Steak Gyros feature warm pita, juicy grilled steak, fresh veggies, and a tangy lemon tzatziki sauce.
author’s note
Greek Street Food Vibes, Made at Home!
I can’t get enough Greek food. I make chicken gyros way too often. The other night, my husband suggested using steak instead, and it was a total aha moment. How have I not shared a steak gyro recipe yet? Fixing that today!
This recipe starts with a simple five-ingredient steak marinade made with olive oil and oregano. The steak gets grilled, then loaded into warm pita and topped with a quick veggie salad (cucumber, onion, tomatoes, and parsley) plus a flavorful homemade tzatziki. Each part is easy to prep, and once it’s all ready, assembly couldn’t be simpler.
Steak Grilling Tips
A few overall steak cooking tips:
- Pick a thick steak: Aim for at least 1 inch, preferably 1.5–2 inches thick for a pink center.
- Heat the grill: High heat sears the steak for a juicy interior and great char.
- Clean and oil the grates: Oil paper towels and rub them on the grates to prevent sticking and improve sear.
- Let steak sit: Rest for 5–10 minutes under foil to redistribute juices for a juicier steak.
- Slice steak the right way: Cut across the grain for tender pieces.
Steak Cooking Temps
I think New York steak is best at medium rare and cooking beyond medium can impact flavor and texture, but cook your steak to your preference! Here are the temps for each doneness:
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium-Rare: 135°F (4-5 mins per side)
- Medium: 140°F (5-7 mins per side)
- Medium-Well: 150°F (8-10 mins per side)
- Well-Done: 160-175°F
Note: Cooking time varies based on steak thickness, grill, and temperature.
Pull steaks off the grill 5°F below the target temp—they’ll cook a bit more while resting. While they rest, prep the toppings for your Steak Gyros.
Quick Tip
Use the OK system to check steak doneness. Thumb and forefinger together = rare, middle finger to thumb = medium, pinkie to thumb = well-done. Feel the difference in firmness!
Tzatziki Sauce
The tzatziki sauce on Steak Gyros is the best! It’s also super quick and easy to whip together and uses many of the same ingredients used in the marinade. I like making it in advance because it becomes more flavorful as it sits in the fridge.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt: Avoid watery sauce and skip vanilla-flavored yogurt.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds perfect tanginess with a touch of sweetness.
- Cucumber: Use Persian or English cucumbers. Wring out excess water to prevent a bland sauce.
- Real lemon: Zest only the outer yellow part (using a microplane) and avoid the bitter white pith. Skip bottled lemon juice.
Steak Gyro Tips
- Marinate in a gallon freezer bag for even coating and easy cleanup. Add ingredients, shake, then add steak. Flip and squeeze halfway through.
- Grill pita bread for 30 seconds for flavor and flexibility. If not grilling, warm in toaster or over stovetop flame.
- Eat gyros hot off the grill. The meat doesn’t reheat well.
- Soak red onion in cold salted water to mellow the flavor. Drain before using.
More Easy Grilled Recipes:
Steak Gyros
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4th large English cucumber or 1 Persian cucumber; 1/2 cup, measured after grating
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt full-fat, I recommend Greek Gods
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1-1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 large lemon
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 6 pitas
- 1/3 of a large red onion thinly sliced, see note 1
- 1-1/2 cups diced English cucumber or Persian cucumbers
- 1-1/2 cups diced cherry tomatoes
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and place in a large resealable plastic bag. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, honey, dried oregano, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Once the marinade is combined, pour over the steak in the bag and seal it without air. Turn to coat and massage into the steak; then refrigerate 2–3 hours and up to 8 hours (at a minimum, marinate for 20 minutes). I like to make the tzatziki sauce when marinating the steak.
- While steak marinates, prepare the sauce so it can chill before serving. Grate a cucumber with the large holes of a grater. Line a small bowl with a few paper towels (or a clean kitchen towel) and place grated cucumber on top. Squeeze out as much extra moisture as you can from the cucumber to keep the sauce from being watery. Once drained, place grated cucumber in a medium bowl and add Greek yogurt, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Preheat grill to medium heat (400–450°F). Prepare grill by cleaning and generously oiling it (I drench a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates). Return heat to 400℉. Remove steak from the marinade and discard any remaining marinade.
- Add steak to grill. Cook steak 4–5 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 3–5 minutes for medium-rare (I usually grill 5 minutes, flip, then 3 minutes). For medium-rare, the internal temperature should be 135°F. Add 1–2 minutes to get medium (140°F) and 3–4 minutes to get medium-well (150°F). I generally grill 5 degrees below, as carryover heat will take it up 5–10 more degrees. Remove grilled steak and tent with foil. Once everything is removed, give the grates a quick clean with the brush and grill pita bread for 15–30 seconds per side or until toasted and warmed through.
- In a large bowl, toss the thinly sliced red onion, diced cucumber, and diced tomato. Season with salt and pepper (just a pinch) and toss to combine.
- While steak is resting under the foil (5 minutes), set everything out: grilled/warmed pita, sauce, and veggies. Very thinly slice the steak against the grain. Set out pita bread and top with veggies and fresh parsley. Add steak on top (season with a pinch more of salt and pepper if desired), and drizzle tzatziki sauce on top. Enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
