Shredded Tofu Kebabs

These Shredded Tofu Kebabs use grated tofu and a blend of spices to create a vegan doner kebab meat that tastes incredible. Served in pitta with roasted veggies and vegan tzatziki — described as “the best kebabs we’ve ever eaten” by both vegans and non-vegans during testing!

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!

Happy cooking, Tara x

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Post updated on: 26th August 2026

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.

Wholesome and nutritious. Filled with wholesome ingredients including fresh colourful veggies, protein-rich tofu and a generous blend of herbs and spices, these kebabs are a filling dinner you can feel good about. At 25g of protein per serving, they are a brilliant high protein vegan dinner.

A vegan doner kebab that actually delivers. The secret is grating the tofu to create shredded strips that mimic doner kebab meat in both texture and appearance. Coated in a bold spice paste and baked until the edges crisp up.

Great for sharing. This is the type of dish that’s made for sharing — pop bowls of warm roasted veggies and spiced tofu kebab meat on the table along with the tzatziki, garnishes and large pitta breads for everyone to help themselves.

Ready in under an hour. The roasted veggies and tofu kebab meat cook simultaneously in the oven, making this a surprisingly efficient weeknight dinner despite the impressive results.

HOW TO MAKE SHREDDED TOFU KEBABS

Here’s a summary of the ingredients and steps. Make sure to head to the recipe card below for the full recipe, ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE ROASTED VEGETABLES:

Red pepper. Adds sweetness and colour. Red, orange or yellow all work — avoid green pepper as it has a more bitter flavour.

Red onion. Adds sweetness and depth. Red onion softens and caramelises beautifully when roasted.

Courgette. Also known as zucchini. Adds volume and a delicate flavour. Can be substituted with sliced butternut squash or aubergine.

Cherry tomatoes. Burst and become jammy when roasted, adding a juicy sweetness to the kebabs.

Olive oil. For roasting the vegetables.

FOR THE TOFU KEBAB MEAT:

Extra firm tofu. The most important ingredient — you need extra firm tofu that can be grated on the coarse side of a box grater. We use the brand Tofoo. Press the tofu well before grating to remove as much excess liquid as possible — this gives crispier results.

Olive oil, lemon juice and tomato puree. These three form the base of the spice paste that coats the grated tofu. The tomato puree adds colour and richness, the lemon juice adds brightness and the olive oil helps the spices adhere and crisp up in the oven.

Garlic, cumin, paprika, onion granules, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. The spice blend that gives the tofu its kebab flavour. The cayenne adds a gentle heat — reduce or omit if you prefer a milder result.

FOR THE VEGAN TZATZIKI:

Vegan greek yoghurt. Use a thick, unsweetened greek-style dairy free yoghurt. We’ve tested this with both unsweetened soya yoghurt and coconut greek yoghurt — both work well.

Cucumber, garlic and fresh mint. The classic tzatziki combination. Finely dice the cucumber rather than grating for a crunchier finish that works well with these kebabs.

To serve:

Large pitta breads, baby leaf lettuce, pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley. The pomegranate seeds are not optional in our opinion! They add a beautiful jewelled appearance and a burst of freshness that really elevates the finished kebab.

EQUIPMENT

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Make sure to head to the recipe card below for the full recipe, ingredient quantities and detailed instructions!

STEP 1. Roast the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional). Chop the red pepper, red onion, courgette and cherry tomatoes and spread them out on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes until softened and starting to caramelise at the edges.

STEP 2. Make the spice paste. While the vegetables are roasting, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, tomato puree, minced garlic and all the spices in a large mixing bowl and stir together into a paste.

STEPS 3 and 4. Prepare and coat the tofu. Press the tofu well to remove excess liquid, then grate using the coarse side of a box grater. Add the grated tofu to the bowl of spice paste and stir thoroughly until evenly coated.

STEP 5. Bake the tofu kebab meat. Spread the spiced tofu out in a thin, even layer on a large unlined metal baking tray — use two trays if necessary to avoid too much overlapping. When the vegetables have been in the oven for 18 minutes, add the tofu tray and bake for 12 minutes until the edges of the tofu are crispy.

STEP 6. Make the tzatziki. Combine the vegan greek yoghurt, finely diced cucumber, minced garlic, chopped fresh mint and a pinch of salt and black pepper in a bowl and stir together. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.

STEP 7. Assemble the kebabs. Warm the pitta breads, then fill each one with baby leaf lettuce, roasted vegetables, a generous portion of the spiced tofu kebab meat and a dollop of tzatziki. Finish with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

SERVING AND STORAGE

HOW TO SERVE

In pitta breads. The classic way — load up large wholemeal pittas with lettuce, roasted veggies, tofu kebab meat, tzatziki, pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley. Serve everything warm and freshly made for the best result.

In flatbreads or wraps. If you can’t find large pitta breads, flatbreads or large wraps work just as well. Roll them up for a more portable serving option.

As a sharing platter. This recipe is brilliant for sharing — serve the tofu kebab meat, roasted veggies, tzatziki, pomegranate seeds and pittas in separate bowls and let everyone assemble their own. Perfect for a relaxed dinner with friends.

With rice. Skip the pitta and serve the tofu kebab meat and roasted vegetables over a bed of fluffy rice with tzatziki drizzled on top. A brilliant gluten free option (be sure to check your other ingredients, such as the yoghurt, tomato puree and spices, for gluten too).

With a side salad. A simple cucumber, tomato and red onion salad with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil makes a lovely fresh accompaniment.

HOW TO STORE

The tofu kebab meat. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C fan for 8–10 minutes to restore the crispy edges, or in a dry frying pan over a medium heat.

The roasted vegetables. Store separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.

The tzatziki. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Stir before serving as it may separate slightly.

Can you freeze the tofu kebab meat? Yes — the baked tofu kebab meat freezes well for up to 2 months. Spread it out on a baking tray to freeze first, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag once frozen (this stops it clumping together). Reheat from frozen in the oven at 180°C fan for 12–15 minutes, or until hot through.

TIPS FOR THE BEST SHREDDED TOFU KEBABS

Choose the right tofu

Extra firm tofu is essential — it has a lower water content which means it grates more cleanly and crisps up better in the oven. We used the brand Tofoo. Avoid silken or soft tofu — these have too much moisture and won’t grate or bake in the same way.

Press the tofu well

Before grating, even with extra firm tofu, press the tofu to remove as much excess liquid as possible. You can use a tofu press if you have one, or if not, wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel, place it between two chopping boards and weigh down the top with a couple of tins for 15 minutes. The drier the tofu, the crispier the kebab meat (so it’s worth doing!).

Grate on the coarse side

Use the large, coarse side of a box grater to grate the tofu. This gives you longer, shredded strips that mimic the texture of doner kebab meat far more convincingly than crumbled or chopped tofu would.

Spread the tofu thinly

When baking the tofu kebab meat, spread it out in a thin, even layer — don’t pile it up (use two trays if necessary). A thick layer of tofu will steam rather than bake, giving you a soggy result rather than delicious crispy edges. Don’t line the tray either — an unlined metal tray gives the best crispy result!

Time the cooking carefully

The tofu only needs 12 minutes in the oven, so add it when the vegetables have been roasting for 18 minutes — that way everything finishes at the same time. Keep an eye on the tofu as it can go from perfectly crispy to overdone quickly.

Use a thick yoghurt for the tzatziki

A thick greek-style dairy free yoghurt is essential for tzatziki — a thin yoghurt will make it watery and it won’t cling to the kebab meat properly. Both unsweetened soya yoghurt and coconut greek yoghurt work well. Make sure it’s unsweetened and neutral in flavour.

Serve immediately

These kebabs are at their best served immediately while the tofu is still warm and the edges are crispy. The roasted vegetables and tofu kebab meat don’t benefit from being made in advance — make the tzatziki ahead if you like, but assemble the kebabs fresh.

VARIATIONS

Swap the vegetables. The roasted vegetable combination is flexible — sliced butternut squash, chopped aubergine, halved mushrooms and cherry tomatoes all work well. Keep the red pepper and red onion as they add the most flavour, and swap out the courgette for whatever you have.

Make it gluten free. Use gluten free pitta breads or serve over rice instead of in pittas. Check the labels on your other ingredients (e.g. yoghurt, spices and tomato puree) if you need a fully gluten free version.

Add extra heat. Increase the cayenne pepper or add a pinch of chilli flakes to the spice paste for a spicier kebab meat. A drizzle of chilli sauce on the finished kebab also works beautifully.

Make it a bowl. Skip the pitta and serve as a kebab bowl — tofu kebab meat and roasted vegetables over rice or bulgur wheat, with tzatziki drizzled generously on top and a squeeze of lemon. A brilliant meal prep option.

HOW WE TESTED THIS RECIPE

Tofu preparation method. We tested crumbling, chopping and grating the tofu. Grating on the coarse side of a box grater gave by far the most convincing kebab meat texture — shredded strips that mimic doner meat.

The spice blend. We tested several different spice combinations before landing on the cumin, paprika, cayenne, onion granule and garlic blend in the recipe. The tomato puree and lemon juice in the paste were essential for the right colour and flavour profile.

Baking vs frying. We tested both methods. Baking the shredded tofu on an unlined metal tray gave the most even result and required the least attention. Frying gave crispier edges but required constant stirring and was harder to manage in large quantities.

Tray lining. We tested with and without parchment paper on the baking tray. Unlined trays gave noticeably crispier results — the parchment prevented the bottom of the tofu from crisping up properly.

The tzatziki. We tested with grated cucumber and finely diced cucumber – diced gave a bit of crunch which paired well with the rest of the kebab. We also tested soya and coconut greek yoghurt — both worked well.

FAQs

Can I make these kebabs in advance?

The tzatziki can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. The tofu kebab meat and roasted vegetables are best made fresh — they taste significantly better served warm straight from the oven. If you need to prep ahead, the tofu kebab meat can be baked and reheated in the oven at 180°C fan for 8–10 minutes.

Can I use silken tofu for this recipe?

No — you need extra firm tofu that can be grated on the coarse side of a box grater. Silken tofu has too much moisture and will not grate or bake in the same way. Extra firm tofu is essential for the right texture.

Can I roast different vegetables?

Absolutely! We recommend keeping the red pepper and red onion as they add the most flavour, but the courgette can be swapped for sliced butternut squash, aubergine or mushrooms. Keep the vegetables cut to a similar size for even roasting.

Is this recipe gluten free?

Not as written. To make this recipe gluten free, serve in gluten free pitta breads or over rice and be sure to check the labels of your other ingredients (yoghurt, spices, tomato puree etc) to ensure they are gluten free.

Can I freeze the tofu kebab meat?

Yes! The baked tofu kebab meat freezes well for up to 2 months. Freeze in an airtight container and reheat from frozen in the oven at 180°C fan for 12–15 minutes until hot through and the edges are crispy again.

What can I use instead of pomegranate seeds?

If pomegranate seeds aren’t available, diced fresh tomato could be used as an alternative. The pomegranate seeds do add a lovely jewelled appearance and a burst of freshness though — worth seeking out if you can.

Can I make this recipe without a box grater?

A box grater is the best tool for achieving the right shredded texture. You’ll need a coarse grater of some kind.

The Full Recipe:

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