Vegan Gyros – Greek Wrap
This vegan gyros Greek wrap swaps the rotisserie meat for tofu marinated in smoked paprika, cinnamon, soy sauce and mustard, then folds it into warm pita with vegan tzatziki, crisp salad, tomatoes, red onion and potato wedges. It tastes like authentic Greek street food, but it is lighter and fully plant-based.
I’m sure you’re already familiar with gyros, one of the most famous Greek street foods ever. Because not all of us are fans of unhealthy fast foods, I wanted to teach you how to make a vegan gyros that is way healthier but still full of the authentic flavors and textures. In my vegan shawarma recipe I used marinated mushrooms, which were extremely flavorful, but for this Greek version I decided to try something different and just as tasty.
For the vegan gyros I replaced the grilled meat with tofu marinated in a unique blend of spices, and of course no gyros is complete without tzatziki, so I created an easy-peasy vegan version of this sauce using vegan yogurt, cucumbers and fresh herbs. The marinated tofu is so good, I’m sure nobody will even realize it is vegan.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A packable lunch for the office or school that holds up for hours and does not need reheating.
- A crowd-pleasing dinner where meat-eaters and plant-based guests can build the same wrap side by side.
- A make-ahead meal: the tofu can marinate overnight and the tzatziki keeps in the fridge for days.
- A lighter, plant-based take on a Greek street-food classic without giving up the smoky, savory flavor.
- A high-protein vegan meal built around tofu rather than refined fillers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic gyros flavor, plant-based. The smoked paprika, cumin, coriander and cinnamon mirror the warm spice profile of traditional gyros, so the tofu reads as savory and meaty rather than plain.
- No one will guess it is vegan. Sliced into thin, random shapes and pan-seared, the marinated tofu mimics shredded grilled meat in both look and bite.
- The tzatziki comes together in one bowl. Shredded cucumber, yogurt, garlic, lemon, mint and oregano are mixed and chilled, with no cooking required.
- Built for meal prep. Marinate the tofu and make the sauce ahead, then assemble in minutes when you are ready to eat.
- Customizable to your fridge. The veggie layer is flexible, so you can lean on whatever crisp salad and pickles you have on hand.
Ingredient Notes
Tofu: This is the heart of the recipe, standing in for the grilled meat. Reach for firm or extra-firm tofu, not silken, because it needs to hold its shape when sliced and seared. Press it first to squeeze out excess water; a drier block soaks up far more of the marinade and crisps better in the pan instead of steaming.
Smoked paprika: This single spice does the heavy lifting, giving the tofu that grilled-over-fire depth that real gyros gets from the rotisserie. Buy smoked paprika (pimentón), not sweet or hot paprika, and check that it smells smoky in the jar; older paprika goes flat and dusty and will not deliver the same effect.
Ground cinnamon: A small amount is the secret behind authentic gyros seasoning. It is easy to overdo, so stick to the quarter teaspoon called for; it should round out the savory spices in the background, never taste sweet or dessert-like up front.
Soy sauce: This brings the salt and umami that makes plant protein taste savory rather than bland. Because it is already salty, taste before adding any extra salt to the marinade. Use tamari if you need the dish to be gluten-free.
Yogurt: The base of the tzatziki. A thick, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt works best; thin, runny yogurt makes a watery sauce. If yours is loose, strain it for a thicker result. Make sure it is plain and unsweetened, since vanilla or fruit yogurt will throw off the savory sauce.
Cucumber: It does double duty, shredded into the tzatziki and sliced into the wrap. For the sauce, shred it and squeeze out the liquid first, otherwise the cucumber will weep and water down the tzatziki as it sits.
Pita bread: The wrapper that holds everything together. Look for soft, pocketless Greek-style pita that folds without cracking. Warming it on a dry pan makes it pliable, so it rolls around the filling instead of splitting.
Tips
- Press and marinate ahead. Let the tofu sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the deepest flavor. The longer it soaks, the more it tastes seasoned all the way through rather than just on the surface.
- Slice into random thin shapes. Cutting the tofu into thin, irregular slices, rather than neat blocks, is what makes it mimic shredded grilled meat once it hits the pan.
- Do not crowd the pan. Cook the tofu over medium heat in a non-stick pan for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the edges to firm up and brown; a crowded pan traps steam and leaves the tofu soft and pale.
- Warm the pita just before serving. Heat it on a dry pan only until it is soft and flexible. Over-toasting makes it stiff and it will crack when you roll it.
- Drain the tzatziki cucumber. The most common mistake is a runny sauce. Squeeze the shredded cucumber dry before mixing, and chill the tzatziki so the flavors settle.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap tofu for mushrooms. If you prefer a different texture, marinated mushrooms work beautifully here, the same way I used them in my vegan shawarma.
- Gluten-free version. Use tamari in place of soy sauce and serve the filling in gluten-free flatbread or a large lettuce leaf instead of pita.
- Switch up the greens. The recipe calls for baby beet leaves or baby spinach, so use whichever you can find; any tender, crisp salad leaf will do.
- Skip the potatoes. The cooked potato wedges nod to the fries Greeks serve with gyros, but you can leave them out for a lighter wrap or serve them on the side.
Storage and Make Ahead
This recipe is built for making ahead. Store the cooked tofu and the vegan tzatziki in separate airtight containers in the fridge; the tzatziki keeps for several days and actually tastes better once the flavors have settled. Keep the sliced vegetables, potato wedges and pita separate as well, and assemble the wraps only when you are ready to eat so the pita stays soft and the salad stays crisp. If you are packing these for lunch, carry the tzatziki on the side and add it just before eating to keep everything from going soggy.
If you love this kind of plant-based comfort food, try my vegan shawarma for another wrap built on a savory marinade, learn how to make the classic dip in my tzatziki recipe, and browse more vegan sauces to dress up your wraps and bowls.
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Vegan Gyros – Greek Wrap
Ingredients
For the vegan tzatziki:
- ½ cucumber shredded
- 200 ml yogurt non-dairy or regular
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
For the marinated tofu:
- 400 g tofu
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
For the vegan gyros:
- 4 pita bread
- 2 tomatoes sliced
- ½ cucumber sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 pickled cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1 cup baby beet leaves or baby spinach
- 1 cup cooked potato wedges
Instructions
- For the vegan tzatziki:
- In a bowl, mix all ingredients until well-incorporated. Season to taste and store in the fridge.
- For the marinated tofu:
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the tofu marinade until smooth.
- In a large plate, pour the marinade over the tofu, turn the tofu block over to coat all sides.
- Let it marinate at least 30 minutes or leave it overnight.
- Slice tofu into thin slices of random shapes, to mimic shredded grilled chicken breast.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook tofu slices, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes. Remove from the pan.
- For the vegan gyros:
- Warm the pita bread on a dry pan, over medium heat.
- Assemble each pita with sliced veggies, tofu, salad leaf, potatoes, and tzatziki.
- Roll it over and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vegan gyros replaces the traditional rotisserie meat with tofu marinated in soy sauce, tomato paste, mustard, smoked paprika, cinnamon, garlic powder, coriander, cumin and black pepper. It is wrapped in warm pita with vegan tzatziki, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pickled cucumbers, salad leaves and potato wedges.
Traditional gyros is not vegan; it is made with shaved chicken, lamb or pork grilled on a vertical rotisserie and served with yogurt-based tzatziki. This version is fully plant-based, using marinated tofu in place of the meat and a tzatziki made with non-dairy yogurt.
Marinate the tofu in a blend of soy sauce, tomato paste, mustard, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cumin and coriander for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Slice it into thin, random shapes to mimic shredded grilled meat, then pan-sear over medium heat until the edges firm up and brown.
Mix shredded cucumber, non-dairy yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, lemon juice, fresh mint and dried oregano in a bowl until well incorporated. Season to taste and chill in the fridge before serving. Squeeze the cucumber dry first so the sauce does not turn watery.
Yes. The tofu can marinate overnight and the vegan tzatziki keeps in the fridge for several days, tasting better once the flavors settle. Store the cooked tofu, tzatziki, vegetables and pita separately, then assemble the wraps just before eating so the pita stays soft and the filling stays crisp.
A Greek gyros wrap is built on warm pita filled with the seasoned protein, tzatziki sauce, sliced tomatoes, cucumber and onion. This vegan version adds pickled cucumbers, baby beet leaves or spinach, and potato wedges, which nod to the fries Greeks traditionally serve alongside gyros.
Thank you sounds delicious
What grade of tofu is best? Firm, extra firm?
Extra-firm 🙂