The Turkish street food consisting of a thin round flatbread topped with minced meat and vegetables is lahmacun.
Lahmacun is made by spreading seasoned minced meat—usually beef or lamb—along with vegetables and herbs over very thin dough, then baking it. Common toppings include onion, garlic, tomato, red pepper, parsley, paprika, and chili. It is often served with salad, pickles, lemon, or herbs and rolled before eating.
The dish is strongly associated with Turkey, but its broader roots lie in the Levant, where related foods are known by names such as lahm bi ʿajin, meaning “meat with dough.” A 13th-century Aleppan cookbook describes minced meat spread over round dough and baked in a brick oven. Lahmacun became widespread in Turkey, especially after the 1950s.
It is sometimes called “Turkish pizza,” but that comparison can mislead: traditional lahmacun normally has no cheese or tomato sauce and uses a much thinner crust.