Leftover Lamb Pita Board Recipe - Striped Spatula (2024)

This Leftover Lamb Pita Board is an easy and fun way to use up a roast after a holiday dinner. Stuff warm pita bread with thinly-sliced meat and a variety of add-in’s for a Mediterranean-style lunch that satisfies!

Whenever I’ve made a big lamb roast for a holiday dinner, you can bet that stuffed pitas are going to be on our lunch menu the next day. They’re easy (I usually like a break from heavy cooking after a holiday!), customizable, and so satisfying.

One of my favorite ways to serve the sandwiches is by making a self-serve pita board. I get a big tray and layer it with warm flatbread, sliced lamb, and all of our favorite fixings. Then, everyone gets to choose how to stuff their fully-loaded (or lightly-loaded) pita.

Assembling a Lamb Pita Board

Making a board is a fun and beautiful presentation for lunch, letting your guests choose their preferred add-in’s for stuffing their pita. Start with a tray or platter, similar to one you’d use for a cheese board, the size depending on how many people you’re serving.

Reheat the Leftover Lamb

If the leftover lamb roast is unsliced, I like to wrap it in foil, and pop it in a 325 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes (depending on its size), until just warm. When it’s ready, slice it thinly across the grain and pile it onto your platter.

When I’m working with pre-sliced leftovers, I reheat them on the stove, with a steamer insert. Sliced lamb only needs around 3-5 minutes over a gentle simmer to take the chill off.

It’s important not to overheat the lamb to the point of overcooking, or the slices will be tough. Chewy lamb doesn’t make a good pita!

Depending on the recipe used to roast the lamb, I’ll sometimes season the slices with a drizzle of flavored oil just prior to serving. To complement the Mediterranean flavors on the board, I mix together about a tablespoon of olive oil with ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano and a pinch or two of cumin and garlic powder. Whisk it together, let it stand while the lamb is warming, and drizzle it over the slices.

If you’re using a marinated or rubbed recipe like my garlicky Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb, you won’t need a lot of extra seasoning on the slices after reheating.

Can I use Meats Other than Leftover Lamb?

Absolutely! While this a great recipe for lamb leftovers, you can also make a pita board with leftover roasted turkey, beef, pork, and chicken. Or, make this pita board the main event, using your favorite freshly-grilled meats.

Warm the Pitas

For the bread section of the board, look for pocketless pitas at the grocery store. If you can’t find them, you can substitute flatbreads, like naan. All of these are well-suited to stuffing and folding, gyros-style. I usually warm the pitas in a foil-wrapped stack, right alongside the lamb in the oven.

You can also heat pita bread in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel, for 10-15 seconds each. Or, use a large skillet on the stove over medium heat, for a minute or two per side. If using the stove method, be mindful not to let the pitas crisp up too much, so that they can still fold easily without cracking.

Choose Your Add-Ins

I like to anchor the board with a big bowl of Homemade Tzatziki in the center. This cool, creamy yogurt sauce is a classic addition to stuffed pitas, like gyros, and pairs beautifully with lamb.

Fill the rest of your board with a variety of fresh vegetables and Mediterranean accompaniments. We most often go for gyros-style fillings, like thinly-sliced red onions, cucumbers, sliced or wedged tomatoes, and crisp lettuce. Olives, Feta, and roasted or pickled peppers are also great options.

What to Serve with Leftover Lamb Pitas

This is a casual meal that you’ll want to dig into with both hands, so I like to keep the sides and beverages casual as well. We love these pitas with crisp, hot shoestring fries, Greek potatoes, or crispy kettle chips.

Lamb Pitas are great with a cold glass of beer. We enjoy them with a medium to full-bodied pale ale, which complements the meat well, or a tripel, which is fantastic with tzatziki.

📖 Recipe