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Doener Kebab with Pita bread

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Nelli

A Street-Food Classic You Can Make at Home

The Doener Kebab is packed with delicious, juicy, marinated meat shaved thin, tucked into pillowy pita, layered with vegetables and finished with a garlicky sauce and tzatziki sauce. It’s simple, bold, and deeply satisfying.

The Doener Kebab comes from a Turkish culinary tradition and adopted across Europe and beyond, Doener has become one of the world’s most iconic street foods and for good reason.

What is Doener?

Doener is a traditionally, seasoned meat (lamb, beef, chicken or mix) is stacked onto a vertical rotisserie and slowly roasted. As it cooks, thin slices are shaved off and served hot. I will show you how you can make it at home without using a vertical rotisserie. You simply place a portion of the meat between two sheets of baking paper, roll out to a 2-3mm thick, and roll the meat up to a log and bake it in the oven.

While classic Doener is often served in flatbread or wraps, pita bread offers the perfect balance:

  • sturdy enough to hold fillings
  • soft and fluffy inside
  • slightly crisp when warmed

Doener-Style Pita (At-Home Version)

Ingredients for the meat:

  • Ground beef, lamb or turkey
  • Plain yogurt
  • Chopped onions
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Smoked paprika
  • Chilli powder
  • Ground cumin
  • Ground coriander
  • Garlic minced
  • Salt & black pepper

For the Pita filling:

  • Shredded lettuce
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Red pickled onions
  • Pickled cabbage

For the Tzatziki sauce:

  • Cucumbers
  • Salt & black pepper
  • Garlic cloves
  • Fresh dill
  • Olive oil
  • Greek yogurt or plain yogurt or sour cream
  • Lemon juice

For the garlic sauce:

  • Garlic cloves
  • Greek yogurt
  • Salt & black pepper

For the pickled red onions:

  • Red onions
  • White vinegar
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Red pepper flakes

For the Pita bread:

  • Dried instant yeast
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Olive oil
  • Bread flour
  • Salt

How to make it: (Thermomix version)

  1. Marinate the meat – Place onion, garlic and oil in mixing bowl then chop 5sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and chop again 5sec/speed 5. Again scrape down sides of mixing bowl then sauté 3min/120C/speed 1
  2. Add ground beef, plain yogurt, paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, minced garlic, salt and black pepper. Then mix 15-30 sec/speed 3 until combined. Marinate while making the Pita bread.
  3. Divide meat into 3 equal-sized portions. Place 1 portion of meat between two sheets of baking paper, roll out to a 2-3mm thick, remove the top sheet of paper, then roll the meat up in the remaining sheet of baking paper into a log and transfer to prepared baking tray. Repeat with the remaining 2 portions of meat.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes (220C) until cooked. Unroll meat and remove baking paper. Using 2 forks, tear into 3-4 cm pieces.
  5. Make the Pita bread – Place yeast, water and sugar into mixing bowl and warm 30 sec/100F/speed 2. Add oil, flour and salt and knead Dough/3 min. Transfer dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
  1. Divide dough into 7-8 pieces, form each into a ball and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Roll out each ball with a rolling pin into a flat circle (approx. 6 in.) and allow to rest for further 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven and baking sheet to 475F.
  3. Place 4 dough circles onto preheated baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes until puffed up or light golden. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer hot pita breads onto a plate and cover immediately with a dry kitchen towel to keep them soft.
  1. Make the Tzatziki sauce- Place cucumber and salt into mixing bowl and chop 3sec/speed 5. Transfer cucumber into simmering basket and allow to drain. Using a spoon squeeze as much liquid out. Set aside.
  2. Place garlic, dill and oil into mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5.
  3. Add reserved chopped cucumbers, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and pepper mix 20sec/speed 2.5. Adjust seasoning.
  4. Make the garlic sauce (optional)- Place garlic in mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 8. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
  5. Add yogurt, salt and pepper then mix 15sec/speed 3.
  6. Make the pickled onions – Slice red onions very thinly with a slicer. Place onions in a mason jar.
  7. In a pot boil water, white vinegar, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes. Remove from stove and pour over onions.
  8. Assemble – Cut 1/3 top of the Pita bread and open the pocket. Sliced meat, sauce, fresh vegetables, pickled onions, pickled cabbage and extra sauce.

Doener Never Gets Old

It’s one of my favorite meals to eat. It works any time lunch, late-night dinner, casual gathering, busy weeknights. It’s fast, customizable, and comforting. The kind of food that feels familiar even if you’re eating it for the first time.

Once you make it at home, you’ll realize why Doener has earned its place as a global street-food legend. This recipe is totally doable without a Thermomix. You would just need to chop everything by hand and knead the dough. It’s simple and worth the effort.

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Doener Kebab with Pita bread

The Doener Kebab is packed with delicious, juicy, marinated meat shaved thin, tucked into pillowy pita, layered with vegetables and finished with a garlicky sauce and tzatziki sauce. It's simple, bold, and deeply satisfying.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Turkish
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for the meat:
  • 800 g Ground beef, lamb or turkey
  • 80 g Onion quartered
  • 1 clove Garlic minced
  • 20 g Olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Chilli powder
  • 3/4 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Ground coriander
  • 50 g Plain greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Ground black pepper
For the Pita filling:
  • 200 g Lettuce shredded
  • 1/2 Cucumber thinly sliced
  • 2 Tomatoes thinly sliced
  • 50 g Pickled onions See recipe below
  • 50 g Pickled cabbage optional
For the Tzatziki sauce:
  • 340 g Cucumbers peeled, deseeded, cut into pieces
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 clove Garlic
  • 5 sprigs Fresh dill
  • 14 g Olive oil extra virgin
  • 340 g Greek yogurt 10% fat or plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 14 g Lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
For the garlic sauce:
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 400 g Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp Salt add to taste
  • 1 tsp Ground black pepper
For the Pita bread:
  • 1 tsp Dried instant yeast or 14g fresh yeast
  • 283 g Water
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Olive oil extra virgin
  • 510 g Bread flour or all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
For the pickled red onions:
  • 2 Red onions Thinly sliced
  • 300 mls Water
  • 300 mls White vinegar
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Rep pepper flakes

Equipment

  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 1 Termomix or
  • 1 Stand mixer optional

Method
 

Marinate the meat:
  1. 1. Place onion, garlic and oil in mixing bowl then chop 5sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and chop again 5sec/speed 5. Again scrape down sides of mixing bowl then sauté 3min/120C/speed 1
  2. 2. Add ground beef, plain yogurt, paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, minced garlic, salt and black pepper. Then mix 15-30 sec/speed 3 until combined. Marinate while making the Pita bread.
  3. 3. Divide meat into 3 equal-sized portions. Place 1 portion of meat between two sheets of baking paper, roll out to a 2-3mm thick, remove the top sheet of paper, then roll the meat up in the remaining sheet of baking paper into a log and transfer to prepared baking tray. Repeat with the remaining 2 portions of meat.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes (220C) until cooked. Unroll meat and remove baking paper. Using 2 forks, tear into 3-4 cm pieces.
Make the Pita bread
  1. 1. Place yeast, water and sugar into mixing bowl and warm 30 sec/100F/speed 2. Add oil, flour and salt and knead Dough/3 min. Transfer dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
  2. 2. Divide dough into 7-8 pieces, form each into a ball and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Roll out each ball with a rolling pin into a flat circle (approx. 6 in.) and allow to rest for further 15 minutes.
  3. 3. Meanwhile, preheat oven and baking sheet to 475F.
  4. 4. Place 4 dough circles onto preheated baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes until puffed up or light golden. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer hot pita breads onto a plate and cover immediately with a dry kitchen towel to keep them soft.
Make the Tzatziki sauce
  1. 1. Place cucumber and salt into mixing bowl and chop 3sec/speed 5. Transfer cucumber into simmering basket and allow to drain. Using a spoon squeeze as much liquid out. Set aside.
  2. 2. Place garlic, dill and oil into mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5.
  3. 3. Add reserved chopped cucumbers, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and pepper mix 20sec/speed 2.5. Adjust seasoning.
Make the garlic sauce (optional)
  1. 1. Place garlic in mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 8. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
  2. 2. Add yogurt, salt and pepper then mix 15sec/speed 3.
Make the pickled onions
  1. 1. Slice red onions very thinly with a slicer. Place onions in a mason jar.
  2. 2. In a pot boil water, white vinegar, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes. Remove from stove and pour over onions.
Assemble the Doener Kebab
  1. Cut 1/3 top of the Pita bread and open the pocket. Sliced meat, sauce, fresh vegetables, pickled onions, pickled cabbage and extra sauce.

Notes

  • Meat choice – For juicier kebabs, use 80% lean beef, for a lighter version go 90% lean. You can mix beef with lamb too. 
  • Homemade pita – Keep pita covered with a clean towel after baking to stay soft. Reheat briefly before serving. 
  • Tzatziki – Best made ahead. Chill at least 30 minutes so the garlic flavor mellows and the sauce thickens.
  • Pickled red onions – Can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. They add balance and cut through the richness of the meat. 
  • Assembly tip – Warm pita + hot meat + cold tzatziki creates the best texture contrast. Add onions last to keep the pita from getting soggy. 

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