lettuce, slices of fresh tomatoes, lemon wedges, and ayran drink.
Ayran: Ayran, a traditional Turkish yogurt drink, is a popular beverage to accompany lahmacun. It offers a refreshing and cooling contrast to the spiciness of the dish.
Step 1: Preparing the Lahmacun Dough
Start by making the dough for your lahmacun. You’ll need:
- 2.5 cups of strong flour or all-purpose flour (might need more depending on the type, so add gradually)
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp dry yeast
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and dry yeast.
- Gradually add lukewarm water, kneading until the dough is smooth and not sticking to your hands. You can drizzle more water if needed.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover and let it rest for about half an hour. Unlike traditional bread, lahmacun dough doesn’t need to rise.
Step 2: Preparing the Lahmacun Topping
While the dough is resting, it’s time to prepare the flavorful topping. You’ll need:
- 250 grams of ground beef
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 green peppers
- 1 chili pepper
- 1 sweet red capia pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp “isot” pepper (smoked, flaky pepper)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp pepper paste (optional)
- Tomato paste (optional)
- Finely chop the onion, peppers, and garlic. You can use a food processor for this step for convenience.
- Remove the seeds from the hot peppers if you prefer less spiciness.
- Add the chopped vegetables, minced meat, and all the spices to a bowl. Mix everything thoroughly.
- If your minced meat doesn’t have much fat, consider adding a bit of olive oil to the mixture. Also if the mixture is thick you can drizzle some water to achieve the spreadable consistency.
👉🏻You might like to read the 10 Most Popular Turkish Street Foods In Istanbul including lahmacun. Also, check my vlog Street Food Turkey: Best LAHMACUN In ISTANBUL to see my favorite place to eat lahmacun if you come to Türkiye.
Step 3: Shaping and Cooking the Lahmacun
- After the dough has rested, divide it into smaller portions for individual lahmacun. If you have a pan as big as about 34cm in diameter you can divide it into 9 balls as I did. If you have a smaller pan or to make it easy to handle you can work with smaller dough pieces like dividing into 12.
- Roll out each piece of dough on a floured surface, making it as thin as possible without sticking. You can add more flour as needed.
- If you have a special pan for “gözleme,” use it for cooking your lahmacun. If not use the biggest non-stick pan you have with a lif. You will use the lid to create steam, resulting in a well-cooked topping with a crispy on the bottom because of direct flame.
- Transfer the rolled-out dough onto baking paper for easy handling.
- Spread the topping mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Meanwhile, heat the pan and transfer the lahmacun with the baking paper directly onto the pan, don’t slide it from the paper yet
- Cook the lahmacun in the pan for about 1-2 minutes with the lid on,
- Then remove the paper and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes without the lid to allow the steam to evaporate.
Step 4: Serving and Enjoying
Lahmacun is best enjoyed hot and fresh. You can serve it with thinly sliced lettuce, tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon. Don’t forget to pair it with a glass of “ayran,” a refreshing diluted yogurt drink.
How Do You Eat Lahmacun?
Make sure to eat while it is still hot and crispy if you can. arrange as much as you want from the lettuce, parsley, and tomato slices. Drizzle lemon juice over the greens. If your lahmacun topping is not spicy you can sprinkle more pul biber chili flakes on top to make it extra spicy.
Roll the lahmacun and tear from the middle and enjoy with a big bite along with a cold Ayran, diluted yogurt drink.
Step 5: Additional Tips
- If you want to bake lahmacun in the oven, preheat it to the highest setting (around 250°C) and cook on the lowest rack for a few minutes. Then, move it to the top shelf for even browning.
- Keep in mind that you can make your lahmacun any size you prefer, just ensure it fits your cooking surface.
- While rolling the dough, you can start with a slightly smaller size as it will stretch when transferred to the pan.
- Lahmacun is best eaten right from the oven or stove when it is still crispy. But you can reheat when serving in a hot pan again to get the crispiness back or serve and eat individually while continuing to bake the lahmacun pieces.
- Using baking paper makes it easier to transfer lahmacun without any issues. But if you are used to using a pizza transfer board you can definitely use that too.
How to Make Delicious Lahmacun – Step-by-Step Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups of strong flour or all-purpose flour might need more depending on the type, so add gradually
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp dry yeast
- 250 grams of ground beef
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 green peppers
- 1 chili pepper
- 1 sweet red capia pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp “isot” pepper smoked, flaky pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp pepper paste optional
- 1/2 tbsp Tomato paste optional
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and dry yeast.
- Gradually add lukewarm water, kneading until the dough is smooth and not sticking to your hands. You can drizzle more water if needed.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover and let it rest for about half an hour. Unlike traditional bread, lahmacun dough doesn’t need to rise.
- Step 2: Preparing the Lahmacun Topping
- Finely chop the onion, peppers, and garlic. You can use a food processor for this step for convenience.
- Remove the seeds from the hot peppers if you prefer less spiciness.
- Add the chopped vegetables, minced meat, and all the spices to a bowl. Mix everything thoroughly.
- If your minced meat doesn’t have much fat, consider adding a bit of olive oil to the mixture. Also if the mixture is thick you can drizzle some water to achieve the spreadable consistency.
- Step 3: Shaping and Cooking the Lahmacun
- After the dough has rested, divide it into smaller portions for individual lahmacun. If you have a pan as big as about 34cm in diameter you can divide it into 9 balls as I did. If you have a smaller pan or to make it easy to handle you can work with smaller dough pieces like dividing into 12.
- Roll out each piece of dough on a floured surface, making it as thin as possible without sticking. You can add more flour as needed.
- If you have a special pan for “gözleme,” use it for cooking your lahmacun. If not use the biggest non-stick pan you have with a lif. You will use the lid to create steam, resulting in a well-cooked topping with a crispy on the bottom because of direct flame.
- Transfer the rolled-out dough onto baking paper for easy handling.
- Spread the topping mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Meanwhile, heat the pan and transfer the lahmacun with the baking paper directly onto the pan, don’t slide it from the paper yet
- Cook the lahmacun in the pan for about 1-2 minutes with the lid on,
- Then remove the paper and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes without the lid to allow the steam to evaporate.
Notes
Step 4: Serving and Enjoying
Lahmacun is best enjoyed hot and fresh. You can serve it with thinly sliced lettuce, tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon. Don’t forget to pair it with a glass of “ayran,” a refreshing diluted yogurt drink.
Conclusion:
The satisfaction that comes from taking raw ingredients and transforming them into a delightful, crispy, and savory flatbread with this lahmacun recipe is immeasurable. And the best part? You don’t need to travel to a Turkish restaurant to savor this authentic dish—you can now create it in your own kitchen, for your own enjoyment.
Customize your lahmacun by experimenting with different toppings, making it as spicy or as mild as you desire. You can create a special moment just for yourself or your family and friends, savoring the warmth and aroma of homemade lahmacun. As you bite into that perfectly crisp crust, you’ll understand why this dish holds a special place in the hearts of those who appreciate the joy of cooking and enjoying a great meal.
So, the next time you’re in the mood for a taste of Turkiye, consider making lahmacun from scratch as a rewarding journey. With these step-by-step instructions, you can embark on a culinary adventure that not only fills your home with enticing scents but also fills your heart with the satisfaction of creating something truly delicious. Share the experience with yourself, share the love, and savor every bite of your homemade lahmacun. Enjoy!
