Hawawshi (Egyptian Stuffed Flatbread) — Broiled
A classic Egyptian street‑food: spiced minced meat stuffed into thick flatbread and cooked under a hot grill (broiler) until the bread is blistered and the filling is juicy. Fast, budget‑friendly, and great for first‑timers.
35 min
start to finish
20 min
hands on
Easy
difficulty
4
servings
Ingredients
For the filling
To assemble
Contains gluten. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.
Roughly, per serving
510 kcal30g protein40g carbs26g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Position the oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the finely chopped onion and diced green pepper; sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, black pepper and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 1–2 minutes).
Increase heat to medium‑high, add the ground beef and salt, break the meat into small pieces with a spatula, and cook until no pink remains and most juices have evaporated.
Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the chopped parsley, taste and adjust seasoning, then let the filling cool for a few minutes so it’s easier to handle.
Prepare the bread: if your pitas are not pre-slit, cut along one edge to make a pocket or slice each in half for an open sandwich, and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Spoon the warm meat mixture into the pitas, pressing gently to spread the filling evenly (about 1 packed cup filling per pita).
Brush the outside (or top) of each filled pita with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Broil the filled pitas until the bread is blistered and charred in spots and the filling is heated through, turning once halfway through cooking.
Watch closely — broilers vary. Start checking after 4–5 minutes to avoid burning.
Remove the tray from the oven, let the hawawshi rest for 2–3 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Worth knowing
- If you don't have a broiler, cook stuffed pitas in a hot skillet over medium heat, covered, 3–4 minutes per side until browned and the filling is cooked through, or bake at 450°F (230°C) for 8–12 minutes.
- Use a mix of beef and lamb (or all lamb) for a more traditional flavor. Reduce salt slightly if using higher-fat meat.
- Eish baladi or thick rustic pita is ideal because it crisps outside while holding a lot of filling; if you only have thin pita, stuff more carefully to avoid tearing.
- Make the filling ahead and refrigerate up to 2 days — assemble and broil just before serving. Reheat leftovers in a hot skillet or under the broiler to restore crispness.
- For a cheesy variation, add 1/2 cup shredded akkawi, mozzarella, or cheddar to the filling before stuffing (this will add dairy).
- Serve with pickled vegetables, a simple tahini sauce, or a squeeze of lemon.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
BudgetQuickKid friendlyMeal prep
More Egyptian cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Egyptian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe.