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Delicious vegetarian gyros made with flatbread, hummus (for vegan) or tzatziki sauce, and filled with grilled vegetables make a wonderful Greek-inspired lunch or light dinner. 

Two vegetarian gyros with vegetables and chickpeas in a basket.

Since becoming a vegetarian/pescatarian several years ago, I haven’t missed or craved meat at all. If I want a burger, there are a plethora of veggie burger options with just as much flavor and protein. There is one thing I have missed, however. Gyros. Every year at the local Greek festival I’m reminded of delicious Greek gyros. Maybe it’s my half-Greek heritage, but that soft flatbread with tangy cucumber yogurt sauce that runs down your hand is one of my favorite things ever. I realized recently that I don’t have to miss gyros though – I  can create a vegetarian gyro that is just as tasty as the original. And I did! It’s so simple, that I’m not sure it’s right to even call this a recipe. These vegetarian or vegan gyros are so satisfying and totally cured my gyro craving. Next I’m going to have to try making a vegan tzatziki sauce.

A beautiful platter of grilled vegetables.

This is a great 2-night recipe. Grill lots of summer veggies the first night and use the leftovers for a quick gyro dinner the next. You could use a variety of vegetables. In the summer I usually opt for zucchini, which takes over my garden, eggplant, and bell peppers.

Making vegetarian and vegan gyros with tzatziki, hummus, flatbread, grilled eggplant and zucchini, and cucumber.
Thank you, Trader Joe’s. You have made this dinner incredibly quick. I used the Middle Eastern Flatbread and tzatziki from Trader Joe’s. Just spread that tzatziki sauce (or hummus for a vegan option) on the flatbread and layer your grilled veggies on one half. I added a little more thinly sliced cucumber for crunch, some sliced tomato, avocado, and yellow or red onion to the mix too. To bump up the protein I added a sprinkling of chickpeas. Avocado is definitely not traditional, but that’s my California avocado-lover addition.

 Vegetarian gyros filled with vegetables and tzatziki and wrapped with parchment paper.

Fold your veggie gyro in half and devour this wonderfully satisfying Greek sandwich. It’s lighter and healthier than traditional gyros, but has the same mouth-feel of the flatbread, creamy sauce, and hearty fillings.

Yield: 4 gyros

Grilled Vegetable Gyros

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

A vegetarian or vegan take on Gyros. These lighter gyros are filled with grilled veggies.

Two vegetarian or vegan gyros with flatbread and grilled vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 4 Middle Eastern flatbreads (I used Trader Joe's)
  • 1/2 cup tzitziki sauce or hummus for vegan
  • 1 Japanese eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick and grilled until tender
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick and grilled until tender
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 Roma tomato, sliced
  • 1 Persian or hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 cup garbanzo beans or chickpeas (optional)

Instructions

  1. Grilled eggplant and zucchini are best warm or at room temperature for this recipe.To grill vegetables, brush with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on a BBQ or grill pan until tender, about 5 minutes per side. The zucchini will cook faster than the eggplant, so don't overcook it! No one likes mushy zucchini.
  2. Spread tzatziki or hummus over flatbreads. Layer one side with eggplant, zucchini, onion, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and garbanzo beans. Fold in half and enjoy! So easy, so tasty!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 534Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 816mgCarbohydrates: 86gFiber: 13gSugar: 11gProtein: 21g
© Marina Delio
Cuisine: Greek / Category: Sandwiches