Tofu Gyros Pita with Homemade Vegan Tzatziki

A few years ago, I spent my vacation in Athens and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to eat vegan there. Sure, big cities usually offer more plant-based options, but even on day trips to smaller towns and the countryside, I found plenty of naturally vegan side dishes (many of which I've never even seen in Greek restaurants back home in Germany) as well as delicious vegan versions of classic Greek dishes.
To this day, I still dream about the vegan gyros pitas I had on that trip. Luckily, they're incredibly easy to recreate at home.

What Is Gyros—and How Do We Make It Vegan?
Gyros refers to the way the meat is seasoned and cooked, giving it its signature savory, aromatic flavor. Traditional gyros seasoning usually includes garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper, with cumin, marjoram, or rosemary often added as well.
For our vegan version, we swap the meat for tofu, although mushrooms would work just as well. We like tearing the tofu into small, irregular pieces by hand, as the rough edges become beautifully crispy when pan-fried. Toss the tofu with vegan quark (or another thick, unsweetened vegan yogurt alternative) and the spices, then simply fry everything in a hot pan until nicely browned.

Great Pita Makes All the Difference
What's a gyros pita without the pita? For this recipe, we're using the gluten-free pita from Schär. You can warm the pita in a toaster, skillet, microwave, or oven until soft and fluffy. Just like the ones I enjoyed in Greece, we serve ours open-faced and pile on all the toppings, but you can just as easily slice them open and stuff them without worrying about them falling apart.
Made with Schär's gluten-free sourdough, corn starch, rice flour, and buckwheat flour, they're perfect if you follow a vegan and gluten-free diet or are cooking for someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. If that's the case, be sure to use clean utensils and work surfaces, as tiny traces of gluten can remain in scratches or cracks in used wooden or plastic kitchen tools.

Tzatziki, Fries & Cabbage Slaw—Pile It On!
Once your pita is warm and your tofu gyros is perfectly crispy, all that's left are the fresh toppings. Use whatever you have on hand or enjoy most: cabbage slaw, leafy greens, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, shredded red cabbage, black olives—you really can't go wrong.

We also love adding a vegan feta alternative and, of course, a generous helping of homemade vegan tzatziki made with vegan skyr. One important tip: make sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the grated cucumber before mixing it into the tzatziki, otherwise the dip will become watery. And don't forget the fries! Enjoy them on the side—or stuff them right into your pita for the ultimate Greek street food experience.

Looking for more Greek-inspired vegan recipes? Try our vegan Pastitsio or put together a colorful Greek mezze platter with dips, olives, and fresh bread.