The week prior to trying this recipe, I made some wonderful black chickpea falafel. These were the best falafel I’ve made to date (still need to post the recipe). I wrapped the falafel with pita along with a creamy cashew tzatziki and dill pickle slices. The tzatziki was a delectable combination of cool cucumber, tangy lemon and garlic, and fresh herby dill.
I passed this recipe on to my sister, and she in turn came upon this vegan tempeh gyro recipe. Prior to becoming vegetarian, I used to love a good gyro. I hadn’t had one in quite some time, and was excited to try this authentic appearing recipe.
Rather than repeat the tzatzki and wrap as I used with the falafel, I decided to make a Greek farro bowl with lemon tahini dressing to top with the tempeh meat. The bowl was a simple combination of chopped spinach, tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber. I’ve provided the recipes for both sauces below.
Vegan Gyros with Tempeh
Ingredients:
Tempeh ( Find original recipe here at Veggies Don’t Bite )
- 8 ounce package of Tempeh (I used Lightlife)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped (can use a garlic press)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup veggie broth
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 4 medium to large cloves of garlic, minced (can use garlic press)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of ground cumin
- 6 tablespoons water
Cashew Tzatziki (Find original recipe here at One Green Planet)
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours (or in hot water for 20-30 minutes)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (I used 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 1/2-2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, depending on desired thickness
- 1/2 cup grated cucumber
Instructions:
Tempeh
- The day before or 6-8 hours prior to cooking, cut tempeh block in half
- Boil in a pot of water for 20 minutes (this is optional, but does cut some of the bitterness)
- Make marinade by combining everything in a large container and whisking together
- Once tempeh has cooled, cut into thin slices (1/8 inch thick)
- Add sliced tempeh to marinade and soak 4-6 hours or overnight
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Take tempeh out of marinade (and reserve for use later if desired). Spread in a thin layer in a 9×13 inch baking dish
- Pour 1/4 cup tempeh over tempeh
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brown


Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Can make thinner by adding more water
- Chill prior to serving
Cashew Tzatziki
- In a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients until well combined, except cucumber (reserve 2 tablespoons dill)
- After blending, add grated cucumber and reserved fresh dill


