If this vegan shawarma wrap doesn't blow your hair back, I don't know what will! This Middle Eastern spiced vegan shawarma wrap is stuffed with succulent soy curl tenders and chickpeas baked to crispy perfection. The fresh vegetables, creamy hummus, and two sauces (sweet and spicy tahini sauce and tangy tzatziki) create a big bold, spicy, vibrant flavour profile that vegan dreams are made of. Served on warm, freshly made pita bread it's epic!
These succulent soy curl tenders are a game changer for all eaters (it's the new vegan chicken replacement)! Keep reading for all the nourishing ingredients, tips, vegan meat alternatives, serving suggestions, and time management tips . . .
Every Sunday my family gathers for dinner at our house. I look forward to it all week, and it's my favourite day of the week by far. However, everyone has different tastes and favourites which can be tricky to navigate.
Cooking with quality ingredients, incredible texture, and amazing flavours has always been a priority to me; and being a vegan cook has not changed that one bit. This healthy vegan shawarma wrap (maybe you call it gyro or donair) drizzled with classic dairy-free tzatziki and sweet and spicy tahini hits all the spots and leaves the WHOLE family satisfied - vegan or not!!
Why You Will Crave this Shawarma!
Picture this - a soft, warm pita slathered with creamy hummus then loaded with succulent soy curls and crispy chickpeas baked to perfection in Greek spices. It's so stuffed with fresh cucumber ribbons, juicy tomatoes, pickled onions, and jalapeños that you'll need both hands to hold this big bold juicy Greek sandwich. But wait! The secret to making this THE BEST vegan (vegetarian) shawarma wrap is the sauce. And this one is drizzled with two unbelievably luscious sauces!
There's no reason to miss out on this beloved Greek sandwich because you eat a plant-based/vegan diet. The Greek spices and vegetable toppings are same as the traditional shawarma, and dairy-free tzatziki is easy to make! All that's left is the shawarma or gyro vegan meat alternative for which there are many incredible choices including: shredded mushrooms, crispy chickpeas and cauliflower, shredded seitan, tofu, tempeh, jackfruit or soy curls!
Ingredient Spotlight - Soy Curls
So let's talk soy curls! Soy curls are an amazing plant-based meat substitute. They are made from soybeans which are rich in fiber and protein and are gluten free. I use the Butler Brand soy curls which are non-GMO soybeans, processed without chemicals, and packaged without additives or preservatives*.
Not going to lie, I was SUPER surprised and delighted by the texture which is quite similar to chicken tenders! Not even joking, they are the best vegan meat replacement ever! Plus they are super versatile - perfect vegan meat alternative for gyros, donair and shawarma sandwiches, vegan cashew chicken, vegan ginger beef, and so much more!
*Get all the soy curl nutritional information details on the Butler website.
How to Cook Soy Curls
I played around with cooking methods trying to find the best texture and flavour with the healthiest result. Although both pan frying and baking the soy curls were tasty, baking on a sheet pan was the best method for this shawarma wrap recipe. It produced the most succulent and flavourful result without too much hands-on time.
This easy, baked method freed up 20-25 minutes to get those fabulous sauces made and the veggies prepared.
Addictive Sweet and Spicy Tahini Sauce
This shawarma is incredible with traditional dairy-free tzatziki sauce; however, to push the flavour profile over the top (recommended), I liberally drizzled my incredible sweet and spicy tahini sauce. Talk about a flavor bomb!!! This ultra flavorful sauce combination is pure magic.
What Wrap is Best for Shawarma?
This shawarma is juicy, like drip-down-your-arms, pass-the-extra-napkins, kinda juicy. Because of said juiciness, I suggest using freshly baked, warm pita bread; but don't stuff the filling inside the pocket, place it on top and wrap the pita around the filling. Similarly, a sturdy but pillowy-soft pizza flatbread or naan warmed and wrapped is utterly delicious.
Warm the wrap of choice in the oven on low heat, in the microwave or on a griddle over medium heat. Keeping in mind that you don't want the wrap to be crispy - just warm, but still pliable.
How to Make the Best Vegan Shawarma Sandwich
This recipe has a few steps; however, they are all super easy to make.
Preheat the oven to 400º F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment.
While the soy curls are hydrating (10 minutes), mix up the shawarma spice rub.
Drain, rinse, and pat dry the chickpeas.
Spice up the soy curls and chickpeas, spread evenly on sheet pan and bake until crispy.
Cut the fresh, crunchy veggies and make the both sauces.
Warm the pitas, naan or flatbread, and start assembling!
Assembling Your Vegan Shawarma/Gyros
It's fun to place all the dishes out and let your guests make their own vegetarian shawarma wrap. However, there is a bit of an art to making the best, least messy, wrap.
- First start with the warm wrap, add a generous layer of hummus (this helps things stick together).
- Next add the soy curls and chickpeas (don't overdo it - remember you have to wrap the pita around everything!).
- Toppings are next with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, pickled onions, etc.
- After that, drizzle the sweet and spicy tahini sauce and the tzatziki on liberally. Wrap everything into a tight bundle, grab with both hands, and enjoy.
- Pass the extra napkins!
More Vegan, Dairy Free Sauces and Dips
We're all about a delicious, dairy-free (oil-free and gluten-free friendly) vegan sauces, drizzles, and dips at our house. Pretty much every meal the family wants to know, 'Where's the sauce?'! Here's some of our favorites:
Tahini Sauce Series: Sweet and Spicy Tahini Sauce (heavenly), Spicy Green Tahini (dang delicious) or classic Everyday Tahini Sauce (with a twist).
Simple Vegan Queso Cheese, thick and creamy - try it on nachos, tacos or breakfast burritos.
Tex Mex Cashew Cream - amazing on Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and everything else!
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Best Vegan Shawarma Wrap with Two Sauces!
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INGREDIENTS
- 1, 4 oz bag soy curls (dry measure)
- 1, 19 oz tin chickpeas, rinse and pat dry
- 1 Greek shawarma spice blend mix (below)
- 1 tzatziki sauce recipe
- 1 sweet and spicy tahini drizzle
- 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 mini cucumbers, peeled, seeded, sliced
- romaine lettuce, chopped
- parsley and dill, rough chop for garnish
- pickled red onions*
- ½ - 1 cup hummus, homemade or store bought
- 3-4 pita, flatbread or naan
INSTRUCTIONS
Greek Shawarma/Gyros Spice Blend Mix
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika powder2 teaspoons ground cumin powder1 teaspoon turmeric powder2 teaspoons ground coriander1 teaspoon onion powder2 tablespoons dry oregano ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepperS&P3-4 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons maple syrup (or coconut sugar)juice of 1 lemon
- Mix together in a small bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil (or if oil free, add 1 tablespoon of water), juice of 1 lemon (or more to taste). Add another tablespoon of water or lemon juice if required to make a loose paste.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spicy Soy Curls and Chickpeas
- Rehydrate soy curls as per package directions (using water or broth). I use these Butler Brand soy curls. Half the 8 oz package is about ¾ of a pound hydrated.
- Gently squeeze excess liquid from soy curls.
- Drain, rinse and pat dry the chickpeas.
- In a large bowl, pour ¾ of the spice blend paste over the soy curls and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer over ¾ of the prepared baking sheet.
- Toss the chickpeas with the remaining spice blend paste and spread out next to soy curls.
- Bake for 15 minutes, stir and shake. After 5 more minutes - remove chickpeas and smaller soy curls. Return large pieces of soy curls to oven for another 5 minutes (if required).
- **Alternatively, you can place the chickpeas and soy curls on their own baking sheets.
- While the soy curls and chickpeas are in the oven, make the two sauces and cut the veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, romaine, dill, parsley). Grab the pickled onions and hummus.
TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE (5 minutes)
- Make easy, dairy-free Tzatziki Sauce recipe
SWEET & SPICY TAHINI SAUCE (3-5 minutes)
TO ASSEMBLE
- Warm pitas in the microwave, on a griddle over medium heat or throw into the already warm oven for a few minutes until warmed through. If using flatbread - warm it in the oven for a few minutes.
- Spread the pita/flatbread with a layer of hummus (use this quick delicious hummus or your favourite store bought). *If you like spicy hummus, just add a squeeze or two of sriracha to basic hummus and a drop or two of soy sauce!
- Load up the soy curl-chickpea mixture on top of the hummus. Then add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions (pickled or thinly sliced raw), chopped romaine, dill and parsley.
- Liberally drizzle tzatziki sauce and sweet and spicy tahini sauce over the filling and serve immediately. Don't forget the extra napkins!
NOTES
This recipe is from simplyceecee.co food blog. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.
Originally posted in October 2019. Revised June 2021 to include updated photos, tips, and substitutions.
Karoline Beninger
The Tahini sauce is a 10/10. I could make this recipe 4 nights a week. My family loves it so much.
simplyceecee
Yes, it's a super tasty sauce! I'm creating a baked whole cauliflower using this sauce for the holidays! Stay tuned!
Scott Assen
This was the best vegan thing I have ever eaten
simplyceecee
Why thank you, Scott. We agree, it's scrumptious!
Jenn Halasz
This dish is out of this world! obsessed with these flavours
simplyceecee
Thank you so much, Jenn! I'm glad you love the shawarma - we do too!!
Dave
Yummm!!!
simplyceecee
Thank you, Dave! Glad you enjoyed!
Stephanie Henry
Incredible recipe bursting with flavour. Thank you for sharing!
simplyceecee
Thank you so much, Chef Steph! Enjoy.
Karoline Beninger
Your entire write up is so informative (and delicious). I love knowing about the soy curl option now thank you for educating! Plus I love anything with chick peas. Keri them coming please!
simplyceecee
You are welcome, Karoline! I hope you enjoy them.
Darren
This is incredible! The soy curls are so good. I would eat that tzatziki on anything!
simplyceecee
Thank you so much, Darren. I'm happy that you enjoy the recipe!
Lori
What a abundance of flavours! Definitely one of the best vegan dishes I have ever made!
simplyceecee
Lori, thank you! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Our family loves it too!
Danielle
For some reason the site is not allowing me to give a star rating but I had to provide my feedback regardless. AMAZING and INNOVATING creation, recipes like this is what helps me slowly convince my family that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor and food that feels indulgent by eating plant-based meals. I must also agree with the other feedback that the tahini dressing is on point! Would not change a thing.
Tracy Halasz
Thank you so much for your feedback. This is my exact goal with the blog! I'm so happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe.
Tina
I made this recipe as written with the exception of chickpeas (I was out). This was fabulous! It will definitely go into my rotation. Thank you.
Tracy Halasz
Thank you, Tina. I'm so happy you enjoyed!
Marianne
So so good! Thank you Tracy this will be on regular rotation an instant favourite
Tracy Halasz
Thank you so much. I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Pauline
this was fantastic. A true winner. I didn't need to make any adjustments either. Will be making this again and for non-veg company. Thank you for a great recipe!
Tracy Halasz
That's fantastic! Thank you for your comment - so happy you enjoyed!
Sandra B
Amazing Deliciousness. Made without any alterations to the recipe
Super informative and Hands Down the best!! The fact that it’s presentation is gorgeous and that it’s vegan is just a bonus. Have made it several times
Tracy Halasz
Wow, thank you for the review. So happy you enjoyed!
Marion
The spicy soy curls and delicious vegan tahini and tzatziki sauces are fabulous together. This vegan shawarma is easy to make and fancy enough for company! 10/10!
Tracy Halasz
Thank you, I'm so happy you enjoy this shawarma wrap. Us too! Those yummy dairy-free sauces are hard to resist.
Maureen
This shawarma is so delicious - tons of flavor, incredible texture, and those vegan sauces are out of this world! Fabulous weeknight dinner idea!
Tracy Halasz
Thank you so much! We love this soy curl shawarma too. The sweet and spicy tahini is my favorite but my family loves the tzatziki the most!
Cindy
OMG, this vegetarian shawarma is THE BEST! The spicy soy curls are amazing. And that shawarma sauce is incredible. Thank you for an amazing vegan recipe - the whole family loves it!
Tracy Halasz
Yay, so happy you enjoy it! Thanks for the review. Happy weekend!
Kathy
Our family loves this vegetarian shawarma. The soy curls are so spicy and the texture is incredible. The veggies and shawarma sauce really make this an easy and delicious vegan dinner!
Tracy Halasz
Thank you! I'm so happy your family enjoys this veggie shawarma! I agree the tahini sauce is so delicious!
Becky
Fabulous recipe! Made it as written, except I had made an Israeli salad (cukes, tomatoes, peppers, red onion etc..) and put that in the pitas instead of the sliced veggies. Will definitely make again!
Tracy Halasz
Sounds amazing. Thank you so much for the review, Becky. Happy you enjoyed the veggie shawarma!