Turkish Lahmacun Flatbread (Printable)

Crisp flatbread topped with spiced minced meat, fresh vegetables, and herbs for a savory 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 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Dissolve yeast in warm water, then add mixture and olive oil to dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
02 - In a bowl, combine ground meat, onion, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, tomato paste, parsley, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chili flakes if using, salt, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
03 - Preheat oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit, placing a pizza stone or baking tray inside to heat.
04 - Divide risen dough into 8 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin oval or round about 8 inches in diameter.
05 - Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture evenly over each dough round.
06 - Transfer lahmacun to the hot baking surface and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are crisp and topping is cooked through.
07 - Remove from oven and serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Optionally, add sliced onions and sumac.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough gets impossibly crispy on the edges while staying soft enough to tear and wrap around fresh herbs.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under an hour, which feels almost miraculous given how impressive these taste.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about eating something made with your own hands that tastes like it came from a Turkish street stall.
02 -
  • The oven temperature is non-negotiable—if it's not hot enough, your dough steams instead of crisps, and you'll end up with chewy flatbread instead of the thin, crackling base you want.
  • Don't overwork the meat topping or over-load the dough; the first makes the meat dense and tough, and the second just means your bottom never crisps up.
  • Yeast-risen dough is forgiving about timing—if your dough rises faster than expected, just divide and roll it out whenever it's puffy; if it's slow, give it more time.
03 -
  • If your oven doesn't go to 250°C, crank it to its maximum—even 220°C will work, though they'll take a couple extra minutes and won't blister quite as dramatically.
  • A pizza stone makes a real difference because it retains heat so much better than a regular baking tray, but a preheated baking tray will absolutely work.
  • Don't be afraid to roll the dough thin; lahmacun should be crispy, not doughy, and thin dough baked hot is what gets you there.
Return