These Easy Greek Falafel Gyros are simple and refreshing. The perfect easy lunch, these gyros are delicious and healthy!
*Originally published June 24, 2021 and updated with new copy and photos 1/22/22.
One of the things that I love most about hot Summer days is the bright and refreshing foods we get to eat. I recently went back into the office full time for work and I have to be honest when I say that I do miss working from home some. While it is so nice to interact with others and make friends with amazing coworkers, I naturally enjoy the time alone to do my work. I also have to commute half an hour each way as well which is not so fun.
After working in the office all day, sometimes you just want to come home and have a quick and easy meal. These Easy Vegan Greek Falafel Gyros are exactly that. They are seriously so easy, there is no cooking required and they come together in around 15 minutes.
For some other quick meals, check out these Ultimate Gyro Fries, these 30 Minute Vegan Sloppy Joe Bowls or these Vegan Portobello Mushroom Tacos.
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Ingredient Notes
- Frozen Falafel- Part of what makes this recipe so easy is using pre-made frozen falafel. You should be able to find them in the frozen section of your grocery store. You are more than welcome to make your own falafel, however, I find that it can be time-consuming, and often when I want a quick lunch, I don't have the time to soak dried chickpeas overnight.
- Persian Cucumber- Persian cucumbers have less water than garden cucumbers and they don't contain any seeds. That is what makes them perfect for making the tzatziki sauce. However, if you can't find Persian Cucumbers at your store or you don't have them in your fridge, you are more than welcome to sub for a garden Cucumber.
- Pita Bread- We are serving these falafel gyros on pita bread, if you don't have pita, feel free to use whatever flatbread you have on hand.
- Vegan Greek Yogurt- To make the vegan tzatziki sauce, we are using a base of vegan greek yogurt. This is my favorite brand to use. Feel free to use whatever you can find, just make sure it is plain and not flavored.
Please see the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
How to Make the Tzatziki Sauce
- Shred the cucumber and using a towel, press out the excess water
- Combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and dill.
- Chill until ready to use.
How to Assemble the Gyros
- Bake the Falafel according to the package directions
- Shred the lettuce and spinach
- Slice the onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomato
- Add the vegetables to a pita wrap, top with falafel, and drizzle with tzatziki sauce
- Fold into a sandwich and enjoy!
Hint: Add all the vegetables to a large bowl and save the leftovers and eat like a big salad later!
Substitutions
- Nightshade Free- Feel free to leave out the tomatoes and bell pepper if you are sensitive to nightshades.
- Tortillas- If you don't have pitas on hand, you can easily swap them for tortillas and make them wrap style.
- Low Carb- Use a low-carb tortilla or serve this bowl-style to keep the carb count down!
Variations
- Hummus- Feel free to swap the tzatziki sauce with hummus. I bed Roasted Red Pepper would be great!
- Mushrooms- Feel free to swap the falafel in these gyros with sauteed portobello mushrooms to give it a meaty texture.
- Mint- Feel free to add some fresh mint to the tzatziki sauce to give imbue it with extra freshness
FAQ's
The name gyro comes from the Greek γύρος. The name comes from the vertical rotisserie that the meat is cooked on. This gyro that I have for you today is a vegan version of a traditional.
Yes, you can use dried herbs in the tzatziki sauce, however it will be missing some of the brightness that the fresh herbs bring.
Yes, you can make these vegan gyro sandwiches as meal prep, however I would recommend prepping all the ingredients separately. I like to store the vegetables in airtight glass containers and the tzatziki sauce in disposable plastic cups and then bring the falafel and pita bread in a separate bag and then assemble my gyros when ready to eat.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.
- Bowls
- Chef Knife
- Baking Sheet
- Cutting Board
Storage
Store all of the ingredients separately. Store the vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Cover and store the tzatziki sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the falafel and pita bread at room temp either in a gallon size ziplock bag or a Tupperware container for up to three days.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top Tips
- Serving suggestions for these homemade gyros include roasted potatoes, Warm Basil Pesto Potato Salad, chips, or this Spicy and Fresh Watermelon Salad!
- To make these even quicker, prepare the falafel up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container. Then all you have to do is shred the vegetables and make the tzatziki sauce!
- Top these homemade vegan gyros with vegan feta cheese to add some extra tanginess and creaminess!
Other Great 30 Minute Recipes
- Baked Walking Taco Casserole
- Gluten-Free Korean Inspired Curry Rice
- 30 Minute Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad
- Fall Butternut Squash Vegan Tortellini
- Easy 30 Minute Vegan Chili Mac
Easy Greek Falafel Gyros
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 2 cups spinach
- 10 ounces Frozen Falafel
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 to mato
- 2 Persian cucumbers
- 2 cups vegan plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Pita Bread for serving
Instructions
- Shred the cucumber and using a towel, press out the excess water
- Combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and dill into a small bowl and set aside.
- Bake the Falafel according to the package directions
- Shred the lettuce and spinach
- Slice the onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomato
- Add the vegetables to a pita wrap, top with falafel, and drizzle with tzatziki sauce
- Fold into a sandwich and enjoy!
Notes
- Serving suggestions for these homemade gyros include roasted potatoes, Warm Basil Pesto Potato Salad, chips, or this Spicy and Fresh Watermelon Salad!
- To make these even quicker, prepare the falafel up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container. Then all you have to do is shred the vegetables and make the tzatziki sauce!
- Top these homemade vegan gyros with vegan feta cheese to add some extra tanginess and creaminess!
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Audrey says
These were perfect for our weekly meatless Monday!! Yum
Anaiah says
Love this chickpea gyro recipe! So simple and still so flavorful. And healthy too! It kept me full without making me feel heavy.
Andrea White says
These gyros look amazing!
Amanda Scarlati says
I love anything chickpeas - these so sound flavorful and delicious. Can't wait to try!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
Falafel is my go to, anytime we go for Greek food. I just love them! These sandwiches look fantastic!
Sue says
Oh I so love gyros but always felt like I wanted a healthier version. This is the answer!
nancy says
such a great recipe idea!! I love gyros but this one is so healthy!! i can't believe it!
Kalin Williams says
Yum! I discovered frozen falafel recently and fell in love - I'm definitely going to give this a try!
Shilpa says
These vegan gyros look delicious. So easy to put together!
Linda S says
Can you make this recipe using naan bread instead? I’ve never made pitas yet but would to try this with Some naan!
Jacqui says
These are so lovely! My whole family really liked this one.
Jeannie says
I lobe falafels and have to try this recipe. Its healthy and filling, great meal for dinner
Michelle says
I absolutely love finding delicious vegan greek recipes!!!
Gina Abernathy says
This looks so fresh and healthy. I like gyros and these ingredients are some of my favorites. Perfect for lunchtime.
Elizabeth Swoish says
Such great flavors! The whole family loved it! Thank you!
Ana says
Oh these vegan chickpea gyros are a HIT! I'll have to make these more often as everybody loved them!
Dawn Conklin says
These vegan falafel gyros are so easy to make and delicious! We set it up like a taco bar where we could all put our favorite things on the pita and the family loved it. The tzatziki sauce is amazing.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
My boys and we can eat these gyros all day long. One of our favorite ever and they are so refreshing. So easy to assemble and we love adding and taking out ingredients depending on our mood for the day.
Ruth Grindeland says
Kuddos, I am super picky about my Arabic food. This falafel sandwich was perfect!
Marinela says
These super flavorful falafel gyros are perfect for busy days! They are so easy to prepare yet so filling and incredibly delish. Love nutrient-dense light lunches like this, thank you for the idea!
Chris says
I was searching for a good vegan gyros recipe for a long time! I'm so thankful I found your recipe! This is the best vegan gyros I've ever prepared! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Michelle says
These are just perfect! I've been getting frozen falafel from trader joe's so this recipe came at the right time 🙂
dave says
how wonderful to have a vegan version for this gyros classic
Ana says
Even non-vegans love these falafel gyros! Everything turned out so delicious and is very easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
emily says
this is really great portable lunch on the go without being so weighted!