The Best Vegan Gyro with Tofu

5 from 6 votes

This vegan gyro is called the BEST for a reason. The tofu is prepared in a special way that makes it tender, meaty, savory, and salty- just like traditional gyro meat! It is paired with all the classic gyro toppings like red onion, tomatoes, vegan tzatziki and more - SO delicious with each satisfying bite!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Freezing & Marinating Time7

Total Time7 25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: greek

Diet: Vegan

Servings: -4 gyros

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

Vegan Gyro Meat

14 oz extra firm tofu drained, pressed, & frozen - see below
5 tbsp soy sauce* See note
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp better than bullion base vegetable or garlic flavor
2 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp warm water
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Toppings/Other

3-4 pita bread or pita pockets
1 small sliced red onion
1 finely chopped romaine heart
1 freshly sliced tomato
vegan tzatziki sauce either store bought or homemade (see recipe below)
vegan feta cheese crumbles optional

Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

1 cup thick non-dairy yogurt such as high protein almond/coconut
1/2 cucumber grated (squeeze out liquid after grating)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly chopped dill or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Vegan Tofu Gyro Meat

For the BEST tofu gyro meat, I highly recommend freezing your tofu after your drain and press it. Freezing helps create that "meaty" texture of the tofu and removes more liquid.
Simply place the tofu block in a container or plastic bag and freeze for at least 6 hours, if possible overnight.
14 oz extra firm tofu
Thaw out your tofu by placing your wrapped tofu (in bag or container) into warm water. It will defrost much more quickly.
Gently squeeze out excess water after it's defrosted.
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice your tofu into very thin strips. It's okay if some break off and are smaller; that is just like traditional gyro meat! Do this for your whole block until you have lots of strips.
In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together your gyro marinade.
5 tbsp soy sauce*, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp better than bullion base, 2 tbsp warm water, 1 tsp liquid smoke, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp dried parsley, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp maple syrup
Using a fork or your fingers, dip each tofu strip into the marinade, coating each side, SHAKE OFF EXCESS marinade, then place on a large plate. Repeat this for all the tofu strips.
Cover and let marinate for 1 hour in the fridge.
After your tofu has marinated for some time, begin heating a large NON-STICK pan over MEDIUM/HIGH heat. Add in a little bit of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Place as many tofu strips as you can fit in your pan without overlap.
Cook your tofu strips for ~3-4 minutes or until it starts to get golden brown and crispy. Carefully flip and cook the other side for another few minutes.
At the end of cooking, add in 1 tbsp of water and cover the pan for 30 seconds. This helps perfect the texture.
Repeat this for all this for all the tofu strips, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Assembly

Optional: Make your own homemade tzatziki by combining all the ingredients listed above. You can also buy one at the store (check out Trader Joe's for a vegan option!)
1 cup thick non-dairy yogurt, 1/2 cucumber, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt
Make your vegan gyro with some warm pita bread, tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion, vegan feta cheese and some of the vegan gyro meat. Enjoy!
*Did you know you classic Greek street food vendors add French fries on top? Yum!

Notes

⭐️This tofu gyro meat is saltier (to mimic traditional gyro meat which also has a salty flavor). If you prefer a lower sodium option, use low sodium soy sauce.

Why freeze tofu? Freezing tofu causes the water content to expand and form ice crystals, and when thawed the tofu is more porous and absorbs marinades better. It also has a meatier texture when cooked.

Other tips:

Cut your tofu slices AS THINLY AS POSSIBLE. You want to have some short and long pieces (like traditional gyro meat!). If your tofu is releasing a lot of juices as you're slicing it, keep dabbing/gently squeeze with a cloth to soak up excess liquid.
You can find Vegan Tzatziki at some grocery stores now (like Trader Joe's) or make my simple recipe above!

*Nutritional info is calculated for 3 servings of tofu gyro meat and does not include pita, veggies, tzatziki, or feta, as these amounts are difficult to calculate.

Nutrition