Ground Beef in Pita

Ground beef in pita is the kind of fast handheld dinner that hits the table in about 20 minutes from cold pan to first bite. The move that sets it apart from a basic taco-style filling is the spoonful of prepared mustard stirred into the beef, giving the meat a tangy backbone that plays against sweet sautéed onions and green pepper.

Tomatoes go in at the very end on purpose, and only briefly. Cooking them too long turns juicy chopped tomato into watery mush, but a quick stir keeps the chunks bright and adds a fresh acid pop against the savory ground beef. Warming the pita in a low oven before stuffing keeps the bread pliable and prevents tearing when you spoon in the filling.

Pro Tips

• Drain excess fat from the beef before adding tomatoes; otherwise the filling pools grease and the pita gets soggy.
• Peel and seed tomatoes for the cleanest texture. Score an X on the bottom, dunk in boiling water for 30 seconds, then ice them and the skins slip off.
• Cut pitas with a serrated knife to avoid crushing the pocket. A sharp slice keeps the seam intact for stuffing.
• Stuff just before serving. Sitting too long in warm filling steams the bread soft.

Variations

• Swap beef for ground lamb and add cumin and cinnamon for an Eastern Mediterranean tilt.
• Top with crumbled feta, tzatziki, or a swipe of hummus before stuffing.
• Sub in ground turkey for a lighter pocket and bump the oregano to compensate.