Arayes Recipe

Crispy Lebanese arayes stuffed with lentil meat and drizzled with ypgurt sauce.

5 from 4 votes

Crispy arayes stuffed with spiced lentils and served with a herby tahini yogurt sauce. Simple to pan-fry and bake, with bold Middle Eastern flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 535kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Equipment

1 Large skillet
Baking sheet optional

Ingredients

For the lentil kofta filling:

2 ¼ cups cooked lentils or 1 cup dry lentils, cooked (green, brown, black, or Puy French lentils)
1 yellow onion
7 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
⅓ cup chopped parsley
⅓ cup chopped cilantro or mint
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon allspice
Salt to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons oat flour or pea protein
Drizzle olive oil optional

For the Tahini Sauce

½ cup unsweetened Greek-style yogurt or plain yogurt
3 tablespoons tahini
1 small lemon juice
¼ cup chopped cilantro or mint
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika or to tase
Salt and black pepper to taste

For serving:

4 mini pitas

Instructions

Cook the lentils (or use canned): Rinse 1 cup dry lentils and add to a pot with enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain well into a fine mesh strainer and let steam-dry for at least 5 minutes. The lentils should be soft but not wet — this is key for crisp arayes.
Grate the onion over a bowl, then squeeze firmly in a towel to remove liquid.
Mash the lentils in a large bowl until mostly broken down.
Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, parsley, cilantro, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, and allspice. Sprinkle in pea protein or oat flour and stir until the mixture holds together when pressed. Mix well, and add salt to taste. For a richer texture, add olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired taste and mouthfeel. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Using your hands, squeeze the mixture together to bind.
Stuff the pitas: Make 3 to 4 well-stuffed mini pitas, or 5 to 6 lightly stuffed mini pitas. Gently open each pita half. Fill, then use your fingers to spread the filling evenly all the way to the edges. Press gently to compact so nothing falls out while cooking.
For thinner arayas: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray both sides of the pita with olive oil, or add a drizzle to the pan. Then place 3 or more halves in the pan (whatever fits). Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until golden and crispy. The lentil-meat is spread so thin it cooks fast.
For well-stuffed arayas: Heat a skillet over medium with a thin layer of olive oil, or spray both sides lightly. Start by cooking the open side first for about 3 minutes, or until browned to seal the filling. Sear the sides of the pita for about 1 minute on each side, or until lightly browned.
Bake: Transfer the arayes to a baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway, or until golden and warmed through. For extra color, broil for the last 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
Make the sauce: While the arayes bake, blend all sauce ingredients except water until smooth. Add water gradually until creamy and thin enough to drizzle.
Finish: Drizzle sauce generously over hot arayes or serve on the side for dipping. Add extra lemon if desired.

Notes

Nutrition Facts: Makes 4 mini pitas or 2 small pitas if well-stuffed. Nutrition facts are for one stuffed pita.

To make smashed pitas: Carefully slice each pita horizontally (like splitting a bagel) to make it thinner and reduce the amount of bread. Then press the lentil filling firmly onto one side and pan-cook filling-side down until crispy.

Make kebabs or stuffed vegetables: You can also shape the lentil mixture into small koftas/kebabs instead. Or use the filling to stuff sweet potatoes or bell peppers.

Bake or Pan-Fry: If your pitas are generously filled, bake after pan-frying. If they’re thinner, you can skip the oven and just pan-fry until cooked through.

My nonstick, nontoxic skillet for cooking the arayes is linked here.

Add a pinch of cayenne for a kick!

Nutrition