Greek Gyro Dip

This is a sponsored post written by me on the behalf of Knauss Foods.  All opinions are completely my own.

Who doesn’t love a gyro drenched in tzatziki sauce?  I’ve created a simple, yet authentic tasting, Greek Gyro Dip using Knauss Dried Beef!

When I say dried beef, what is the first thing thing that comes to mind?  I bet most of you think of Creamed Chipped Beef.  Rightfully so, it’s an all American comfort food.  Drench that gravy goodness all over fried potatoes and toast and it’s home cooking breakfast heaven.

Let’s forget about Creamed Chipped Beef and talk some more about dried beef.  Dried Beef is a slow cured, lean beef which is mildly salty, yet beefy and smoky.  These 100% beef slices from Knauss Foods are gluten free, contain no MSG, and are 98% fat free.  Loaded with flavor and ready to go.  I love the convenience of a quality ingredient that involves no kind of prep work.  Pull a pack or two out of your fridge and get creative at meal time!  After tasting it straight from the pack, I realized it could be added to a variety of snacks, dips, appetizers and foods.

Still not sure if you’re familiar with dried beef?  You’ll find it in your grocers refrigerated section with luncheon meats, hot dogs or maybe even breakfast potatoes.

Let’s talk about snacks.  Between the holidays and football we are all doing a lot of entertaining and visiting.  Snacks are a definite – dips are a must.  Really though, dips are becoming more & more predictable.  I enjoy the classics as much as everyone else – but there’s only so much Buffalo Chicken Dip or Spinach Artichoke Dip I can handle.  I decided it was time to take my dip game to the next level.

Often my inspiration for creating a recipe is attempting to duplicate or even simplify a dish I love.  The instant I nibbled on a piece of dried beef one thought popped straight into my head.  Gyros.  I absolutely love a gyro.  I’ve never attempted to make them at home because I don’t have the set up to make shaved lamb.  Knauss Dried Beef made the perfect substitute for the shaved lamb!

The most work you’ll do when making this dip is fussing with the cucumbers.  I’m all for keeping things as simple as possible, but cucumbers tossed in this dip “as is” will result in a watery mess of a dip.  No one wants that.  Seriously – I drained almost 1/4 cup liquid from the cucumbers.  To solve the cucumber dilemma, you’ll just salt and drain them.  No real work is involved here, just an hour of resting time.  After that, stir everything together.  Done.

As in any cold dip, the dip is better after sitting for a few hours allowing the flavors to blend.  Of course I couldn’t wait to try it.  My pitas weren’t ready but I dove right into that dip with a soft flour tortilla.  It was the Greek gyro goodness I was after 🙂

I served this dip with fresh pita slices, tomatoes and lettuce.  No one bothered with the tomatoes or lettuce, instead the dip and the pita disappeared.  Quickly.  Everyone loved it – they all said it was like eating a mini gyro.  Perfect – that’s exactly what I was going for!

I’m so excited about how delicious and easy to make this Greek Gyro Dip is!  If you like gyros, this dip is a must try!  If you’re tired of serving the same old snacks and dips to your guests – then this is an exciting new dip to make.  There is so much more you can do with dried beef than just Cream Chipped Beef!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Amanda-

Visit Knauss Foods for more information, recipes & inspiration!

Greek Gyro Dip

Amanda

Who doesn't love a gyro drenched in tzatziki sauce? I've created a simple, yet authentic tasting, Greek Gyro Dip using Knauss Foods Dried Beef!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 1 hr 10 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course appetizers, dips

Cuisine American, Greek

Servings 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  

• 2 medium sized cucumbers
• kosher salt
• 2 cups plain Greek yogurt I used a 17.6 oz container
• 2 package of Knauss dried beef 3 oz. packages
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• fresh pepper to taste
• sliced pitas flatbread or naan (for dipping)

Instructions

 

• Peel, seed and dice cucumbers. (To seed cucumbers - cut in half lengthwise and use spoon to scoop out seeds)
• Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over cucumbers and toss.
• Let cucumbers drain for 1-2 hours in a colander over a bowl. Occasionally toss cucumbers around and press with a spatula or spoon to force out liquid. Before using, wrap cucumbers in paper towels and squeeze out any excess liquid.
• In a bowl, combine cucumbers, Greek yogurt, dried beef, garlic, dill and lemon juice. Stir.
• Add a crack or two of fresh pepper.
• Dip can be served immediately, but is best after refrigerating for an hour or two to allow flavors to blend. Serve with fresh pita slices, flatbread or naan.
• Dip can be stored for a day or two in the fridge. If liquid starts to form (from those stubborn cucumbers), blot up with a paper towel & stir dip.

Want to make your own pitas?  Good for you!  It’s pretty simple and will save you quite a few bucks!  I don’t have my recipe posted quite yet – but I found a recipe super similar to mine. Visit Half Baked Harvest for their fabulous pita recipe!