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These roasted chickpea gyros are an easy protein-forward vegetarian dinner, perfect for feeding the whole family on busy weeknights. Originally created in 2015, this recipe has since been devoured by thousands of readers who love it. It’s a fan favorite!

Serve it with this Mediterranean quinoa kale salad or this tahini cucumber salad!

Two pita wraps filled with roasted chickpeas, fresh greens, tomato slices, red onion, and a creamy white sauce, served on parchment paper with extra chickpeas scattered around.
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Best Veggie Gyros…Ever

As a seasoned gyro enthusiast and fanatic of chickpea recipes, I’m here to tell you this roasted chickpea gyro recipe is the BEST!

You get all the deliciousness of classic gyros with a feel-good, plant-based twist—roasted chickpeas, fresh veggies, and creamy tzatziki, all wrapped in pillowy-soft pitas.

Reader rating

★★★★★

“I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was the absolute best. It is so incredibly simple and it tastes so good. This recipe will be a regular in my life from now on. I wish I had tried it sooner.” —Christina K

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A hand holds a chickpea gyros pita stuffed with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, spiced roasted chickpeas, and a creamy white sauce.
Serve them on a folded or stuffed pita flatbread (everyone at the table can assemble their own).
A glass container holds pita bread, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, roasted chickpeas, and a portion of creamy white dip—perfect for assembling fresh chickpea gyros.
Or meal prep it for a vegetarian lunch worth looking forward to! Makes 4 meal prep lunches.

Key Ingredients

These chickpea gyro wraps are made with easy-to-find, budget-friendly ingredients. Jump to the recipe card for all the measurements – this is just an overview.

  • Chickpeas: Chickpeas bring protein, fiber, and a satisfying texture to your gyros. You can use canned chickpeas for convenience or try cooking your own chickpeas from dry for the creamiest texture.
  • Spices: To create a classic gyro taste, we’ll use paprika for smokiness and color, black pepper and cayenne for a kick, and salt.
  • Pita Flatbreads: If you’re gluten-free, try using gluten-free wraps or lettuce leaves as an alternative.
  • Tzatziki: This creamy, tangy sauce is a must for traditional gyros! Find it pre-made near the hummus and dips section, or easily make your own tzatziki. If you’re dairy-free, try vegan yogurt for a dairy-free tzatziki.
Ingredients for a pita sandwich laid out on a green surface: pita bread, chickpeas, oil, sliced onion, seasonings, tomato slices, chopped lettuce, and tzatziki sauce.

Making vegetarian gyros is So Easy

Jump to the recipe for the full printable recipe – this is just an overview.

  1. Prep the oven and pat the chickpeas dry before tossing them with spices.
  2. Roast the chickpeas on a greased-rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Assemble the pitas with chickpeas, veggies, and sauce!
A flatbread with chickpeas, tomato slices, red onion, lettuce, and white sauce on parchment paper, surrounded by ingredients on a green surface.
We won’t roast the chickpeas for too long—just until they’re cooked but not hard. This will give them a hearty texture, replacing any desire you may have for putting meat into this vegetarian sandwich.

roast Or Air Fry

You can roast the chickpeas in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes. Or, if you have one, you can also roast chickpeas in the air fryer. (It’s much quicker!)

Two pita wraps filled with roasted chickpeas, fresh tomato slices, red onions, greens, and a creamy white sauce, served on a tray.
A pita wrap filled with lettuce, tomato, red onion, seasoned chickpeas, and a creamy spread—these delicious chickpea gyros are tied with twine and partially wrapped in paper for the perfect handheld meal.
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Roasted Chickpea Gyros

4.81 from 192 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
These roasted chickpea gyros are an easy, family-friendly vegetarian dinner–perfect for busy weeknights. A fan-favorite recipe loved by thousands since 2015!

Ingredients 

  • 1 15-oz can chickpeas, 425 g, 1 ½ cup soaked chickpeas if starting from dry, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
  • 1 Tbsp paprika*
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 4 pita flatbreads
  • 1 cup tzatziki (click for recipe), 250 g, use ⅓ recipe if you’re just making it for these gyros
  • ¼ red onion, cut into strips
  • 2 lettuce leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tomato, sliced
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Instructions 

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Drain and pat dry 1 15-oz can chickpeas with paper towel, removing any skins that may come off.
    Cooked chickpeas spread out on a white paper towel for drying, placed on a light green surface.
  • Flavor: In a medium bowl, toss chickpeas with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp paprika*, 1 tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, and ¼ tsp salt.
    A glass bowl filled with chickpeas topped with various spices, including paprika and salt, on a light green textured surface.
  • Roast: Spread chickpeas on a greased rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes until lightly browned but not hard.
    Seasoned roasted chickpeas are spread evenly on a baking sheet, showing a golden-brown color and scattered spices.
  • Assemble: Spread some tzatziki onto one side of the pita, then sprinkle in chickpeas and add veggies. Fold in half and enjoy!
    Two flatbreads filled with roasted chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and creamy sauce, served on parchment paper with a spoonful of sauce and veggie slices nearby.

Notes

*If you don’t like spicy foods, halve the amount of paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Taste a chickpea before baking and adjust flavors as needed.
If your pita bread cracks when you fold it, cover the rest with a moist paper towel and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Assemble your sandwiches immediately after microwaving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gyro | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11.5g | Fat: 12.6g | Sodium: 575mg | Fiber: 7.5g

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

Mediterranean PAIRINGS

P.S. For another vegetarian sandwich you’ll love, try my easy veggies wraps with hummus! Or make my infamous Marry Me Chickpeas recipe for another easy chickpea dinner.

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4.81 from 192 votes (91 ratings without comment)

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258 Comments

  1. Karissa says:

    2 stars
    Hi, I was wondering if you had the measurements right.. 1 tbsp of paprika and 1/2 tbsp of pepper is ALOT! I followed this and mine came out terrible. It was way too spicy! I would think you meant 1 tsp instead of tbsp. I’ll make again but definitely not with all these spices!

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      Hi Karissa, sorry to hear you didn’t like the gyros! The measurements are correct, and yes it has a kick to it, but the tzatziki works to balance that out (heck, my boyfriend even put hot sauce on it!) If you’re not a fan of spicy flavors, I’d suggest cutting the paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in half next time, then taste the chickpeas before you cook them and adjust as needed. I hope you’ll give it another go! 🙂

    2. Grace says:

      4 stars
      I too wondered about the measurements. I didn’t think it was too spicy but I thought the mixture was too dry spice heavy meaning it was too dry when cooked. I just took the too dry chickpeas I ended up with and used them to make a hummus (following the recipe you gave) but substituted a small avocado instead of olive oil. This was a great alternative and tasted great with pita chips.

      The flavor on this recipe is fantastic but I think the measurement should definitely modified based on desired texture.

    3. Sarah says:

      Hi Grace! The chickpeas should certainly be a bit crispy once cooked, but if they’re coming out dry they may have cooked for too long. I tend to prefer dry chickpeas for snacking (like in place of chips), but these are meant to still have some moisture in the beans. Your hummus sounds so great though! I’ll have to give it a try 🙂

  2. Karine says:

    5 stars
    wow, this recipe is incredible
    I used to make vegan gyros with souflaki-style seitan but they stopped making it. But this works perfectly. I really really love it.
    thank you for this fantastic recipe

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      So happy to hear, Karine! I’ve never actually tried seitan, but it’s on my list of foods I’d like to explore in my ingredient spotlights. I’m happy to hear chickpeas make a good substitute! With the spices and roasting they take on a really great, hearty texture. Happy cooking! 🙂

  3. Dee Jaee says:

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness, I decided last night to gradually stop eating meat. I’m going to be having at least 3 meatless days a week and work toward going completely vegetarian and possibly vegan. This is the first meal I made on my first official meatless day and I am in LOVE. I replaced the tzatziki with pumpkin and kumara (NZ word for Sweet Potato) hummus and used garlic infused pita bread warmed in the oven. I wish I’d roasted the chickpeas for a little longer but I know for next time! Thanks for the recipe, it was a delicious welcome into my new healthier and more ethical life style 😀 Can’t wait to try more!!!

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      So happy to hear, Dee Jee!! I think you’re starting off your new lifestyle really well by gradually tapering into a new pattern. I once tried to go vegan cold turkey and after 4 days caved (I was having INTENSE Cheeto cheese crisp cravings!) I’m posting a new bulgur falafel recipe with homemade garlic flatbreads today if you’re interested in keeping the vegetarian sandwich train rolling. It’ll be up in a few hours! Thanks so much for dropping by 🙂

  4. Emily | Oat&Sesame says:

    This is just what I am in the mood for lately! Spicy chickpeas! Yum!!

    Reply
  5. Justeen says:

    5 stars
    Just made these for dinner and they are SO good!
    I’m happy I found your blog 🙂

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      So happy to hear, Justeen! Thanks so much for dropping a note 🙂

  6. Anna says:

    5 stars
    So, I made these for dinner tonight and …Wow!…they are fantastic. So easy. So filling. So healthy. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for such a unique and delicious dinner!

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      So happy to hear, Anna! I always underestimate just how filling they are. Those chickpeas can pack a punch!

  7. Karen B. says:

    5 stars
    BEST dinner EVER!!! Makes me feel like I can actually become a vegetarian… just as good as a gyro with chicken! The spice matching would impress any chef : )

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      Aw thanks so much, Karen! Aren’t the chickpeas so hearty? You forget you ever even would have wanted meat on it!

  8. Diane Lynn says:

    Hi Sarah!

    I found your recipe through Pinterest. I’m so excited to try it. It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing it!

    Diane Lynn
    http://www.thegratitudeletters.com/

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      Thanks so much, Diane! 🙂

  9. Cathy says:

    I just made this for my vegetarian daughter. She’s enjoying it (minus the cucumber haha). I think I have your problem, though. I can’t stop eating the chickpeas! Yum! I’ll make this for the whole family soon.

    Reply
    1. Sarah says:

      So happy to hear she liked it, Cathy! I’m like her in that usually I despise cucumbers. But for some reason in tzatziki I can tolerate ’em. Thanks so much for dropping by! 🙂

  10. Sarah says:

    I’ve had a lot of readers make these with their version of a vegan tzatziki and they say it works! Thanks so much for swinging by, Deryn 🙂

    Reply