Arayes with Tahini Dipping Sauce Recipe
Arayes is a delicious Middle Eastern dish featuring pita bread stuffed with a flavorful mixture of spiced ground beef, parsley, and onion, then pan-fried to crispy perfection. Served warm with a creamy, tangy tahini dipping sauce, Arayes makes an ideal appetizer or main course that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Meat Filling
- 1 pound 85%-90% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon baharat seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves and fine stems, finely chopped
- 1 medium-sized onion, grated and excess juice squeezed out
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pitas
- 4 pitas (about 4 to 6 inches diameter)
Tahini Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested (about 1/3 to 1/4 cup of juice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup water (may not use all)
Instructions
- Mix: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, baharat seasoning, kosher salt, and chopped parsley. Grate the onion and squeeze out its excess juice before adding it to the bowl. Using your hands (or disposable gloves), thoroughly mix until ingredients are evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate for several hours if desired to enhance flavor.
- Stuff: Cut each pita in half and gently open the pockets. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the ground meat mixture into each pita half, pressing gently to spread the meat evenly throughout the pocket. Repeat with all pita halves.
- Stovetop Cooking: Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, place two stuffed pita halves in the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the bread is browned and crispy on one side, then flip and cook the other side until crisp and the meat is cooked through. Add more olive oil as needed and cook in batches if necessary.
- Serve: Serve the Arayes warm with the prepared tahini dipping sauce. For an entrée, serve 2 pita halves per person. For appetizers, cut each pita half into quarters and arrange them on a platter with the sauce bowl.
- Tahini Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, combine tahini paste, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water one tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth and pourable but not too watery. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week; the sauce will thicken over time, so whisk in additional water before serving if needed.
Notes
- Baharat seasoning is a Middle Eastern spice blend; if unavailable, a mix of ground cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, and black pepper can be used as a substitute.
- You can prepare the meat mixture ahead and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to enhance flavor.
- Other cooking methods include grilling the stuffed pitas or using a panini press for a different texture.
- Tahini sauce thickens when refrigerated; add water and whisk to thin before serving if necessary.
- Be careful not to overstuff the pita to avoid tearing during cooking.
