When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
These shredded tofu kebabs are packed with flavour, using grated firm tofu and a blend of herbs and spices to create a delicious vegan kebab meat. They’re served with roasted veggies, vegan tzatziki and fresh pomegranate in pitta breads for a colourful, flavoursome and nutritious vegan lunch.
When coarsely grated, coated in spices and baked, firm tofu makes a wonderful imitation doner kebab meat that is full of flavour and rich in protein – you won’t even know it is tofu!
Roasted red pepper, onion, courgette and tomatoes add colour and a delicate sweetness to these kebabs and the easy vegan tzatziki uses dairy free greek yoghurt, cucumber and mint to bring a fresh and cooling element. Finish off these vegan kebabs with crisp and juicy pomegranate seeds, baby leaf lettuce and fresh parsley in a large wholemeal pitta.
Described as “the best kebabs we’ve ever eaten” by both the vegans and non-vegans in our taste test, this vegan doner kebab recipe is a must try!
Quick links:
Why you’ll love these Shredded Tofu Kebabs
Beautiful fresh flavours and colours. These kebabs are a riot of colour and flavour – with fresh oven-roasted veggies and lightly spiced shawarma-style kebab ‘meat’ with a kick of chilli. They’re topped off with a beautifully light and cooling cucumber and mint yoghurt tzatziki and garnished with lettuce, glistening red pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley. Beautiful!
Wholesome and nutritious. These kebabs are filled with wholesome and nutritious ingredients including fresh colourful veggies, protein-rich tofu, herbs and spices for a filling lunch that you can feel good about.
Great for sharing. This is the type of dish that is made for sharing – pop bowls of warm roasted veggies and spicy tofu kebab ‘meat’ on the table along with the tzatziki, garnishes and large pitta breads for everyone to help themselves.
How to make these Shredded Tofu Kebabs
Gather together your ingredients – you’ll want an extra firm Tofu that you can grate (try the brand Tofoo).
Chop the red pepper, red onion, courgette and cherry tomatoes and spread them out on a baking tray drizzled with olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
Make the kebab meat by first combining all of the herbs and spices with the oil and tomato puree in a large bowl.
Add the grated tofu to the bowl of spices and stir it together.
Bake the tofu on a large unlined baking tray for 12 minutes until it is starting to go crispy around the edges. Make sure the tofu is well spread out and not overlapping otherwise it’ll take longer to cook.
Make the tzatziki by adding all of the ingredients to a bowl and stirring it together until combined.
Top tips
-
Choosing the right tofu: Pick an extra firm variety of tofu (such as the brand Tofoo) and squeeze out any excess water before grating it using the large/coarse side of the grater.
-
Baking the kebab ‘meat’: When you’re baking the grated tofu kebab ‘meat’ make sure you spread it out on a large tray (or two trays) so that it’s not overlapping too much. Also be sure to use an unlined tray. Following these two tips will result in a quicker bake time and nice lightly-crispy edges to the tofu.
-
Picking the yoghurt for tzatziki: Pick a thick Greek-style yoghurt for the tzatziki and make sure its a neutral, unsweetened flavour. We’ve tried this recipe with both unsweetened soya yoghurt and coconut greek yoghurt, both of which worked well.
-
Serving suggestion: Serve the kebab meat and roasted veggies warm and everything freshly made. It is not recommended to make the kebab meat and roasted veggies in advance.
FAQs
-
Can I make these kebabs in advance? The tzatziki can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, however we do not recommend making the kebab meat and roasted veggies in advance – it tastes best when freshly made.
-
Can I use silken tofu for this recipe? No, you’ll need to use an extra firm variety of tofu that can be grated using a coarse grater. This will give you a texture that is similar to shawarma and doner kebab meat.
-
Can I roast different vegetables? Absolutely! We recommend using a sweet bell pepper (red, orange or yellow) and red onion for flavour but feel free to swap the courgette (zucchini) for another vegetable such as butternut squash or aubergine.
Loved these Shredded Tofu Kebabs? Here are some more delicious vegan lunches to try
-
Looking for another light lunch that’s perfect for warmer days? Try these beautiful Sweetcorn Fritters with Smokey Chipotle Salsa for a flavoursome lunch.
-
Got friends coming around for lunch? No problem! These Fire Roasted Aubergine Kebabs will fill your dining table with colour and a meze-style feel with dips, sides and salads for everyone to tuck into.
-
This is one of those meals that I daydream about! The Ultimate Vegan Club Sandwich is packed to the rafters with chick’n, sweet and smoky ‘bacon’, eggless omelette, avocado, salad and lashings of vegan mayo.
-
If you’re looking for a hearty lunchtime meal try these BBQ Bean Burgers! They’re flavoursome, lightly spiced, have fewer than 10 ingredients and take less than 30 minutes to make.
I hope you LOVE this recipe for Shredded Tofu Kebabs! Share this recipe with someone you think will enjoy it and don’t forget to tag @aveganvisit on social media when you try out the recipe – I absolutely love seeing your re-creations! Enjoy 🙂 x
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below – this provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. If you want more delicious vegan recipes be sure to subscribe to the A Vegan Visit newsletter and join the AVV community on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Tiktok.
The Video Recipe:
The Shredded Tofu Kebab Recipe:
Shredded Tofu Kebabs
Ingredients
For the roasted veggies:
- 1 red pepper (150g, cut into chunks (approx 2cm square))
- 1 red onion (120g, cut into chunks (approx 8ths))
- 1 courgette (150g, cut in half lengthways and then sliced)
- 6 cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the kebab 'meat':
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp tomato puree (45g)
- 2 ½ tbsp garlic (minced (18g))
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tsp paprika
- 3 tsp onion granules
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 540 g extra firm tofu (pressed to remove excess liquid and then grated using a large grater*)
For the tzatziki:
- 250 g vegan greek yoghurt (or a thick, unsweetened dairy free yoghurt**)
- 100 g cucumber (finely diced with the skin left on)
- 2 tsp garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp fresh mint (chopped)
- A pinch of salt and black pepper to taste
To serve:
- 4 large pitta breads
- A large handful of baby leaf lettuce
- 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 4 tsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional / 400°F / gas mark 6).
- Start by making your roasted veggies. Add the chopped vegetables (red pepper, onion, courgette and tomatoes) to a large baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Put in the oven to roast for 30 minutes.1 red pepper, 1 red onion, 1 courgette, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Whilst the veggies are in the oven, make your kebab ‘meat’ by mixing together the kebab ‘meat’ ingredients in a large bowl, with the exception of the grated tofu.3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp tomato puree, 2 1/2 tbsp garlic, 4 tsp ground cumin, 4 tsp paprika, 3 tsp onion granules, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Once all of the spices and oil have been combined into a paste, add the grated tofu and stir together to coat evenly.540 g extra firm tofu
- Spread the kebab meat mixture out on a large baking tray. Don’t line the tray with paper and make a thin layer of tofu only to ensure it bakes properly and crisps up a bit (use two trays if necessary)***.
- Once there are 12 minutes of cooking time remaining on the veggies (i.e. they’ve been in the oven for 18 minutes), add the tray of tofu kebab meat to the oven and cook for 12 minutes.
- Whilst the kebab meat and veggies are in the oven, make the tzatziki by combining all of the tzatziki ingredients together in a bowl and then setting aside at room temperature.250 g vegan greek yoghurt, 100 g cucumber, 2 tsp garlic, 2 tbsp fresh mint, A pinch of salt and black pepper to taste
- To make your kebabs add lettuce, roasted veggies, shredded tofu kebab meat, a generous helping of tzatziki and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and parsley to each pitta. Serve warm.4 large pitta breads, A large handful of baby leaf lettuce, 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds, 4 tsp fresh parsley
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Tara
Hi, I’m Tara! I’m taking you on a trip around the world in vegan cuisine and bringing the world’s most delicious dishes to your kitchen.
