Beyti Kebab (Turkish Ground Meat Rolls)

Beyti Kebab is a classic Turkish dish. It’s known for its flavorful ground beef kebabs wrapped in lavash or phyllo and topped with a savory tomato sauce and tangy garlic yogurt. It’s popular in restaurants across Turkey and loved for its unique presentation and delicious taste.

Beyti Kebab is one of those dishes that you might order when you see the photo. Named after Beyti Güler, the owner of the popular restaurant Beyti in Istanbul, this dish will have you fall in love with Turkish cuisine!

The idea of ground beef kebab wrap topped with spiced tomato sauce and served with yogurt just sounds so good! I love everything about this recipe: the process, the flavors, and the contrasting textures. If you enjoy traditional Turkish kebab recipes, you’ll also love my recipes for Chicken Doner Kebab, Adana Kebab, and Iskender Kebab, usually served with Çoban Salatası and a glass of cold ayran (savory yogurt drink) if desired.

How This Recipe Came To Life

My goal has been to show you that it’s possible to make restaurant quality recipes at home, using a handful of ingredients and a bit of time. When you make these dishes at home, they’re often lighter and not as heavy, since we use less butter, or oil and of course, high quality ingredients.

I’ve developed this recipe to be approachable for home cooks. After some trial and error, I have created a recipe that will give you a result you’ll thoroughly enjoy, without spending hours in the kitchen.

I tested this recipe a few times, with cooked and uncooked kebab and with store-bought lavash and phyllo dough and here are my findings:

• Unless you use very thin lavash, it’s best to make this recipe with phyllo dough.
• Wrapping cooked kebabs in phyllo would lead either undercooked, dense dough or overly dry kebabs.

After several trials, I discovered that wrapping uncooked beef provided the best result. The kebabs remained juicy, and the phyllo dough turned out perfectly crispy. This method will give you the juiciest, most delicious Beyti Kebab every single time

Ingredients

For the Kebab:

• Ground Beef (85% lean): Juicy, flavorful, and holds shape well. Using ground meat with less fat content will result in drier kebab.
• Onion: Make sure to grate the onion, there is no need to discard the excess juice.
• Egg: While some kebab recipes don’t call for egg, this recipe uses eggs for binding since we will be slicing raw mixture.
• Breadcrumbs: Helps the kebab mixture hold shape.
• Pul Biber: Adds subtle heat and fruity flavor.
• Olive Oil: Ensures kebabs stay moist and crispy.
• Phyllo Dough: For the classic outer layer. Make sure it’s completely thawed before using.

Tomato Sauce:

• Butter and Olive Oil: Adds richness and enhances flavor.
• Tomato Sauce & Paste: You can use canned tomato sauce or blend 5-6 roma tomatoes.
• Salt & Black Pepper: The beauty of this dish is in its simplicity, therefore we keep the seasoning simple.

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:

• Yogurt: It’s best to use whole milk yogurt or strained yogurt. You can also use labneh if desired.
• Garlic: Start with one garlic clove and taste the yogurt to see how the flavor is. If needed, add more garlic.

Ingredient Spotlight: Pul Biber

Pul biber, also known as Aleppo pepper, is a staple in Turkish cuisine. You can find it in three forms of mild, medium and hot. I usually use mild pul biber, which has fruity heat and a hint of sweetness.

It’s great for seasoning meats, vegetables, and even dips. It adds authenticity and a distinctive flavor to Beyti Kebab. You can find pul biber at specialty markets or online.

If unavailable, mild chili flakes can be used as a substitute, though the unique flavor of pul biber is unmatched.

How to Make Beyti Kebab

Step 1: Prepare the Kebab Mixture

Place the ground beef, grated onion, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper and pul biber in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Step 2: Assemble the Beyti Kebab

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lay out two sheets of phyllo dough, and brush each layer with olive oil.

Place a portion of beef mixture onto the dough, forming a log. Roll tightly, slice into 6 bite-sized pieces. Repeat the process until all kebab mixture is used.

Step 3: Bake

Place kebabs onto baking sheet or pan and brush with olive oil. Then, bake for 30 minutes until golden and crispy.

How to Store Beyti Kebab

Refrigeration: Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Warm in the oven at 300°F until heated through to maintain crispness.

Frequently Asked Questions