Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature
- 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups (170 g) shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic (2 for lamb, 1 for yogurt), minced
- ¾ cup (180 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- Lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper
- Spices: ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne
Do This
- 1. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside for at least 20 minutes.
- 2. Stir together Greek yogurt, 1 minced garlic clove, lemon juice, salt, and a splash of water until drizzle-able; chill.
- 3. Brown ground lamb in olive oil with garlic and all the spices; add tomato paste and a bit of water, cook until thick and crumbled.
- 4. In the same pan, quickly char sliced red onions in a bit of oil over high heat until softened and lightly blackened at the edges.
- 5. Divide dough into 2 balls, stretch each to a 12-inch round on floured parchment; brush lightly with olive oil.
- 6. Top with mozzarella, crumbled lamb, and charred onions; bake 10–12 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
- 7. Finish with feta, chopped parsley and mint, a generous drizzle of garlic yogurt, and a pinch of sumac or chili flakes if using.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the flavors of a juicy lamb kebab in the comforting form of a crispy, cheesy pizza.
- Bold Middle Eastern spices, tangy garlic yogurt, and fresh herbs keep every bite bright and interesting.
- Uses easy store-bought pizza dough, but tastes like a restaurant-level, wood-fired specialty.
- Great for entertaining: people can slice, drizzle more yogurt, and customize with extra herbs or chili.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 large red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 lemon, ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, ¼ cup fresh mint, optional: cherry tomatoes, fresh chilies, extra lemons.
- Dairy: 1½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, ½ cup crumbled feta, ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt.
- Pantry: 1 lb store-bought pizza dough, 1 lb ground lamb, olive oil, tomato paste, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground cayenne, optional sumac and red pepper flakes.
Full Ingredients
For the pizzas
- 1 lb (450 g) store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature for at least 45 minutes
- 2 tsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1½ cups (170 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped (plus 2 tbsp reserved for lamb)
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
For the Middle Eastern–spiced lamb
- 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper (use ⅛ tsp for milder heat)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (from the ½ cup above)
For the garlic yogurt drizzle
- ¾ cup (180 ml) plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 small garlic clove, very finely minced or grated
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1–3 tbsp cold water, as needed to thin to drizzling consistency
Optional finishing touches
- 1 tsp ground sumac or finely grated lemon zest, for sprinkling
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- Extra chopped parsley and mint, for garnish
- Extra lemon wedges, for serving
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the dough
Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C), or as hot as your oven safely goes, for at least 20 minutes so the surface gets very hot.
While the oven heats, make sure your pizza dough has been at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. Cold dough is hard to stretch and tends to spring back. Lightly flour your work surface and divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath, then cover loosely with a towel or lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare the toppings.
Step 2: Mix the garlic yogurt drizzle
In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, minced garlic clove, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and whisk again. If the yogurt still feels too thick to drizzle from a spoon, add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach a pourable but still creamy consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice as needed.
Cover and refrigerate the garlic yogurt while you cook the lamb and assemble the pizzas. The flavors will meld and the garlic will mellow slightly as it sits.
Step 3: Cook the Middle Eastern–spiced lamb
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the lamb starts to brown and release some fat.
Add the minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to coat the lamb in the spices. Continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until it is fully browned and fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and 2 tablespoons water. Cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the tomato paste is fully incorporated and the mixture looks slightly saucy but not wet. If there is a lot of excess fat in the pan, you can spoon some off. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Set aside to cool slightly while you char the onions.
Step 4: Char the onions
In the same skillet (wipe out excess fat if there is more than a thin coating left), add 2 teaspoons olive oil and heat over high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced red onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring only occasionally, for 5–7 minutes. You want some pieces to soften and some edges to develop deep brown to lightly blackened char marks.
When the onions are softened with a mix of tender and charred bits, remove from the heat. This quick charring adds a smoky, kebab-style flavor that works beautifully with the spiced lamb.
Step 5: Shape the pizza bases
Cut two pieces of parchment paper, each slightly larger than your intended pizza size. Place one dough ball on a lightly floured sheet of parchment. Press it gently into a disk with your fingertips, then use your hands to stretch it into roughly a 12-inch circle or oval, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. If the dough resists and springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then stretch again.
Repeat with the second dough ball on a second sheet of parchment. Brush each dough round lightly with olive oil, especially around the edges. This helps the crust become golden and crisp in the hot oven.
Step 6: Assemble the pizzas
Divide the shredded mozzarella evenly between the two pizza bases, scattering it in an even layer but leaving a small border around the edges. Spoon the warm spiced lamb over the cheese, distributing it evenly so that each bite gets some lamb but you can still see bits of cheese beneath.
Top with the charred onions, again dividing them evenly. Try not to overload the center so the pizzas bake evenly and the crust can crisp up. If you like, you can reserve a small handful of onions to scatter on after baking for extra texture.
Step 7: Bake, garnish, and serve
Using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet, slide the first pizza (still on its parchment) onto the preheated stone or hot baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden at the edges and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned in spots. If your oven has a broiler, you can broil for the last 1–2 minutes for extra char, watching closely.
Remove the pizza to a cutting board and repeat with the second pizza. While the pizzas are still hot, sprinkle each with crumbled feta, chopped parsley and mint, and, if using, a pinch of sumac or lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Generously drizzle the garlic yogurt over the top in zigzags or spoon small pools of it across the pizza.
Slice into wedges and serve immediately with extra garlic yogurt and lemon wedges on the side.
Pro Tips
- Get the oven really hot: Preheating the stone or pan thoroughly is key to a crisp, pizzeria-style crust at home.
- Do not overload the toppings: It is tempting to pile everything on, but a lighter hand ensures the crust cooks through and stays crisp.
- Let the dough relax: If stretching the dough feels like a workout, let it rest covered for 5–10 minutes, then try again. Relaxed gluten stretches much more easily.
- Adjust spice to taste: Use less cayenne for a mild pizza, or add red pepper flakes on top if you love heat.
- Yogurt thickness matters: Thin the yogurt just enough so it drizzles in ribbons; too thick and it clumps, too thin and it runs everywhere.
Variations
- Beef or turkey kebab pizza: Substitute ground beef or ground turkey for the lamb, keeping the same spices. Turkey is leaner, so add an extra teaspoon of olive oil while browning.
- Veggie-loaded version: Add thinly sliced cherry tomatoes, strips of red bell pepper, or cooked eggplant on top of the cheese before adding the lamb for extra color and vegetables.
- Flatbread shortcut: Use 2 large store-bought naan or Middle Eastern flatbreads instead of raw dough. Skip the shaping steps, add toppings directly, and bake at 450°F (230°C) for 7–9 minutes.
Storage & Make-Ahead
The components of this pizza store well and can be prepped ahead. The cooked spiced lamb can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months; rewarm gently in a skillet before using. The garlic yogurt drizzle can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator (it may thicken slightly; whisk in a splash of water if needed). Chopped herbs are best used fresh, but you can wash and dry them a few hours ahead and store them wrapped in a paper towel in a container in the fridge. Leftover baked pizza keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat slices on a hot skillet or in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until hot and crisp; avoid the microwave if you want to keep the crust from turning chewy.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per serving (one-quarter of the total recipe): 780 calories; 40 g protein; 72 g carbohydrates; 36 g fat; 17 g saturated fat; 4 g fiber; 1,450 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on the specific brands of dough, cheeses, and yogurt used, and how heavily you drizzle the garlic yogurt and finishing toppings.
