Easy Vegetarian Chickpea Gyros
These chickpea gyros are a quick vegetarian dinner that takes just 10 minutes to cook on your stovetop and only a few minutes to prep. That means you can walk in the door and be sitting at the table eating dinner within 15 minutes! It’s got all your favorite Mediterranean flavors with a vegan twist!
You Will Love These
- They take less than 15 minutes from start to finish. It’s HARD to find healthy, vegetarian recipes that are filled with this much flavor that can be thrown together so quickly!
- These vegetarian gyros have all your favorite flavors of falafel with a fraction of the work! No food processor, no waiting for the falafel mixture to chill, no frying in hot oil!
- You can enjoy them as a pita sandwich or make a big, fresh salad with the crispy spiced chickpeas! Remember, my recipes are always blueprints which means you can give each meal your own touch! Toss these spiced chickpeas on a Greek salad or my Whipped Feta Dip for a perfect meal prep lunch for the busy work week!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive Oil — I like a good, organic, cold-pressed olive oil for the depth of flavor that it adds, but you can use whatever cooking oil you have on hand for these chickpeas.
- Chickpeas — Chickpeas are such a great source of plant-based protein that I just always have a can (or two) on-hand. You could substitute Great Northern beans in a pinch, but you’ll miss some of the buttery, nuttiness from the chickpeas.
- Cumin — If you’re fresh out of cumin, coriander is the standard substitute.
- Paprika — You can use any ground pepper powder in place of paprika, but make sure you know what flavors you’re working with. Ancho powder is the best, because the flavor is mild, but it’s not a very common pantry staple. Cayenne is a popular substitute for paprika, but you might want to use less than ¼ teaspoon since it brings more heat.
- Garlic Powder — Fresh out of garlic powder? Mince up two fresh garlic cloves instead (one for every ⅛ teaspoon)!
- Pita Bread — Is there anything more heavenly than soft, pillowy pita bread? You can usually find it whole wheat or gluten-free—whatever you need!
- Dill Yogurt Sauce — Don’t skip the homemade Dill Yogurt Sauce for these chickpea pita sandwiches! It ties everything together and adds a layer of fresh, cool, tangy flavor!
Instructions
Dry chickpeas thoroughly on a clean kitchen towel.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Add chickpeas to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes.
Add cumin, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the chickpeas evenly.
Then cook for another minute or two until the chickpeas are crispy but not burned. Serve your spiced chickpeas on a warm pita filled with cucumber, tomato, red onion, homemade yogurt sauce, fresh dill and crumbled feta.
Tips
- Make sure to dry the chickpeas thoroughly before sauteing them. Eliminating as much moisture as possible will ensure that they get perfectly crispy and crunchy.
- After you add the spices to the pan, be sure to watch the chickpeas closely so they don’t burn. These zesty little beans can go from crispy to burnt real quick, so stir them frequently after you’ve coated them in the spices.
- Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce really makes this dish shine. The cool, creamy sauce really balances out the crisp, spiced garbanzo beans. You can buy tzatziki at the store if you’re in a pinch but my homemade creamy yogurt sauce is suuuuuuper easy and tastes fresher than fresh!
FAQ
A gyro is typically a Greek dish made of gyro meat (a cone of spiced meat on a verticle rotisserie, which can be lamb, chicken, pork, or beef – or a combination) folded in a pita with a variety of toppings. Falafel is a Middle Eastern combination of chickpeas and seasonings, formed into a ball or patty, and fried. Falafel is often served in a pita pocket with a variety of toppings.
The number of calories in a veggie gyro will vary depending on which recipe you’re using. However, veggie gyros typically have fewer calories than traditional gyros because they use a base of vegetables rather than meat. Most veggies gyros will be around 200-400 calories. Additional toppings will add more calories, but the veggies and beans in a chickpea gyro are going to fill you up and fuel you through your day!
Yes! Gyros are a traditional Greek cuisine. They have a long history as a popular food served by street vendors in Greece. This vegetarian gyro recipe is a twist on a traditional gyro, using a combination of Mediterranean-inspired flavors and chickpeas to replace the traditional meat filling.
Favorite Mediterranean Dishes
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Chickpea Gyros
These chickpea gyros are a quick vegetarian dinner that takes just 10 minutes to cook on your stovetop and only a few minutes to prep. That means you can walk in the door and be sitting at the table eating dinner within 15 minutes! It’s got all your favorite Mediterranean flavors with a vegan twist!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 gyros 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean/American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
For serving:
- pita bread
- creamy yogurt sauce
- sliced cucumber
- sliced tomato
- red onion
- fresh dill
- crumbled feta
Instructions
- Dry chickpeas thoroughly on a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Add chickpeas to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes.
- Add cumin, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, and another pinch of salt and pepper.
- Toss to coat the chickpeas evenly.
- Then cook for another minute or two until the chickpeas are crispy but not burned.
- Serve with fresh pita bread, homemade yogurt sauce, cucumber, tomato, red onion, fresh dill, and crumbled feta.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Make sure to dry the chickpeas thoroughly before sauteing them. Eliminating as much moisture as possible will ensure that they get perfectly crispy and crunchy.
After you add the spices to the pan, be sure to watch the chickpeas closely so they don’t burn. These zesty little beans can go from crispy to burnt real quick, so stir them frequently after you’ve coated them in the spices.
Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce really makes this dish shine. The cool, creamy sauce really balances out the crisp, spiced garbanzo beans. You can buy tzatziki at the store if you’re in a pinch but my homemade creamy yogurt sauce is suuuuuuper easy and tastes fresher than fresh!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 gyro
- Calories: 161
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 312.1 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.6 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 5.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
The yogurt sauce really makes this. It’s also amazing how much the crispy chickpeas, in texture and taste, feel like you are eating falafel. My husband especially loved this, and he is not a vegetarian. Thanks!
I could not agree more – I could eat that yogurt sauce on EVERYTHING! I am so glad that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
We have made this a few times now and it is a good, healthy recipe!
I am so glad to hear that, Benjamin!! These are one of our family’s favorites also. Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Really tasty recipe!
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Clara! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂
Delicious and easy; will definitely make these again. Thank you!
I am so glad to hear that, Melissa! This is one of our family’s favorites also! Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
These chickpeas were delicious! The next time, I’m going to make them as the protein on top of a greek salad. Super easy and versatile dish.
These would be GREAT on top of a Greek salad – great idea, Laura! Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Was a really easy to follow recipe and turned out delicious! I love chickpeas and am always looking for new ways to make them. I also happen to love sandwiches of any kind, so this was a win win 🙂
I feel the exact same way about chickpeas AND sandwiches! This recipe really does combine the best of both worlds. Thanks so much for leaving a review, Elizabeth! I really appreciate it 🙂
This recipe was so delicious and filling. I think it was my first time using chickpeas and now I’m a fan ?
Yayyy! I am so glad to hear that Tiffany! This is the PERFECT recipe for a chickpea newbie! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review 🙂
These were amazing!!!
WOOHOO! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Made this last week! I doubled the chickpea amount because I like to stuff my gyros. It was delicious!! Definitely going to make again!
Good call on that! I like mine overflowing too 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving a review, Melissa. I really appreciate it!
I really love the simplicity of this recipe. The spices we not overbearing and putting it all together was simple. This is definitely something for get togethers And days you want something light, but satisfying. Love thus recipe!
Could not agree more, April. This is the perfect quick and easy lunch recipe. Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
I was craving takeout yesterday and wanted to find a healthy substitute- this was perfect! I wasn’t sure if the chickpeas would be filling but it turned out to be just the right amount! I would probably double the recipe if I’m feeding me and one other person though. Otherwise the only other adjustments I made was a little bit more salt and about another 1/4 tsp of paprika.
This is a great substitute for expensive take out!! Filling but healthy at the same time! Chickpeas can be surprisingly filling 🙂 Thank you for leaving a review Olivia!!
Any suggestions to replace the feta and yogurt to make it vegan?
I would use a vegan yogurt or sour cream in place of the regular yogurt. As far as feta…I’m not sure if there is a great vegan cheese that imitates feta. I have really enjoyed Miyoko’s vegan cheeses though – that might be a good place to start!
Followed this recipe to the T and it was delish! Thanks for sharing!
This is one of my favorite quick and easy recipes! I’m so glad that you liked it. Thanks for leaving a review Nia! 🙂
Tried the chickpeas tonight for dinner; amazing!!! Thanks for sharing!
So glad that you liked them Megan – thank you for leaving a review!! They are such a quick and easy (not to mention healthy) dinner – I might have to add them to my meal prep list for this weekend 🙂
These gyros look absolutely delicious! But I’m really down for anything with chickpeas 😉
I could not agree more! Chickpeas are my faaaave!