Our vegan recipe for this iconic Greek street food transforms shredded tofu into vegan gyros meat, full of those classic gyros flavours. No marinating time, and no oven required! Perfect for your vegan pita gyros or a vegan gyros platter.
Table of Contents
I just love how simple this recipe is. The straight forward process of frying and seasoning your shredded tofu means you can have this vegan tofu gyros ready in less than 25 minutes.
Get your pitas and vegan tzatziki ready…
Looking for more recipes to transform tofu into amazing vegan dishes? Try sticky lemon tofu, tofu souvlaki skewers or our vegan tofu bacon.
Ingredient tips
Ready to make vegan tofu gyros? Here’s what you’ll need:
Tofu: Extra firm tofu works best for this recipe, as you can shred it without it falling apart any further. If you only have firm tofu, give it a good press in a tofu press, or wrap in paper towels on a plate and place a heavy weight on top to remove excess moisture.
Seasonings: Of all the things we use to flavour our tofu gyros, three of them are key. Soy sauce and oregano form the flavour foundation of our vegan gyros. And nutritional yeast, aka yeast flakes, does an amazing thing when it is fried or grilled and adds a fantastic savoury note that lends itself brilliantly to dishes like this.
Liquid smoke: This is optional, and just adds the smoky note of barbecued food without actually cooking on a grill. You can achieve a similar (or almost better) effect by using smoked tofu if you can get it.
Greek pita breads: These are a type of round flatbread that are fluffier and thicker than the pita breads with a pocket. You can often find storebought versions that are naturally vegan. Some recipes for homemade Greek pitas use dairy milk, which can easily be subbed with soy milk, or can be made with a simple recipe using just water, flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
Step by step pictures
Here's a visual guide on how to make vegan tofu gyros. For the full, adjustable and printable recipe, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1: Slice your tofu. Try to cut it into irregular shreds to imitate the texture of gyro meat.
Step 2: Fry the tofu slices until light golden brown.
Step 3: Add the dry seasonings - spices, oregano and nutritional yeast, and fry for another minute.
Step 4: Stir together soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke, and add it to the pan to deglaze.
Step 5: Stir and cook for two more minutes to let the tofu absorb the seasonings.
TOP TIP: Don't overcook!
- Keep the heat on medium from when you add the spices.
- Stick to the cooking times of the recipe to preserve the flavours of the seasonings but get a juicy vegan gyros.
- Stir frequently to ensure even cooking.
How to make a pita gyros wrap
Here's how to wrap a gyros in parchment paper to make it easy to hold and eat:
- First cut squares of parchment paper about 1 ½ times as large as your pita bread.
- Place the parchment square so that one corner is facing you, and lay your pita bread on top.
- Top it with tzatziki, salad and tofu gyros, and any other fillings, along a line from the top to the bottom of the pita.
- Slide the pita to the top of the paper square, pinch the two sides of the pita together, and then fold the left corner of the paper over the gyros, followed by the right corner.
- Tuck and fold the remainder of the paper under the wrap to hold it neatly closed.
Substitutions and variations
Smoked tofu can give you amazing results with this recipe without resorting to liquid smoke.
Garlic and onion: If you’d rather use the real deal, fry a small, finely sliced onion with the tofu and add two minced garlic cloves with the dry seasonings. You can still keep the garlic and onion powder too.
Gluten-free: Use tamari or liquid coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and serve with GF pita bread.
Spice it up: For extra flavour, consider adding some ground cumin, coriander, and even a small amount of cinnamon.
Serving
We love ourselves a yummy vegan pita gyros filled with vegan tzatziki, lettuce, sliced red onion and juicy tomatoes. Swap out the tomatoes for red peppers if you’re not a tomato fan, like Sophie. A dash of fresh oregano and chilli flakes are a great way to round it all off.
Potato chips, or french fries, are another popular filling but can be served on the side just as well.
Or skip the pita bread altogether for a vegan gyros platter. Just dish up all the above fillings together on a plate!
A gyros bowl with white, brown or black rice is another great, lighter way to enjoy our tofu gyros.
Storage
Store leftover tofu gyros in the fridge and use up within 3 days.
Reheat the vegan gyros meat in the microwave or place it in a frying pan over medium heat with a splash of water until just hot.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing.
More Tofu Recipes
If you enjoy these tofu gyros, then you'll probably love our other vegan tofu recipes too! Try these:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Gyros
Ingredients
Vegan gyros filling
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 280g / 10 oz block extra-firm tofu
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
For serving
- 4 vegan Greek pita bread
- 250 g (1 cup) homemade vegan tzatziki use 3 - 4 tablespoons per wrap
- 1 small lettuce roughly chopped
- 1 small red onion halved and sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- chili flakes
- oregano
Instructions
Vegan gyros filling
- Slice tofu into thin, small pieces. TIP: For varied shapes in the vegan gyros, cut the tofu into irregular chunks, then thinly slice at an angle.1 280g / 10 oz block extra-firm tofu
- Heat up olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the sliced tofu and fry for about 5 minutes until evenly browned.2 tbsp olive oil
- Reduce heat to medium. Add all the spices and nutritional yeast to the pan, and fry for 1 more minute.1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Stir together soy sauce, vinegar and liquid smoke (if using). Add to the pan and stir to combine.2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp liquid smoke
- Cook for about 2 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated, and take the pan off the heat.
- To assemble your gyros wrap, lay a pita bread on a square of parchment paper, then top with a generous layer of vegan tzatziki, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and the tofu gyros filling. Sprinkle chili flakes or oregano on top if desired. To wrap, pinch the sides of the pita together, fold the parchment paper over on each side and then fold and tuck the excess at the base behind the wrap.4 vegan Greek pita bread, 250 g (1 cup) homemade vegan tzatziki, 1 small lettuce, 1 small red onion, 2 medium tomatoes
- Repeat to make all the wraps and then enjoy your homemade vegan gyros!
Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
Cindy says
Perfection!
Sophie and Paul says
Wahoo, thanks Cindy!