Greek Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Peel and finely dice the yellow onion. Core the green bell pepper, remove seeds and ribs, and dice into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Dice the Roma tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Mince the garlic cloves.

Brown the beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When shimmering, add 1 lb ground beef. Break the meat up with a wooden spoon and cook until mostly browned (about 4–6 minutes).

Sauté aromatics & vegetables

Push the beef to one side of the pan, add the diced onion and green pepper to the oil side (add a splash more oil if the pan is dry). Cook 3–4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the pepper softens. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine and season

Stir the beef and vegetables together. Add the diced Roma tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down slightly and flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.

Prepare olives and feta

While the filling simmers, coarsely chop or slice enough pitted black olives to measure 1/2 cup. Crumble 3 oz of feta cheese into small pieces or crumble by hand.

Finish the filling

Stir the chopped olives into the skillet and cook an additional 1–2 minutes just to warm them through. Remove the pan from heat and sprinkle in the crumbled feta and the remaining 1 tsp dried oregano. Gently fold to distribute the feta without fully melting it — you want pockets of salty feta throughout.

Finish and serve: Stir in 1 tsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp chopped parsley to brighten the flavors. Serve the Greek ground beef hot over warm pita, rice, or inside a pita pocket. Offer additional crumbled feta, lemon wedges, or chopped cucumber/tzatziki on the side if desired.