Pork Souvlaki
A Greek meal of pork marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and herbs, seared until golden and served with a Mediterranean salad, refreshing tzatziki sauce and warm pita bread. Skip the skewers and make it in a frying pan — it still delivers the light, healthy, charcoal-grilled flavor.
Ingredients
Souvlaki (Meat & Marinade)
- Pork shoulder300g
- Olive oil4 tbsp
- Lemon juice2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Cheongyang chili1, optional
- Salt3 pinches
- Basil leaves (or oregano)10 leaves (or 1 tbsp oregano)
- Black pepperA little
Mediterranean Salad
- Salad greensAs needed
- OlivesAs needed
- Olive oil3 tbsp
- Lemon juice1 tbsp
- Honey1 tbsp
- Salt2 pinches
- Black pepperA little
Tzatziki Sauce
- Greek yogurt3 tbsp
- Cream cheese1 tbsp
- Cucumber1/2
- Dill2 sprigs
- Olive oil1 tbsp
- Lemon juice1 tbsp
- Honey1 tbsp
- Salt2 pinches
- Black pepperA little
To Serve
- Pita bread2 pieces
Directions
- 1
Cut the pork shoulder into bite-sized pieces.
- 2
Finely mince the garlic.
- 3
Add 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 optional Cheongyang chili, 3 pinches of salt, 10 basil leaves (or 1 tbsp oregano) and a pinch of pepper to the pork, and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 20–30 minutes so the flavor soaks in.
- 4
Pan-fry the marinated pork. For a charcoal-grilled taste, cook over high heat without stirring so the surface chars and turns golden.
- 5
Once one side is golden brown, flip it over. Since you added plenty of olive oil, take your time to brown it slowly.
- 6
For the Mediterranean salad, chop the vegetables and olives, then toss with 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, 2 pinches of salt and a pinch of pepper.
- 7
For the tzatziki, grate the cucumber, squeeze out the water firmly, and season with salt. Mix together 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp cream cheese, the prepared 1/2 cucumber, 2 sprigs of dill, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, 2 pinches of salt and a pinch of pepper.
- 8
Heat a pan over medium heat and warm the frozen pita bread through.
- 9
Spread cream cheese or tzatziki inside the pita pocket, fill generously with the souvlaki pork and Mediterranean salad, top with plenty of tzatziki, and enjoy.
Tips
Use pork neck or shoulder for souvlaki, and cook it without stirring so it chars like it's grilled over charcoal. The key to the flavor is being generous with the olive oil and lemon juice!