Published: Jul 3, 2020 · Modified: Apr 10, 2026 by Zerrin & Yusuf

Turkish Lahmacun

Lahmacun is one of the most loved foods in Türkiye — thin, crispy flatbread topped with a flavorful ground meat mixture. Add parsley, onions and a squeeze of lemon, roll it up, take a bite, and the flavor speaks for itself. One bite of Turkish lahmacun and you’ll be completely obsessed.

Hands holding a wooden board with lahmacun, salads and spices on it.

What is Lahmacun?

Lahmacun is a very thin flatbread topped with a mixture of ground meat, tomatoes, onions and parsley.

The dough is rolled out very thin — much thinner than pizza — and traditionally baked in a very hot stone oven (taş fırın). That high heat cooks it quickly, making the edges lightly crisp while the topping stays tender and full of flavor.

In Türkiye, lahmacun is extremely common. You can find it in neighborhood bakeries, pide restaurants and very often in kebab restaurants too. In some kebab restaurants, you might even see mini lahmacun served as a small appetizer before your main dish arrives.

When we were living in Türkiye, like many Turks, we often had lahmacun for lunch, usually with a glass of ayran (a salty yogurt drink) on the side.

Lahmacun is almost always served with fresh parsley, thinly sliced onions and lemon wedges on the side. You add them on top, squeeze over plenty of lemon, roll it up and eat it that way.

Even describing it makes us crave one right now!

Hands making lahmacun wrap, sliced onions and tomato salad on the side.

About the Ingredients

Turkish lahmacun recipe is made with very simple ingredients. Let’s look at them in two parts: the dough and the topping.

For the Dough

The dough is made with strong bread flour, salt and water. That’s it. There is no yeast in this dough. Using strong bread flour gives the dough more structure, making it easier to roll out very thin.

For the Topping

Ground meat:
Traditionally, many bakeries in Türkiye use ground lamb (lamb mince) for lahmacun. We usually make ours with fatty ground beef (around 20% fat), which still gives a juicy result.

Onion, tomatoes and parsley:
These should be very finely chopped. Use fresh tomatoes — not canned.

Spices:
We use salt, black pepper, paprika and cumin. If you like it spicy, you can also add pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes).

Tomato paste (domates salçası) and red pepper paste (biber salçası):
These add depth and color to the topping. You can usually find both in international or online markets. For pepper paste (biber salçası), we recommend using the mild version rather than the spicy one, so you can control the heat yourself. You may also come across a product called karışık salça, which is a mix of tomato and red pepper paste — that works well too. Two well-known Turkish brands are Öncü and Bodrum.

You can find the full ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Lahmajun recipe ingredients including ground beef, onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, spices, vinegar, flour and salt on a dark grey background.

How to Make Turkish Lahmacun

Making Turkish lahmacun at home is much easier than it looks. It just takes a bit of planning and time.

It’s even better if you turn it into a family or friends activity. We usually make it together as a family, which makes the process easier and more fun.

Start by preparing the dough. Mix the flour, salt and water until it comes together, then knead until smooth. Divide it into balls and let them rest while you prepare the topping.

For the topping, finely chop the onions, tomatoes and parsley, then mix them with the remaining ingredients. The mixture should be well combined, slightly wet and spreadable — not chunky.

Roll each dough ball out very thin, much thinner than pizza. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture evenly over the surface, all the way to the edges. Bake in a very hot oven until the edges are lightly crisp and the topping is cooked through.

Once all the lahmacun are baked, there is one final step we recommend. Quickly heat each one in a hot pan for about a minute to lightly toast the bottom.

Serve warm with fresh parsley, onions and plenty of lemon on the side.

You can find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.

Woman making lahmacun from scratch with homemade dough and ground beef filling on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Serving Suggestions

Turkish Lahmacun is best served warm, with a few fresh sides that balance the rich meat topping and add brightness.

Here are some classic options:

Thinly sliced onions or sumac onions
Fresh parsley leaves
Lemon wedges for squeezing generously on top
Sliced tomatoes
Shepherd salad (çoban salatası) on the side
A cold glass of ayran

Also, explore our list of Turkish side dishes for more ideas.

Is Lahmacun “Turkish Pizza”?

Outside of Türkiye, lahmacun is often called “Turkish pizza.” We understand why. It’s round, topped with some mixture and baked in an oven. But that’s where the similarity ends. Lahmacun is not pizza!

For one thing, the lahmacun dough is rolled out extremely thin and baked until lightly crisp. It’s not soft and chewy like pizza dough.

And the topping is completely different too. Instead of cheese and tomato sauce, lahmacun is topped with a spiced ground meat mixture with tomatoes, onions and parsley. There is never melted cheese on top.

Another difference is how it’s eaten. You don’t slice lahmacun like pizza. You top it with fresh parsley, squeeze plenty of lemon over it, and often add thinly sliced onions. Then you roll it up and eat it like a wrap, basically turning it into a simple lahmacun wrap.

Also, lahmacun isn’t always round. Depending on the bakery, it can sometimes be slightly oval.

If you’re looking for something in Turkish cuisine that feels closer to pizza, that would probably be pide. It’s a boat-shaped flatbread that is topped with meat, cheese or vegetables, and its thicker dough makes it more similar in texture to pizza.

Lahmacun topped with salad accompanied by sliced onions and tomato salad on the side.

Is Lahmacun Turkish?

Lahmacun is very popular in Türkiye, but it is not only made there. Similar flatbreads topped with minced meat can also be found in Armenian, Lebanese, Syrian and other Middle Eastern cuisines.

Since these countries are close to each other and were historically connected, including during the Ottoman Empire period, it’s natural that their cuisines share similar dishes like this one. However, each version is a little different. The thickness of the dough, how crispy it is, the spice level, and even the texture of the topping can vary from place to place.

Here, we’re sharing the Turkish version of lahmacun, the one we know best.

Storing and Reheating

If you have leftovers, let the lahmacun cool completely before storing. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can place parchment paper between them to prevent sticking.

To reheat, put each lahmacun in a dry pan and warm over medium heat for a few minutes until heated through. You can also reheat them in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 5–7 minutes.

If you’d like to freeze them, place parchment paper between each lahmacun, stack, and store in a freezer-safe bag or container. Reheat straight from frozen in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) until hot and crisp.

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📖 Recipe

Hands serving lahmacun, sliced onion, tomato salad and spices on a wooden board.

4.89 from 9 votes

Turkish Lahmacun Recipe

By Zerrin & Yusuf

Turkish Lahmacun is a thin flatbread topped with a flavorful ground meat mixture and baked until lightly golden. Serve with parsley, onions and lemon for the full experience.

Yields: pieces

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PREP 1

COOK 1

TOTAL 2

Video

INGREDIENTS

Dough

3 cups (450 g) strong bread flour, plus more for rolling (All-purpose flour or plain flour works fine too, but we’ve found that strong bread flour gives the best results.)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm water

Topping

1½ pounds (750 g) ground beef (80% lean / 20% fat)
2 large onions finely chopped
½ cup about 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red pepper paste (biber salçası)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons water
⅓ cup (100 ml )olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Cut two pieces of parchment paper the size of your baking sheet. Line the baking sheet with one and set the other aside.

Make the Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Gradually add the lukewarm water, mixing with your hand until the dough comes together. At first, it may seem dry, but continue mixing and folding. The dough will come together into a firm, smooth ball.
Knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (about 65–70 g / 2.3–2.5 oz each). Roll each piece into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest while you prepare the topping.

Prepare the Topping

In a large bowl, combine all topping ingredients and mix very well until fully incorporated.
Alternatively, pulse the onions, tomatoes, pepper paste, tomato paste, vinegar, water and olive oil in a food processor until finely minced. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the ground beef, parsley and spices.

Assemble & Bake

Roll out one dough ball on a lightly floured surface into a very thin circle, about 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) in diameter. Lightly flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Spread a thin layer of the topping evenly over the dough, making sure to cover all the way to the edges. Gently press the mixture onto the dough so it adheres well.
Bake for 7–8 minutes.
While it bakes, roll out the next dough ball on the reserved parchment paper and spread the topping evenly over it so it’s ready to transfer.
Remove the baked lahmacun from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Set the used parchment paper aside to reuse for the next batch.
Carefully transfer the prepared lahmacun (with its parchment) onto the baking sheet and continue baking in batches.
Replace the parchment paper with a fresh sheet after every 2–3 batches, if needed.

Pan Finish for Best Results (Recommended)

For a more authentic texture with light brown spots on the bottom, heat a large non-stick pan over high heat.
Place each baked lahmacun in the hot pan for about 1 minute to lightly toast the bottom.
Stack them on a plate and serve warm with lemon wedges, parsley and sliced onion on the side.

NOTES

You can use a food processor to finely chop the onions, parsley and tomatoes. Make sure there are no large pieces left.

Cooking on the stove:
Heat a non-stick pan with a lid over medium-low heat. Roll out a dough ball on a lightly floured surface into a thin circle that fits your pan. Carefully place it in the hot pan. Spread the topping mixture over the dough using a spoon and gently press it down with the back of the spoon. Cover with the lid and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until the bottom develops light brown spots. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

If you prefer, you can spread the topping over the dough while it’s still on the counter and then carefully transfer it to the pan. However, this can be a bit tricky, as the dough becomes harder to move once topped. That’s why we find it easier to place the dough in the pan first and then spread the topping inside the pan.

NUTRITION

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 541mgPotassium: 326mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 342IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Course Dinner

Cuisine Turkish

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