Turkish Vegan Doner Kebab Wrap
No meat required to make the viral Turkish doner kebab wrap! Using a simple trick to bake the vegan doner kebab meat, no special equipment required. So juicy and packed with so much flavor.
I’ve made these vegan doner kebab’s 3 times in the last week after being introduced to them. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of using Impossible meat to recreate some of my favorite beef dishes and this kebab is no exception.
They are incredible and they don’t require any special equipment to get that classic, shaved meat texture (and taste!) The key is thinly rolling the meat between two slices of parchment paper, then rolling and baking until juicy and tender.
Roll that whole thing up in warm lavash with a creamy white sauce, crisp lettuce, sliced tomatoes and thinly sliced red onions– yes, it’s exactly as good as you expect it to be! See below for step-by-step photos or head to the full recipe below.
Ingredient Notes
- Impossible Meat: I’m such a fan of Impossible meat (not sponsored, just love.) I think it’s great that those of us who don’t want to eat meat don’t have to, but still get the delicious beef-based recipes that we like. Sure, I use lentils and mushrooms and tofu and the like to recreate these recipes but there’s something so easy and classic in using Impossible! You can use another kind of plant-based meat if you’d like.
- Spice Mix: I know the spice mix looks like a lot, but it adds so much flavor to the meat. If you have Aleppo pepper, then I highly recommend using it, but chili powder will work.
- Lavash Bread: My local grocery story sells lavash in the bakery section, but pita bread or even flatbread will work.
- Dairy-Free Mayo and Yogurt: Since I’m using Impossible meat in this Turkish doner kebab, I figured I’d use dairy-free mayo and yogurt as well to keep the entire recipe vegan. You can use any bread you like, my go-to brands are Just, Veganaise, and So Delicious.
How to Make this Vegan Turkish Doner Kebab Wrap
Step 1: Make the Meat Mixture
In a large bowl, mix together the impossible meat, spices, yogurt, liquid onion and olive oil. You want to make sure that the onion is liquid so it infuses all of the Impossible meat with the flavor but you don’t get chunks of onion. I tested this using both a box grater and a mini blender.
Step 2: Layer Between Parchment
Divide the mixture into 2, then place between two large pieces of parchment paper. Spread the mixture slightly with your hands, then use a rolling pin to thinly spread the mixture to be 1/8″ thick.
Starting on one end, thinly roll the parchment paper up. This is the technique that mimics the meat cooking on a kebab in traditional doner kebab! Place on a baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, taking care not to over cook.
Step 3: Make the White Sauce
Assemble all of the ingredients for the white sauce and season to taste, then set aside. I usually under season just a bit as the meat is also salty!
Step 4: Remove the Meat
When the meat is done cooking, remove the parchment paper and tear into gyro-size pieces. Do I eat at least a few pieces as I’m doing this? Yes!
Step 5: Assemble
Assemble the vegan doner kebab! Slather the white sauce onto the lavash bread, then top with the meat, tomatoes, lettuce and red onion and roll up. I also love this with my canned oil peppers.
Chef Tips for Success
- Season more aggressively than you think: Impossible is neutral by design, which is what makes it so versatile in recipes but traditional doner is not! The spice blend is bold on purpose, I know it seems like it’s aggressive but it’s not!
- Add the Olive Oil: I know it sounds odd to add olive oil, but traditional turkish doner is made with lamb, which has more fat than Impossible, so the olive oil helps with richness.
- Use Lemon in the White Sauce: The lemon is a must in the white sauce, and you can add more than what’s listed here! Like so many recipes, the acid cuts through the richness of both the sauce and the kebab.
- Build It Cold to Hot: A friend who used to work in a Shawarma recipe taught me this– warm pita or lavash, then layer the creamy garlic yogurt sauce, fresh tomato, lettuce and onion, then the hot Impossible döner last and roll up!
Storage and Reheating Notes
The Impossible vegan doner kebab meat will last for 3-4 days in the fridge. If you want to reheat, place the pieces of the meat in a skillet with a little oil and reheat until just warm and then enjoy.
The white sauce will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.
More Recipes Using Impossible Meat:
- Impossible Smash Burgers
- Vegan Impossible Bolognese
- Impossible Meat Chili
- Vegetarian Impossible Lasagna
- Vegan Kofta Plates
- Impossible Meatballs
If you make this Turkish Vegan Doner Kebab, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Turkish Vegan Doner Kebab Wrap
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
- Mini Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 ounces) Impossible Ground Beef
- 1/3 cup finely grated onion, either grated using a box grater, or pureed in a small blender, mini food prep or food processor
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free yogurt of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili pepper, or kashmiri pepper, or alleppo pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Creamy White Spice
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo of choice
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free yogurt of choice
- 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper
- salt to taste
To Assemble:
- 4 Lavash wraps, pita or flatbread works too
- 1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup thinly sliced tomatoes
- 8 slices crisp lettuce
Instructions
Make the Doner
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Add all the Doner ingredients to a bowl: the Impossible meat, grated onion, yogurt, olive oil, spices and mix well.
- Sandwich some of meat mixture between two pieces of parchment paper and spread out to a thin single layer – about 1/8 inch thick. Spread with your a hands but then switch to a rolling pin to get the mixture into a thin layer. There is enough for 2-3 rolls.
- Roll up the parchment with the mixture inside and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes until cooler to touch. Unwrap and voila! Tear into gyro-size pieces.
Make white sauce
- Just mix all of the ingredients together and season with salt to taste. It’s so good!
Assemble
- Spread a large amount of white sauce on base of lavash, then add the meat, tomato, lettuce and onion. Wrap up and enjoy!