turkishlambflatbreadbakedclassicstreet-foodintermediate

Lahmacun

Name: Lahmacun
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 160 g bread flour; 3 g fine salt; 2 g instant yeast; 95 ml warm water; 5 ml olive oil; 140 g ground lamb; 100 g tomato; 60 g onion; 50 g red pepper; 15 g flat-leaf parsley; 15 g tomato paste; 1 clove (5 g) garlic; 3 g Aleppo pepper; 2 g ground cumin; 2 g sweet paprika; 4 g fine salt; 1 g black pepper; 10 ml olive oil; 1 small, cut into wedges (80 g) lemon; 10 g, roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Lahmacun is a thin, crisp flatbread spread with a finely minced mixture of lamb, tomato, onion, pepper, and herbs, then baked until lightly charred at the edges. The result is savory, bright, and spicy, especially when finished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

30 min

2 servings

527 kcal

Turkish

Ingredients

Hamur

160 gbread flour
3 gfine salt
2 ginstant yeast
95 mlwarm water
5 mlolive oil

İç harcı

140 gground lamb
100 gtomato
60 gonion
50 gred pepper
15 gflat-leaf parsley
15 gtomato paste
1 clove (5 g)garlic
3 gAleppo pepper
2 gground cumin
2 gsweet paprika
4 gfine salt
1 gblack pepper
10 mlolive oil

Servis

1 small, cut into wedges (80 g)lemon
10 g, roughly choppedflat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 250°C with a heavy baking tray or pizza stone inside. In a bowl, mix the bread flour, fine salt, and instant yeast. Add the warm water and olive oil, then knead for 4-5 minutes until you have a smooth, supple dough. Cover and let it rest while you prepare the topping; this short rest relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls out very thin.
2
Roughly chop the tomato, onion, red pepper, parsley, and garlic. Put them in a food processor with the tomato paste, Aleppo pepper, ground cumin, sweet paprika, fine salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Pulse to a very fine mixture, stopping before it becomes completely liquid.
3
Add the ground lamb to the processed vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly. The topping should be loose and spreadable rather than packed; if it seems watery, let it stand for 1-2 minutes and stir again.
4
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a very thin oval or round about 22-24 cm across. Thin dough is essential for a crisp lahmacun rather than a bready flatbread.
5
Spread half of the lamb topping over each dough round in a very thin, even layer, taking it almost to the edges. Press it on lightly with the back of a spoon so it adheres during baking.
6
Transfer one lahmacun to a sheet of baking paper or a floured peel and bake on the hot tray or stone for 6-7 minutes, until the edges are browned, the base is crisp, and the meat is fully cooked. Bake the second lahmacun the same way. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate halfway through baking.
7
Finish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over. For a classic presentation, fold or roll the lahmacun just before eating.

Nutrition per serving

527 kcal

Calories

24g

Protein

43g

Carbs

28g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•Using a preheated tray or stone is the fastest way to get the traditional crisp base in a home oven.
•Do not overload the topping; a thin layer cooks quickly and keeps the flatbread light.
•If you like, serve with shredded lettuce, sliced onion, or sumac onion on the side, though the classic core dish is complete as written.

Background

Lahmacun is a beloved thin meat-topped flatbread from Turkey and the broader Eastern Mediterranean, with roots linked to older Levantine and Anatolian bread traditions. Its name comes from Arabic, meaning roughly 'meat with dough,' and it became a popular street food and bakery item across many Turkish cities.

Love this recipe?

Get personalised AI-curated recipes, meal plans and smart shopping lists — free.

Download Gourmate – Free