Nut-free option, Soy-free option
Vegan gyros are hard to come by, so stay home and make your own. This recipe combines a flavorful seitan gyro “meat” with lettuce, tomato, onion and vegan tzatziki sauce, all stuffed into a fresh pita. Serve these gyros with a side of Fries (Baked or Fried).
Seitan Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce is a mouthwatering and satisfying vegan twist on the classic Greek sandwich. This dish features succulent strips of seitan, seasoned with a blend of Mediterranean spices and herbs, providing a meaty texture and rich flavor. The seitan is simmered to perfection, ensuring it’s tender and flavorful.
The star of this gyro is the homemade tzatziki sauce, which adds a refreshing and creamy element to the dish. It’s made with shredded cucumber, vegan yogurt, garlic, dill, and other seasonings, creating a cool and tangy complement to the seitan’s savory goodness.
Assembled in a warm pita, along with fresh tomato, crisp lettuce, and slices of red onion, these gyros offer a delightful balance of flavors and textures. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or simply looking to enjoy a tasty and satisfying plant-based meal, Seitan Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce is a must-try dish that captures the essence of Greek cuisine while remaining completely vegan-friendly.
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes
YIELD: 6 gyros
INGREDIENTS:
SEITAN
- 1 cup (120 g) vital wheat gluten (spooned and leveled or weighed)
- ¼ cup (20 g) nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1½ tsp (1 g) dried marjoram
- ¼ tsp ground rosemary
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce (soy-free if needed)
FOR SIMMERING
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure maple syrup
TZATZIKI SAUCE
- ½ medium-sized to large cucumber
- 1 cup (226 g) plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt (nut-free and/or soy-free if needed)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced, or 1 tsp jarred minced garlic
- 1½ tsp (7 ml) olive oil
- ½ tsp white vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (2 g) minced fresh dill
FOR PANFRYING
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil, plus more as needed
FOR ASSEMBLING
- 6 vegan pitas
- ¼ medium-sized red onion, sliced (about ¼ cup [40 g])
- 1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
- 1 cup (72 g) shredded iceberg lettuce
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make the Seitan:
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add vegetable broth and Worcestershire sauce and form a dough ball.
- Knead by hand for 5 minutes or beat in a stand mixer on low speed for 5 minutes.
- Form into a large patty.
2. Simmer the Seitan:
- In a large saucepan, whisk together vegetable broth, water, soy sauce, and maple syrup.
- Bring to a boil and place the seitan patty in the boiling liquid.
- Lower the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for an hour, flipping halfway through.
- Remove from heat and let the seitan patty cool in the liquid for about 30 minutes.
3. Make the Tzatziki Sauce:
- Shred the cucumber and squeeze out excess water.
- In a small bowl, whisk together shredded cucumber, vegan yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, white vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced fresh dill.
- Cover and refrigerate for later.
4. Panfry the Seitan:
- Remove the seitan from the liquid, pat dry, and slice into long, thin strips.
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté seitan strips for 5 to 7 minutes, or until crispy. You may need to do this in batches.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Assemble the Gyros:
- Lightly crisp the pitas in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
- Place an equal amount of seitan, onion, tomato, shredded lettuce, and tzatziki in each warm pita.
- Fold up the sides and wrap the bottom two-thirds tightly in foil.
- Serve immediately.
