25 Minute Tzatziki Gyro Rice Bowls
Spiced ground lamb or beef over fluffy rice, topped with cool homemade tzatziki, crisp cucumber, and ripe tomato — all the flavors of a gyro, no pita required.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cupslong-grain white rice(rinsed)
- 3 cupswater
- 1 cupplain Greek yogurt(full-fat)
- ½ cupcucumber(grated and squeezed dry, plus more sliced for topping)
- 2 clovesgarlic(minced, divided)
- 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
- 1 tbspfresh dill(chopped, or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 lbground lamb(or ground beef)
- 1 smallyellow onion(finely diced)
- 1 ½ tspdried oregano
- 1 tspground cumin
- ½ tspsmoked paprika
- ¼ tspground cinnamon
- ¾ tspkosher salt(divided, plus more to taste)
- ¼ tspblack pepper
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 2 mediumroma tomatoes(diced)
- ¼ cupred onion(thinly sliced)
- ¼ cupkalamata olives(halved, optional)
- 2 ozfeta cheese(crumbled)
Method
- 01
Combine the 1 ½ cups rinsed white rice and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes.
- 02
While the rice cooks, make the tzatziki: combine the 1 cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup grated and squeezed cucumber, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp fresh dill, and ¼ tsp kosher salt in a bowl. Stir well and refrigerate until serving.
- 03
Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 small diced yellow onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until softened.
- 04
Add the remaining 1 clove minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 05
Add the 1 lb ground lamb to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and cooked through, draining excess fat if needed.
- 06
Season the meat with the 1 ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir to coat evenly and cook for 1 more minute.
- 07
Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide it evenly among 4 bowls.
- 08
Top each bowl with a generous portion of the spiced lamb, then spoon the tzatziki over the top.
- 09
Finish each bowl with the 2 diced roma tomatoes, ¼ cup sliced red onion, sliced cucumber, ¼ cup kalamata olives (if using), and 2 oz crumbled feta cheese. Serve immediately.
Adapted from public domain & community sources