Quick Vegan Shawarma
Many years ago, when I was a poor student, I lived in a small town in Germany near the Dutch border.
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I worked outdoors most of the day, so I had to take care of my own lunch.
Since I didn't have much money, most of my lunches were based on Turkish shawarma stands (doner kebab).
For a euro and a half, I would eat a massive portion of Turkish shawarma inside a large pita, with the fat literally dripping onto the city square's pavement.
I think I used to eat a portion of shawarma like that almost every day.
No wonder that after a few months, it felt like I was slowly turning into a shawarma myself.
I developed a small belly, and little breakouts began to decorate my face.
I looked and felt terrible.
When I returned to Israel, I stopped eating street shawarma (and animal products), my stomach returned to its previous state, and the Mediterranean sun worked wonders for my skin.
Since then, every time I pass a shawarma stand, I recall my broke days in Germany with a shiver.
Despite this, to this day I love making vegan shawarma at home—which is undoubtedly the healthier version of this Turkish dish.
A bit about the recipe:
The base of the recipe is tofu that I grated on a grater; you can replace the tofu with the same amount of seitan.
To add a bit of crunch to the juiciness, I add half a fried onion. I really think you shouldn't skip it, but if you insist, it's on you.
The shawarma flavor comes from a shawarma spice blend I bought at the supermarket. If you can't find it or want to make your own, you can substitute it with half a teaspoon of cumin, half a teaspoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of turmeric, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
The result will be similar.
I love devouring the shawarma with a 50g whole-wheat tortilla, fresh vegetable salad, a tablespoon of tahini, and a bit of spicy sauce.
Don't forget the spicy sauce!
Nutritional values by clinical dietitian and fitness trainer: Noam Bachar
A 70g serving of vegan shawarma contains:
139 kcal
8g protein (including 2g saturated fat)
4g carbohydrates
10g fat
An additional tablespoon of tahini contains:
100 kcal
4g protein
2g carbs
9g fat (including 2g saturated fat)
An additional 50g whole-wheat tortilla or pita contains:
130 kcal
5g protein
27g carbs
3g fat
Have extra tofu left? How about carrot soup with roasted tofu cubes?
Vegan Shawarma
Ingredients
- 150 g tofu
- 1/2 onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp shawarma seasoning
Instructions
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Grate the tofu on the coarse side of a grater.
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Chop the onion and fry in olive oil for a few minutes until golden
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Add the grated tofu and mix well
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Add the shawarma seasoning and mix well
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Serve in a warm pita with vegetable salad, tahini, and spicy sauce
