Lahmacun – Baked Turkish Pizza Recipe

Introduction

Lahmacun is a delicious Turkish flatbread topped with a flavorful seasoned meat mixture. Often called Turkish pizza, it’s thin, crispy, and perfect for a quick meal or appetizer. This recipe guides you through making the dough and savory topping from scratch.

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 ½ tsp cane sugar
• 2 tsp dried instant yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• For the meat mixture:
• ½ pound ground beef or lamb
• ⅓ cup small-diced red bell pepper, packed
• ½ cup small-diced onion, lightly packed
• ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley, lightly packed
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried mint
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp kosher salt (do not use iodized)
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, scraped and leveled
• ⅔ cup water
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing and kneading until a smooth dough ball forms. Transfer dough to a floured surface, dust with flour, and knead for 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Step 3: While the dough rises, prepare the meat mixture by combining all meat mixture ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Preheat the oven to 500 °F (reduce to 475 °F if using a dark nonstick baking sheet).
5. Step 5: Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Lightly flour your surface and hands. Roll each piece into a thin circle, flattening the edges. Remove excess flour and transfer to a nonstick baking sheet (do not use parchment paper).
6. Step 6: Spread about 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture evenly over each dough circle using your fingertips, going right to the edges without pressing hard or making holes. Wet any spots without meat with meat juices to achieve golden edges.
7. Step 7: Bake each lahmacun on the middle rack for 6-8 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking; check progress using the oven light.
8. Step 8: Remove from oven and place on a heat-safe serving tray. Repeat the rolling, topping, and baking process with remaining dough pieces.
9. Step 9: Serve warm with onion salad, fresh parsley sprigs, and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Tips & Variations

• If the dough is too sticky to handle, add a little more flour as needed while kneading.
• You can substitute ground lamb for beef or use a mix of both for richer flavor.
• Roll the dough slowly and patiently to achieve a thin, even circle with flat edges.
• Using a pizza stone can help create a crisper base for the lahmacun.
• Reduce oven temperature to 475 °F if using a dark nonstick baking sheet to prevent burning.

Storage

Store any leftover lahmacun wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, warm them in a preheated oven at 350 °F for 5-7 minutes to retain crispiness. Avoid microwaving as it can make the dough soggy.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular salt instead of kosher salt?

Yes, but use less if switching to table salt because kosher salt grains are larger and less dense. For this recipe, about half the amount of table salt is recommended.

Is it okay to prepare the dough the night before?

While the dough should ideally be used after rising at room temperature for 1 hour, you can refrigerate it overnight to develop more flavor. Allow it to come to room temperature before rolling out.

Lahmacun – Baked Turkish Pizza Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 82 reviews

Lahmacun is a traditional Turkish pizza featuring a thin, crisp dough topped with a flavorful seasoned meat mixture of ground beef or lamb, vegetables, and aromatic spices. Baked at a high temperature, this authentic recipe yields a savory, perfectly balanced dish ideal for sharing with fresh accompaniments like onion salad, parsley, and lemon wedges.

• Author: Hannah
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 minutes per batch
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 lahmacuns 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Turkish
• Diet: Halal

Ingredients

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Dough

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 ½ tsp cane sugar
• 2 tsp dried instant yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water

Meat Mixture

• ½ pound ground beef or lamb
• ⅓ cup small-diced red bell pepper (packed)
• ½ cup small-diced onion (lightly packed)
• ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley (lightly packed)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried mint
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp kosher salt (do not use iodized)
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste (scraped and leveled)
• ⅔ cup water
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, kosher salt, cane sugar, and instant yeast, mixing well to distribute the ingredients. Gradually add lukewarm water, mixing and kneading until a cohesive dough forms. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, dust additional flour on top and your hands, and knead vigorously for five minutes. Cover the bowl with cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for one hour until it doubles in size.
2. Prepare the meat mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef or lamb, diced red bell pepper, diced onion, chopped parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried mint, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, Turkish red pepper paste, and water. Mix thoroughly by hand for five minutes until the mixture becomes aromatic and well integrated. Set aside until ready to assemble.
3. Preheat the oven: Set the oven temperature to 500°F (reduce to 475°F if using a dark nonstick baking sheet).
4. Shape the dough: Divide the proofed dough into six equal portions. On a floured surface, flour your hands and rolling pin lightly, then carefully roll each portion into a thin circle, flattening the edges to avoid puffiness. Remove excess flour and transfer each rolled dough circle onto a nonstick baking sheet (do not use parchment paper to prevent burning).
5. Top with meat mixture: Spread approximately 4 tablespoons of the seasoned meat mixture evenly over the dough circles using your fingertips. Avoid pressing hard or creating holes, and spread the mixture all the way to the edges. If necessary, moisten edge spots with meat juices to promote golden edges during baking.
6. Bake: Place the prepared lahmacun in the preheated oven. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes without opening the oven door, relying on the oven light for visual monitoring. The lahmacun should emerge crisp and lightly browned.
7. Serve: Remove lahmacun from the oven and transfer to a heat-safe serving tray or pizza stone. Repeat the rolling, topping, and baking process with the remaining dough and meat mixture. Serve warm, accompanied by onion salad, fresh parsley sprigs, and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Notes

• If using a dark nonstick baking sheet, reduce oven temperature to 475°F to avoid burning.
• If the dough is too sticky to handle, add additional flour as needed during kneading and rolling.
• Allowing the dough to rest and rise for at least one hour is essential for proper texture and elasticity.
• This recipe uses halal beef but can be adapted with lamb or other ground meats.

Keywords: Lahmacun, Turkish pizza, Turkish flatbread, ground beef pizza, Middle Eastern pizza, baked flatbread, Turkish recipe