A wafer-thin round of dough spread with a wet, spiced paste of minced meat, tomato, pepper and parsley, then blasted in a hot oven until the edges crisp. Eaten rolled around fresh herbs with a hard squeeze of lemon. Often nicknamed 'Armenian pizza,' though it is thinner, softer and meant to be folded.
A staple of Armenian and wider Levantine cuisine, derived from the Arabic 'lahm bi ajin' (meat with dough); the earliest known recipe appears in a 13th-century Syrian cookbook from Aleppo, and it remains a beloved everyday food among Armenians. Shared across the Levant, Turkey and Armenia, in Armenia it is cherished as a street and home staple.
Crackly-edged but tender in the middle, the topping is savory and bright with tomato, smoky paprika and a green lift of parsley. The lemon cuts the richness of the lamb, and folding it traps the warm, juicy meat against soft bread.
Rolling the dough paper-thin and baking at very high heat cooks the meat and crisps the edges before the base dries out, keeping the centre flexible. Draining the vegetable paste prevents a soggy crust.
Variations
Beef instead of lamb, extra chili for a spicy version, added pomegranate molasses, vegetarian versions with extra vegetables, served with pickles and ayran
On the Palate
Where Lahmajun Armenian sits in the Armenian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 40 min
- 170 min
Make a soft yeasted dough from flour, water, salt and a little oil; knead until smooth and let rise about 1 hour.
- 210 min
Finely chop or process onion, red pepper, tomato and parsley into a wet paste, draining excess liquid.
Watch outDrain the paste well — squeeze out the watery juice or the topping will steam the dough into a soggy, floppy base instead of a crisp one.
- 35 min
Mix the vegetable paste with minced lamb or beef, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt and a pinch of chili.
- 412 min
Divide dough into small balls and roll each out paper-thin into rounds on a floured surface.
Watch outRoll each round paper-thin, thin enough to almost see through — a thick base won't crisp before the meat overcooks.
- 58 min
Spread a very thin, even layer of the meat mixture right to the edges of each round.
Watch outSpread the meat in a whisper-thin, even layer right to the rim — pile it on and the middle stays raw and greasy.
- 68 min
Bake on a preheated stone or tray in a very hot oven (250C/480F) for 6-8 minutes until edges brown.
- 71 min
Remove while the centre is still soft and pliable, not crisp through.
Watch outTake it out while the centre is still soft enough to roll — bake it crisp all the way through and it cracks instead of folding.
- 83 min
Squeeze lemon over, top with fresh parsley, roll up and serve hot.
