Turkish Lahmacun Flatbread (Printable)

Thin flatbread topped with spiced minced meat, fresh veggies, and herbs for a savory Turkish delight.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup warm water
03 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast
04 - 1 teaspoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Meat Topping

07 - 10.5 ounces ground lamb or beef
08 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 medium tomato, finely diced
11 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
12 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1 teaspoon paprika
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
18 - 1 teaspoon salt
19 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ To Serve

20 - Lemon wedges
21 - Fresh parsley or mint
22 - Sliced onions and sumac (optional)

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the dry ingredients along with olive oil. Stir until a soft dough forms, then knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
02 - Combine ground meat, onion, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, tomato paste, parsley, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chili flakes if using, salt, and olive oil in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.
03 - Set oven to 480°F (250°C) or highest setting. Place a pizza stone or baking tray inside to heat thoroughly.
04 - Divide the risen dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a thin oval or round about 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter.
05 - Spread a thin, even layer of the meat mixture over each dough round.
06 - Place lahmacuns on the preheated stone or tray, working in batches if necessary. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are crisp and topping is cooked through.
07 - Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Optionally add sliced onions and sumac before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These come together faster than you'd think, and impressing someone with homemade lahmacun never gets old.
  • The meat topping is forgiving—you can adjust the spices to your taste, and it actually gets better when you make extra for leftovers.
  • Once you master the dough and learn the oven trick, you'll make these constantly for casual dinners and impromptu gatherings.
02 -
  • The oven temperature and preheat time are non-negotiable—a cool oven will steam your lahmacun instead of crisping it, and you'll end up with something doughy and disappointing.
  • Rolling the dough thin is scary at first because you think you'll tear it, but trust that it's more forgiving than you expect; thin lahmacun tastes infinitely better than thick.
  • Don't let the topped lahmacun sit around waiting to bake, or the dough will absorb moisture from the topping and lose its ability to crisp up.
03 -
  • If your oven doesn't have a convection setting, use your highest temperature and put the stone or tray on the lowest rack to get maximum heat from below, which crisps the bottom beautifully.
  • The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours—let it come to room temperature before rolling, and it'll actually be easier to work with because the gluten will have relaxed.
  • Leftover lahmacun reheats best in a 200°C oven for a few minutes, not the microwave, which will make it rubbery and sad.
Go back