Armenian Lahmajoun Recipe

A staple Armenian recipe, lahmajouns (aka Armenian pizzas) are a delicious thin flatbread coated in a flavorful ground beef and tomato mixture and baked in the oven. These are a perfect grab and go meal or snack we love to have on hand.

I am half Armenian. I have grown up enjoying recipes handed down from my Great Grandmother and love that these incredibly special family recipes are something I can share here in this space.

We all know the jokes about food writers sharing their family recipes and telling you some long drawn out story and not talking about the food (there is a jump-to-recipe button however, so feel free to use it). While I don’t disagree that this can sometimes be fairly annoying, some stories about food and how they live through us are worth sharing.

Because this recipe survived genocide.

Yes, it’s nostalgic and something I grew up on (we all have those memories of family and food), but for me, it’s knowing that if these recipes don’t get handed down, talked about, and shared, then they disappear along with a crucial part of the Armenian culture.

My Great Grandparents both survived the Armenian genocide. A genocide in which over 1.5 million people lost their lives. Knowing that this is something I can share, pass on, and create because they lived against the odds is not something I take for granted.

Now that we got my family’s Armenian background out of the way, let me tell you about the magic that is an Armenian lahmajoun pizza.

Traditionally this recipe is made with a thin lavash style flatbread (this is different that pita bread). While we refer to it as an Armenian pizza, it is not made with pizza dough either. You can make the dough from scratch (any full blooded Armenian would), we also love a good “cheat” and use high quality store bought lavash or even flour tortillas.

With a few simple ingredients and a little time you can whip up several dozen of these in no time. Grab all the details below and let’s get cooking!

“School” Supplies:

• Blender or Food Processor
• Large Bowl
• Cookie Sheet or Baking Stone
• Rolling Pin (if making lavash dough by hand)
• Spoon
• Gloves (optional)
• Knife and Cutting Board
• Wire Rack

“Class” Notes:

Welcome to my virtual classroom! Use the guided notes below where I often answer commonly asked questions I get from readers and cooks just like you. 

This information is meant to help you have a stronger understanding of this recipe and the process so you can find success all on your own. 

Ready to begin cooking? Simply jump to the recipe card below and begin. 

Ingredients:

• High Quality Flour Tortillas (if you’d like to make the lavash dough from scratch you can).
• Extra Lean Ground Beef (lean works best here so the meat doesn’t shrink as it bakes)
• Tomato Paste
• Whole Canned Tomatoes
• Onion
• Garlic Clove
• Fresh Parsley
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Aleppo Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, or Cayenne Pepper
• Paprika
• Cumin

This is the base to make the ground meat mixture that goes on top of the flatbread. You can also choose to add green peppers or red peppers as well (I do sometimes enjoy it with green pepper).

Cooking Instructions:

1. If making your own homemade lavash bread dough, prepare this before making the meat mixture. Keep the ball of dough covered with a towel or plastic wrap in a warm place so it doesn’t dry out while you prep the other parts of this recipe. No homemade bread? Just grab your flour tortillas and set them aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. I use multiple prepared baking sheets for this recipe because I typically can only fit three lahmajouns per baking sheet.
3. In a blender, combine the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic cloves, fresh parsley, and all of the spices.
4. Blend until the mixture is combined and resembles a tomato sauce like texture. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
5. To the sauce add the lean ground beef. Use your hands (I prefer to wear gloves) to mix the beef and tomato sauce together so it’s fully combined. The consistency should feel fairly thin.
6. Place a flour tortilla or rolled-out dough onto a flat work surface (keep the baking sheet nearby). Use a spoon or measuring cup to place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto the top of the dough of choice.
7. Use a spoon (or fingers) to thinly spread the meat topping across the tortilla/dough in a thin layer. I find using my fingers allows me to thinly pat out the meat as evenly as possible. Leave a small border of the dough uncovered (like a pizza crust).
8. Repeat this step until you make enough to fill one baking sheet (usually 3 lahmajouns at a time). Place each lahmajoun onto the baking sheet, slightly staggered so they are meat side up. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes.
9. The lahmajouns are cooked fully when the meat is dark and the edges of the dough are slightly golden brown. Let them cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. If serving right away, keep them warm by stacking them on a plate and keeping them wrapped in a clean cooking towel.
10. Serve fresh lahmajouns with fresh lemon wedges or a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs like minced parsley and a little extra sea salt over the top if desired.

Expert Tips:

• Store leftovers by placing a sheet of parchment paper between each lahmajoun and into a freezer safe plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Easily reheat individual lahmajun’s in a large skillet fitted with a lid. This keeps the bottom of the dough crispier while heating everything through. You can also use an air fryer and heat it for 4 minutes at 350 F.
• While eating a lahmajoun on its own is delicious, try serving it with salad wrapped inside (I like lettuce, cucumber, slices of red onion, and tomato mixed with some olive oil) or pair it with my other favorite Armenian foods like stuffed grape leaves, bulgar pilaf or cheese boreg.

More Recipes To Try:

• Keto Armenian Pizza (Lahmajoun)
• Low Carb Cheese Boreg
• How To Make Homemade Low Carb Flatbread