Tempeh in a gyro sounds a little serious at first, then it hits the pan with soy sauce, herbs, garlic, and olive oil and starts acting like dinner.
These tempeh gyros are wrapped in flatbread with silken tofu tzatziki, red onion, and tomatoes, so every bite is creamy, salty, fresh, and warm.
The tempeh gets browned first, then braised for 10 minutes so it softens and soaks up all that savory sauce.
It feels right for lunch, an easy plant-based dinner, or a casual Mediterranean style spread when you want something filling without meat.
If you are building a veggie night, serve these with Easy Keto Tofu Bhurji, Keto Pan Fried Masala Tofu, Japanese Cucumber Salad, and Keto Vegetarian Pizza.
What Is Tempeh?
Tempeh is a firm fermented soy cake with a nutty bite and a sturdy texture.
It can take on a lot of sauce, which is why it works so well in this gyro.
Why The Tzatziki Uses Silken Tofu
Silken tofu blends into a smooth base that acts creamy without dairy.
Once grated cucumber, lemon juice, dill, vinegar, salt, and pepper go in, it lands in that cool tzatziki zone.
What Goes Into The Gyros And Sauce
How To Make Tempeh Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
1. Slice the tempeh
Place the tempeh block on a cutting board.
Slice it into long strips so it can brown in the pan and tuck into the flatbread later.
2. Start the braising sauce
Pour water into a bowl.
Add the chopped onion and soy sauce.
3. Add herbs, garlic, and pepper
Add rosemary and oregano to the bowl.
Stir in garlic and black pepper, then whisk the sauce together.
4. Heat olive oil and add tempeh
Pour olive oil into a skillet.
Lay the tempeh strips in the pan in a single layer.
5. Cook the tempeh on both sides
Cook the tempeh for about 4 minutes per side.
Flip it once the underside is browned and the strips look golden at the edges.
6. Braise for 10 minutes
Pour the herb sauce over the browned tempeh.
Let it braise for 10 minutes so the strips soak up the sauce and soften.
7. Blend the silken tofu base
Add silken tofu to a blender.
Add garlic and blend until smooth.
8. Finish the tzatziki
Pour the blended tofu into a bowl and add grated cucumber.
Add lemon juice, dill, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, then whisk until creamy.
9. Start the gyro build
Place a flatbread on a plate.
Add the braised tempeh strips down the center.
10. Add tzatziki, onion, and tomatoes
Spoon tzatziki sauce over the tempeh.
Add sliced red onion and tomato over the sauce.
11. Fold and serve
Fold the flatbread around the filling.
Serve while the tempeh is warm and the sauce is still cool.
The Sauce Is Doing A Lot
The tofu sauce cools down the salty tempeh and gives the wrap that gyro feel.
Grated cucumber keeps it light, while dill and vinegar keep it from tasting flat.
How To Serve These Gyros
Serve the gyros warm with extra tzatziki on the side.
A crisp cucumber salad or a bowl of tomatoes would fit right beside them without making dinner feel heavy.
Storage That Makes Sense
Store the tempeh, sauce, sliced onion, tomatoes, and flatbreads separately.
That way the bread stays soft instead of wet, which is a small mercy after a long day.
Tempeh Gyro Questions
Does tempeh taste bitter?
Braising helps soften its stronger flavor, and the soy sauce, herbs, garlic, and onion make it taste savory.
Can I use regular yogurt for the sauce?
This version uses silken tofu, but plain yogurt would make a dairy-based sauce if that is what you prefer.
Do I need to press tempeh?
No pressing is shown here, so just slice it and cook it as written.
Can I make the tzatziki ahead?
Yes, the sauce can be made ahead and kept chilled until the tempeh is ready.
Use The Leftovers
Leftover tempeh strips can go into a salad bowl with the same onion, tomatoes, and sauce.
Extra tzatziki can be spooned over flatbread, cucumber slices, or any warm vegetable that needs a little cool sauce moment.
Tempeh Gyros With Tzatziki Sauce
These tempeh gyros are made with braised tempeh strips, silken tofu tzatziki, red onion, tomatoes, and flatbread. They are savory, creamy, and great for a plant-based meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 4 gyros
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek Inspired
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Egg Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 (8ounce) block tempeh
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (12ounce) package silken tofu
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 flatbreads
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
Instructions
1. Slice the tempeh into long strips.
2. In a bowl, combine water, chopped onion, soy sauce, rosemary, oregano, minced garlic, and black pepper.
3. Whisk the braising sauce together.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet.
5. Add tempeh strips in a single layer.
6. Cook the tempeh for about 4 minutes per side.
7. Pour the braising sauce over the tempeh.
8. Braise for 10 minutes.
9. Add silken tofu and garlic to a blender and blend until smooth.
10. Pour the tofu sauce into a bowl.
11. Add grated cucumber, lemon juice, dill, white wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper.
12. Whisk the tzatziki until creamy.
13. Place flatbread on a plate and add braised tempeh.
14. Top with tzatziki, red onion, and tomatoes.
15. Fold and serve warm.
Notes
- Cook the tempeh in a single layer so it browns before braising.
- Keep the tzatziki chilled until serving for the best contrast.
- Store sauce, tempeh, vegetables, and flatbread separately.
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