Turkish Lahmacun: A Delicious and Authentic Recipe for Homemade Lahmacun

Name: Turkish Lahmacun
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Ingredients: 1 cup lukewarm water; 1 tsp dry yeast; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp vegetable oil; 3 cups all-purpose flour (don’t add all at once); 250 gram ground beef; 1 onion; 2 medium-sized tomatoes; A handful of parsley leaves; 2 sweet green peppers; 2-3 cloves of garlic; 1/2 tbsp tomato and red pepper paste; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp each paprika powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, ground black pepper; 2-3 tbsp olive oil

If you’re looking for a flavorful and spicy dish that can be enjoyed by everyone, then Turkish Lahmacun is a perfect choice. Also known as Turkish Pizza, Lahmacun is a flatbread with a spicy minced meat topping. This recipe is the perfect balance of savory and spicy, and it’s also very easy to make at home. Here’s how you can make an authentic and homemade Lahmacun recipe at home.

Turkish Lahmacun: A Delicious and Authentic Recipe for Homemade Lahmacun

If you’re a fan of Middle Eastern cuisine, you’ve likely come across Turkish lahmacun, a type of flatbread that is commonly referred to as “Turkish pizza.” Lahmacun is a delicious and satisfying meal that is perfect for lunch, dinner, or a snack. The dish consists of a thin and crispy dough that is topped with a savory, spicy ground meat mixture and baked in the oven. In this blog, I’ll show you how to make authentic homemade lahmacun from scratch with our easy-to-follow recipe.

Ingredients: What You Need to Make Homemade Lahmacun

Ingredients: For the lahmacun dough:

1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vegetable oil
About 3 cups all-purpose flour (don’t add all at once)

For the topping:

250 gr. ground beef
1 medium-sized onion
2 medium-sized tomatoes
A handful of parsley leaves
2 sweet green peppers
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tbsp tomato and red pepper paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each paprika powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil

How to Make Turkish Lahmacun at home

Make the lahmacun dough: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Add the salt and vegetable oil and stir well. Gradually add the flour, stirring constantly, until a smooth and elastic dough forms. Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes soft and pliable. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Prepare the lahmacun toppings: While the dough is resting, prepare the topping. Start by finely chopping the onion, tomatoes, sweet green peppers, and parsley leaves. Mince the garlic cloves and add them to the mixture. Add the ground beef, tomato and red pepper paste, salt, paprika powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, and ground black pepper. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, until they are evenly combined.

Roll out the dough: After the dough has rested, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a thin and round shape, about 28-32 cm in diameter. You can use a rolling pin, your hands, or a pizza transferer for lahmacun to make the process easier.

Add the toppings: Place each dough round onto a baking sheet or pizza transferer. Add a spoonful of the topping mixture onto the center of each dough round. Use the back of the spoon or your fingers to spread the topping evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. If the topping mixture is too thick, you can add 1/4 cup of water to thin it out and make it easier to spread.

Bake the lahmacun: Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the lahmacun for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. You can also cook them on the stovetop, in a nonstick pan with a lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the dough is crispy, and the topping is cooked through.

Serve and Enjoy: Once the lahmacun is cooked, remove it from the oven or pan and let it cool for a few minutes. Cut it into slices and serve it with fresh lemon wedges and a side of salad, such as parsley and tomato salad, or with a dip, such as hummus, tzatziki or garlic yogurt. The spicy, tangy and savory flavors of the topping work perfectly with the crispy and slightly chewy texture of the dough. Your homemade lahmacun is now ready to enjoy!

Cooking Tips: How to Make the Perfect Lahmacun Every Time

To make the dough rise faster, you can place the bowl in a warm spot, such as near a heater or in a warm oven.
To make the topping more flavorful, you can add some sumac, mint, or chopped walnuts to the mixture.
If you prefer a vegetarian version of lahmacun, you can substitute the ground beef with ground soy, lentils, or mushrooms.
If you have leftover lahmacun, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheat it in the oven or on the stovetop before serving.

How to make lahmacun on pan?

To make lahmacun on a pan, follow these simple steps:

Prepare the dough and topping as described in the recipe above.
Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat until it’s hot.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a thin circle (about 20-25 cm in diameter), using a rolling pin or your hands.
Place one of the dough circles on the hot pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and slightly crispy.
Spread about 3-4 tablespoons of the topping mixture over the cooked side of the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
Cover the pan with a lid or a large plate, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the topping is cooked and the edges of the dough are slightly charred.
Remove the lahmacun from the pan using a spatula or a pizza transferer and repeat the process with the remaining dough and topping.
Cut the lahmacun into slices and serve with fresh lemon wedges and a side of salad or dip.

Conclusion: Why You Should Try This Authentic Turkish Lahmacun Recipe

Making homemade lahmacun is easier than you might think, and it allows you to customize the topping to your liking. This authentic Turkish recipe is a great way to explore the rich and diverse cuisine of the Middle East and impress your friends and family with your culinary skills. I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy the delicious and spicy flavors of lahmacun at home!

Turkish Lahmacun

Lahmacun is a delicious and popular Turkish flatbread topped with a spicy and savory minced meat mixture. It's a quick and satisfying meal that's easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients.

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 12 mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Turkish

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

For the lahmacun dough

1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour (don’t add all at once)

For the topping

250 gram ground beef
1 onion
2 medium-sized tomatoes
A handful of parsley leaves
2 sweet green peppers
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tbsp tomato and red pepper paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each paprika powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

To prepare the dough, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl.
Add salt and vegetable oil, and gradually add flour, stirring constantly until a smooth and elastic dough forms.
Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes soft and pliable, then cover the bowl and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, prepare the topping by finely chopping onions, tomatoes, sweet green peppers, and parsley leaves.
Mince garlic cloves and mix them with ground beef, tomato and red pepper paste, salt, paprika powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, and ground black pepper until thoroughly combined.
After the dough has rested, divide it into 8 equal pieces, and roll out each piece into a thin and round shape, about 28-32 cm in diameter.
Place the dough rounds onto a baking sheet and add a spoonful of the topping mixture to the center of each round.
Spread the topping evenly over the dough with the back of a spoon or your fingers, leaving a small border around the edges.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and bake the lahmacun for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy.
Alternatively, you can cook them on the stovetop, in a nonstick pan with a lid, for 2-3 minutes on each side until the dough is crispy and the topping is cooked through.
Once the lahmacun is cooked, let it cool for a few minutes, cut it into slices, and serve it with fresh lemon wedges and salad.