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Home » Recipes » Tofu

Vegan Shawarma

Published: Mar 27, 2023 by Lexi

29 shares
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This Vegan Shawarma transforms boring tofu into a chewy, crispy, flavorful meatless main dish! It's perfect for adding to a pita wrap, a salad, or just on its own. With 30 minutes of active cooking time, it's also weeknight friendly!

Finished tofu shawarma on a pita with veggies and sauce drizzle.
Serve this vegan shawarma on a pita with vegetables, hummus and tahini sauce!
Jump to:
  • Why We Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Instructions
  • Tips and FAQs
  • More Tofu Recipes to Enjoy
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

Why We Love This Recipe

  • Budget friendly: This vegan shawarma comes out to less than $1.50 per serving for an affordable and delicious plant-based protein.
  • Easy to make: Simply press the tofu, coat it in spices and bake until crispy and chewy! It comes together in just a few simple steps and uses mostly pantry ingredients.
  • So much flavor: Our shawarma spice blend includes spices like paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic, oregano, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon. With the addition of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice, this vegan shawarma is certainly not lacking in flavor!
  • Crispy tofu perfection: Getting tofu to be crispy can be tricky, but it forms a nice crust in the oven in this recipe – no frying required.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this vegan shawarma:

Vegan shawarma ingredients including tofu and olive oil.
It's important to use extra firm tofu in this recipe.

Ingredient Notes

  • Tofu: Be sure to use extra firm tofu in this vegan shawarma recipe. Extra firm contains less moisture, which will help it get extra crispy and chewy when cooking. Firm tofu will work in a pinch, but don't use medium or silken tofu.
    • It's important to press the tofu before baking to remove as much moisture as possible. If you skip this step, your tofu will not end up getting crisp and chewy.
  • Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is always best – trust us!
  • Salt: We use Diamond brand kosher salt. If you choose to use fine grain sea salt or table salt, note that they are a finer grain so you will most likely want to start with a little less salt and then taste and adjust the recipe if needed.
  • Olive oil: Olive oil pairs well with the spices in this recipe but you can also sub with another oil of choice like avocado, sunflower or vegetable oil. You don't need to use high quality extra virgin olive oil here. Just something basic will do.
  • Spices: The fresher, the better. If you haven't cleaned out your spice cabinet in a while (ahem...a few years), make sure to check the dates. If your spices are past their expiration date, they are typically still safe to use, but they will not be as flavorful or fresh tasting. It's a good reminder to check every once in a while!

Instructions

PREP: Preheat oven to 375˚F/190˚C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain tofu and pat dry. Place the tofu in between several sheets of paper towel (or a clean dish towel) and set something heavy on top (like a skillet). Let it sit for 30 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. 

Slice the tofu into ½-inch thick cubes or into sticks about 2-inches long.

(1) In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice and all of the spices.

Left: spices and oil in a bowl: Right: whisking the spices and oil together.
Make sure to whisk until all of the spices are evenly incorporated.

(2) Add in the tofu and toss gently to coat. 

Left: adding the tofu into the spice blend. Right: tossed tofu in the spice blend.
Use your hands or a silicone spatula to gently toss the tofu to prevent it from breaking up.

(3) Transfer tofu to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cook time. 

Left: tofu before baking. Right: tofu after baking.
Use tongs to flip the tofu halfway through cook time to ensure even browning.

Tips and FAQs

  • Storage: Although this vegan shawarma is best served right away (before the tofu loses its crispiness), you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
  • How to serve:
    • Pita sandwich: Top pita with a bed of hummus, fresh vegetables like cucumber, red onion and tomatoes, a drizzle of tahini sauce (or tzatziki sauce), and the vegan shawarma.
    • Mediterranean plate: Serve with rice pilaf and grilled veggies of choice with hummus and tahini. 
    • Salad: This vegan shawarma also tastes great on top of a crisp salad, like our chickpea fattoush salad or our quinoa tabbouleh salad.
  • Don't skip pressing the tofu: Tofu retains a lot of moisture, so it's essential to remove as much of that moisture as possible in order to make it super crispy. 15-30 minutes should do the trick, but you can press it for up to an hour.
Vegan shawarma in a pita wrap.
This vegan shawarma adds so much flavor to any sandwich, salad, or meal.

More Tofu Recipes to Enjoy

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    Sticky Tofu
  • Overhead view of tofu teriyaki in a bowl.
    Tofu Teriyaki
  • close up view of grilled tofu kebabs with vegetables on a platter with a bowl of peanut sauce.
    Grilled Tofu Kebabs with Peanut Sauce
  • overhead view of vegan tofu tikka masala in a bowl with white rice.
    Tofu Tikka Masala

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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📖 Recipe

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Finished vegan shawarma on a pita with veggies and sauce.

Vegan Shawarma


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  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Vegan Shawarma transforms boring tofu into a chewy, crispy, flavorful meatless main dish! It's perfect for adding to a pita wrap, a salad, or just on its own. With 30 minutes of active cooking time, it's also weeknight friendly!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F/190˚C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Drain tofu and pat dry. Place the tofu in between several sheets of paper towel (or a clean dish towel) and set something heavy on top (like a skillet). Let it sit for 30 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. 
  3. Slice the tofu into ½-inch thick cubes or into sticks about 2-inches long.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice and all of the spices. Add in the tofu and toss gently to coat. 
  5. Transfer tofu to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cook time. 

Notes

Serving suggestions:

  • Pita sandwich: Top pita with a bed of hummus, fresh vegetables like cucumber, red onion and tomatoes, a drizzle of tahini sauce (or tzatziki sauce), and the vegan shawarma.
  • Mediterranean plate: Serve with rice pilaf and grilled veggies of choice with hummus and tahini.
  • Salad: It also tastes great on top of a crisp salad, like our chickpea fattoush salad or our quinoa tabbouleh salad.

Don't skip pressing the tofu: Tofu retains a lot of moisture, so it's essential to remove as much of that moisture as possible in order to make it super crispy. 15-30 minutes should do the trick, but you can press it for up to an hour.

Storage: Although this vegan shawarma is best served right away (before the tofu loses its crispiness), you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Tofu
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 198
  • Sugar: 0.7 g
  • Sodium: 316.9 mg
  • Fat: 15.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4.9 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 10.5 g

Keywords: vegan shawarma

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Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

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