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This crispy, spiced vegan shawarma has officially earned a permanent spot in our weeknight dinner rotation. I’ve tested and re-tested it to get that perfect golden edge, bold spice blend, and actual flavor absorption (you know how tofu likes to pretend it’s a flavor sponge but isn’t? We’ve solved that by shaving the tofu!).
save this recipe!Craving vegan shawarma? While my roasted chickpea gyros come close to satisfying the craving, there’s just something about the texture of shwarma that chickpeas can’t replicate.
This easy 30-minute recipe features crispy shaved tofu, a creamy garlic yogurt sauce, and big Mediterranean flavor (no marinating or frying required).
- Flavor-packed: A homemade shawarma seasoning (with a bunch of spices you probably already have).
- Fast + easy: No-marinating needed thanks to a spice oil that actually sticks to the tofu.
- Meal prep friendly: The tofu keeps great for leftovers and makes amazing lunches stuffed into pita or tossed over salad.
Reader rating
Key Ingredients
These pantry-friendly ingredients come together to make a seriously satisfying high-protein vegan wrap. Jump to the recipe card for amounts and instructions!
- Tofu: We’re using extra-firm tofu here because it holds its shape and crisps up beautifully in the oven. The thin shreds soak up the seasoning and get golden and chewy, just like traditional shawarma meat.
- Olive oil: Helps carry the spices and crisp the tofu. Don’t skimp here, it’s essential for browning.
- Spices: A mix of smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cinnamon, turmeric, and salt. This combo brings deep, warming flavor with just the right amount of earthiness and smoky depth.
Keep it saucy
No shawarma wrap is complete without a good sauce! While cucumber tzatziki is great here, I especially love it with a garlicky yogurt sauce. It’s a quick combination of plain vegan yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh dill, and a pinch of salt.
The secret to next-level tofu
Shaving tofu into thin strips is a game-changer. It creates more surface area for all that flavorful spice oil to cling to and helps the tofu crisp up beautifully in the oven. Instead of thick cubes that stay bland in the middle, these delicate shreds get golden, chewy, and packed with flavor in every bite. Plus, the texture mimics the tender edges of traditional shawarma, no meat (or marinating) required.
Topping Ideas
- Pickled red onions
- Fresh mint or parsley
- Sliced cucumbers or tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage
- A drizzle of tahini
Plays well with…
Shortcut Baba Ganoush
25 minutes
Classic Tabbouleh Salad
30 minutes
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (So Crispy!)
45 minutes
Vegan Shawarma (With Shaved Tofu)
Ingredients
For the Tofu Shawarma
- 2 blocks extra-firm tofu
- ½ cup olive oil, 120 mL
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and turmeric
For the Garlic Sauce
- ½ cup unflavored vegan yogurt, 120 g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 15 mL
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 15 mL
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- Pinch of salt
To Serve
- Pita bread or flat bread
- Sliced tomatoes, pickled red onion, fresh mint or Italian parsley, feta cheese
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Pat dry the 2 blocks extra-firm tofu dry, then use a vegetable peeler to shave it into thin pieces. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet (you may need to use more than one sheet).
- Flavor: Whisk together ½ cup olive oil, 2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and turmeric. Brush half of it onto the tofu. Flip over each piece and brush with remaining seasoning.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tofu is golden brown and crispy at the edges.
- Sauce: While tofu bakes, stir together all of the Garlic Sauce ingredients.
- Serve: Spread sauce onto pita or flatbread, topping with shawarma and your desired toppings (I love it with pickled red onions, tomatoes, and fresh mint). Roll or fold in half and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
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!
Yeeees! This is SO good. My only feedback is that you should use a pairing knife or a Y peeler. My traditional vegetable peeler destroyed the tofu. Regardless, it was crispy perfection. I served it with dosa, mango chutney, dal, and yogurt sauce. I’ll be making this many more times.
This recipe absolutely slaps!! My husband said “I could eat that four times a week”. We did a variety of fresh toppings (thinly sliced tomato, fresh red onion, fresh dill, chopped romaine and squeezes of fresh lemon). We used some beet hummus as a spread. 100% this recipe is going into our favourite rotation!
Thanks for the kind words Samantha, happy eating!
Our family had this tonight for the first time and it was a MASSIVE hit for everyone at the table. We followed the recipe exactly and our only note was to be careful that the tofu doesn’t get TOO crispy in the oven. The yogurt sauce paired perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing this.
So glad it hit the spot, thanks for sharing!
This recipe hits all the right spots. The only thing I did do differently is not use a veggie peeler. I used a large sharp knife cut the tofu. I would also recommend cutting the tofu about the thickness of thick bacon. But this hands down is my go too for dinner when I am craving a trip to local Coney Island.
I’m so thrilled to hear that you love the recipe, Vicki! Happy eating!
This came out great! I’ve seen similar recipes float around and have been meaning to try it. I was skeptical and thought it would either just be wet or completely dry, but it came out great – I loved how some pieces were juicy and others crunchy. I omitted the cinnamon and turmeric and it still tasted great. I would use a little less salt next time though. I served this with quinoa stuffed peppers, pita and hummus and a Mediterranean salad (artichoke, tomatoes, feta). I’ll definitely make this again for more of a wrap/kebab style meal. Seems like leftovers would work well cold as well, stuffed into sandwiches or pita pockets – we ate it all though so I’ll have to make a bigger batch!
Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your feedback Annie!
I used super firm tofu but when I tried to slice it very thin it fell apart, so I had to slice a little thicker. The flavor was delicious but I had to bake it a lot longer for it to start crisp. Any suggestion for thinner slices, freezing? I will make it again anyways.
It can be a little tricky to get those super thin slices! Just make sure your knife or vegetable peeler are super sharp. I haven’t tried freezing it, but that could be a good idea! I would maybe try popping it in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour so that it’s firm, but not frozen solid, and then see how that slices up!