Tofu Gyros
Delicious plant-based tofu gyros made with thinly sliced tofu, tzatziki, and a cucumber tomato salad. Served on fluffy pita bread– who needs meat when you’ve got tofu!
Yup– another recipe inspired by our Greece trip. Honestly, I never realized how much I loved Greek food until we spent a few weeks there last summer, and it’s become one of my favorite cuisines.
In the time since, I’ve made Greek orzo salad, traditional Greek salad, cauliflower shawarma, watermelon, tomato, and feta salad, and my watermelon and bulgur wheat salad.
And now, these tofu gyros! Made with frozen then thawed tofu, rubbed in spices and pan fried until crispy, then served in pita bread (store-bought or my homemade flatbreads), salad, and tzatziki sauce. Yum, yum, yum– I can’t say enough how delicious these sandwiches are.
Ingredient Notes
- Tofu: The secret to these tofu gyros is that they use frozen and then thawed tofu. This gives the gyros a meatier texture! (I do this same technique in my spicy gochujang tofu bowls)
- Tzatziki Sauce: Honestly, I think I made these gyros just for the tzatziki sauce. I’ve been making batches of it ever since making my kofta meatballs, and it’s so flavorful and really makes this sandwich. If you want to keep these vegan, use a dairy-free yogurt.
- Pita Bread: I like a fluffy, pillowy flatbread for these gyros. However, you can also use a pita bread and stuff them.
- Oregano: This is what makes the gyro flavor!
How to Make
I find that thawed frozen tofu is best, but you can use extra-firm tofu in a pinch if you don’t have time to thaw it first. Thinly slice using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler.
Combine all of the ingredients for the spice rub in a small bowl along with the lemon juice and olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then rub it all over the tofu (both sides). Let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Make the salad by finely chopping the red onion, cucumber, parsley, and tomato. Set aside in a bowl and season to taste. Your gyros will be fairly salty, so you want the salad to be bright and flavorful to balance the flavors. I don’t season this salad portion, but you can if you’d like.
Next, make the tzatziki sauce by combining all of the ingredients for the sauce: the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, salt, pepper, and diced cucumbers. I know that some tzatziki sauces use grated cucumber, but I prefer finely diced cucumber for texture.
Pan fry the tofu until crispy on both sides, and then assemble the gyros. You can bake the tofu, but I find that pan-frying in a large skillet creates a better texture. However, I tested both and know that both of them work great.
Spread some of the tzatziki sauce on a warmed flatbread, then top with the cucumber salad and tofu. Garnish with more parsley and enjoy these tofu gyros immediately.
Tofu Gyro Tips for Success
- Press Your Tofu: Tofu contains a lot of water, which needs to be removed to allow it to absorb marinades and get crispy when cooked. Use a tofu press, or wrap the tofu in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and place something heavy on top (like books or a cast iron pan) for at least 30 minutes.
- Consider Freezing Tofu: For an even chewier, more “meaty” texture, freeze your extra-firm tofu block solid, then thaw it. Freezing changes the structure of the tofu, making it more porous and achieving a better texture when cooked.
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor: Marinate the tofu for at least 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Warm Your Pita Bread: A soft, warm pita is crucial for a good tofu gyro. Briefly warm your pita bread in a dry skillet, oven, or microwave until pliable. This makes it easier to fold!
More Tofu Recipes
If you try these tofu gyros, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Seeing you make my recipes makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers!
Tofu Gyros
Equipment
Ingredients
Tofu Gyros
- 1 block extra-firm tofu, previously thawed from frozen
- 6 each garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 pillowy flatbreads or pita breads
Cucumber Tomato Salad
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeds and core removed
- 1/2 cup chopped, seeded and peeled cucumber
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Tzatziki Sauce
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, whole milk for best taste, but low-fat or dairy-free will work
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup finely chopped peeled and seeded cucumber
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Thaw the tofu from frozen, then thinly slice.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the marinade: the garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, paprika, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Taste, adjusting seasonings as needed, then rub all over the tofu on both sides and let marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- While the tofu is marinating, make the tomato salad by combining the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and parsley.
- Whisk together the greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, cucumber, salt and pepper. Taste and set aside.
- Cook the tofu. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to prevent the tofu from sticking, then pan fry for about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Assemble the sandwiches by warming the pita, then spreading on the tzatziki sauce, the tofu, and the tomato cucumber salad.