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Overhead flat lay of multiple crispy Armenian lahmajoun arranged on a serving tray showing the golden baked meat topping and thin crust.
Lindsay Lehrer

Grandma's Armenian Lahmajoun

This is my grandmother's Armenian lahmajoun, a thin, crispy flatbread topped with boldly spiced ground meat, fresh vegetables, and warm herbs, baked until the edges char just right. She was a working mother who didn't have time to make dough from scratch, so she used uncooked flour tortillas and never looked back. The shortcut works beautifully. The flavors are deeply authentic. And the story behind this dish goes back further than any recipe card can hold. This is Armenian history you can eat, and it makes 10 to 12 pieces in under 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 12 Lahmajouns
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Armenian, Middle Eastern
Calories: 230
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef or ground lamb
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 2 large tomatoes roughly chopped
  • 1 green pepper roughly chopped
  • ½ to 1 bunch Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoon red pepper paste
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper Aleppo pepper preferred
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 10-12 uncooked flour tortillas

Equipment

  • Food processor Makes the vegetable prep fast and gets everything fine enough to spread properly. A blender works in a pinch.
  • Large mixing bowl For combining the meat and vegetable mixture by hand.
  • Baking sheets (two) To bake multiple lahmajoun at once. Rimmed baking sheets work best.
  • Parchment paper — non-negotiable. Keeps the tortillas from sticking and makes cleanup effortless. Non-negotiable. Keeps the tortillas from sticking and makes cleanup effortless.
  • Offset spatula or butter knife For spreading the meat mixture thin and even across the tortillas.

Method
 

  1. Chop the vegetables. Add the onion, tomatoes, green pepper, parsley, and mint to a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped, almost a paste. You can also chop by hand, just get it as fine as possible.
  2. Make the meat mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef or lamb with the chopped vegetable mixture. Add the garlic, red pepper paste, tomato paste, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix very well with your hands until fully combined and spreadable.
  3. Prep your pans. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line one or more cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Top the tortillas. Lay the uncooked tortillas flat on the baking sheets. Spread the meat mixture very thin across each tortilla, all the way to the edges, like frosting a cake. Don't overload it. Thin is everything.
  5. Bake. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 17 minutes, until edges are golden and slightly crispy and the meat is fully cooked. You want a little char. That's not a mistake — that's the flavor.
  6. Serve. Serve warm. Roll them up with fresh parsley, sliced raw onion, and a squeeze of lemon, or eat flat. A dollop of plain yogurt on the side is traditional and absolutely worth it.

Notes

A few things worth knowing before you make this for the first time, or the tenth.
On the meat: Ground lamb is the more traditional choice and brings a richer depth that is absolutely worth trying if you can find it. Ground beef is more accessible and still makes a fantastic lahmajoun. A 50/50 mix of the two is honestly the sweet spot.
On the red pepper paste: This is not the same as tomato paste and it is not something to skip. It's what gives lahmajoun its deep, slightly smoky backbone. You can find it at any Middle Eastern grocery store, in the international aisle at larger supermarkets, or online. Look for Biber Salcasi or Turkish red pepper paste.
On the tortillas: Uncooked is non-negotiable. Pre-cooked tortillas go tough in the oven instead of crispy. The uncooked ones absorb just enough of the meat mixture as they bake to give you that authentic thin-crust result. Look for them near the refrigerated tortillas at most grocery stores or at any Latin market.
On the mixture consistency: After you mix everything together it should look and feel almost like a spreadable paste. Give it a good five minutes of hand mixing before you decide it needs anything added.
On the char: Do not be afraid of the dark edges. That slight char around the rim of the tortilla is not burning. It is flavor.
On the smell: It will fill your entire house. Possibly your hair. Definitely your jacket if you leave it inside. You have been warned and I stand by it completely.