This vegan shawarma wrap is packed with juicy, deeply seasoned tofu, tangy sumac onions, creamy garlic sauce, and a smoky-spicy red sauce—all wrapped up in warm flatbread. This recipe makes two generously filled wraps and is perfect for an easy lunch, dinner, or a homemade takeout-style meal.
And if you’re looking for more meatless dupes of your favorite dishes, check out my vegan birria tacos, chik-fil-a chicken sandwich dupe, and my tacos with chimichurri!
Key Ingredients and Why They Matter
- Extra-firm tofu: Tofu creates the meaty, satisfying filling for this vegan shawarma wrap. Boiling it in a seasoned broth helps flavor the tofu throughout.
- Soy sauce, vegetable bouillon, and liquid smoke: These ingredients create a deeply savory boiling liquid for the tofu. The soy sauce and bouillon add saltiness and umami, while the liquid smoke gives it a subtle charred, grilled flavor.
- Vegan yogurt, tomato paste, and olive oil: These form the base of the shawarma marinade. The yogurt helps the spices cling to the tofu, tomato paste adds richness and color, and olive oil helps the exterior brown and crisp in the air fryer. If you are vegetarian, feel free to use regular yogurt!
- Sumac: This tart, citrusy spice is used in both the tofu marinade and the onion topping. It adds brightness and a slightly fruity acidity that balances the creamy garlic sauce and rich, savory tofu.
- Tortillas: Shawarma is traditionally served in thin Middle Eastern flatbreads such as pita, saj, or lavash. For this recipe, large flour tortillas are an easy, accessible substitute.
How to Make Vegan Shawarma
- Prepare the sumac onions: Add the thinly sliced red onion, sumac, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. Toss everything together, then set the onions aside to soften and marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Boil the tofu: Bring the water, soy sauce, vegetable bouillon paste, and liquid smoke to a boil in a large pot. Add the tofu and boil until it has absorbed the savory flavor. Remove it from the liquid and allow it to cool slightly.
- Coat the tofu in the shawarma marinade: Combine the vegan yogurt, olive oil, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, paprika, sumac, salt, white pepper, coriander, cumin, and hot sauce. Add the boiled tofu and gently toss until every piece is thoroughly coated.
- Air-fry the tofu: Arrange the marinated tofu in the air-fryer basket and lightly spray it with oil. Air-fry at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, turning as needed, until browned and slightly crisp around the edges.
- Assemble the vegan shawarma wrap: Mix together the vegan mayo, garlic paste, salt, and lemon juice to make the garlic sauce. Spread the sauce over the flatbread, then add the air-fried tofu, sumac onions, and any other desired fillings. Fold or roll the wrap tightly.
- Brush and crisp the wrap: Melt the vegan butter and mix it with the hot sauce, ketchup, and smoked paprika. Brush the red sauce over the outside of the assembled wrap, then place it in a hot pan and cook until golden and crisp. For even more flavor, brush it with another layer of red sauce and crisp it once more.
My Expert Tips
Crisp the wrap seam-side down first: Place the assembled wrap seam-side down in the pan after brushing it with the red sauce. This helps seal the wrap before you turn it and crisp the remaining sides.
Don’t skip boiling the tofu: Boiling does more than season the tofu. The heat changes and firms up its soy protein structure, helping the tofu develop a denser, slightly chewier texture that holds together better during marinating and air-frying. It also encourages some moisture exchange, allowing the savory soy sauce, bouillon, and liquid smoke mixture to flavor the tofu more deeply. Let it cool slightly before adding the yogurt marinade so the coating adheres instead of becoming thin or watery.
Vegan Shawarma FAQs
Vegan shawarma can be made with tofu, seitan, soy curls, mushrooms, or another plant-based protein. This vegan shawarma wrap uses extra-firm tofu coated in a yogurt-based shawarma marinade, and air-fried until browned around the edges.
Sumac has a tart, bright, slightly fruity flavor similar to lemon. It adds acidity to both the tofu marinade and the red onion topping, helping balance the creamy garlic sauce and rich, savory filling.
Yes. Arrange the marinated tofu in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, lightly spray it with oil, and bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Bake until the tofu is godlen brown and lightly crisp around the edges.
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Vegan Tofu Shawarma Wraps
Ingredients
For the Sumac Onion Topping
- 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt, or to taste
For the Garlic Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Double the garlic sauce if you prefer extra sauce.
For the Tofu Boiling Marinade
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon paste
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut or torn into shawarma-style pieces
For the Yogurt Marinade
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt or unsweetened vegan yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
For the Red Sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
- 1/2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
For Assembling
- 2 large flour tortillas
- Sliced pickles, optional
- Shredded lettuce, optional
- Sliced tomatoes, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the sumac onions: Add the thinly sliced red onion, sumac, lemon juice, and salt to a small bowl. Massage everything together with clean hands for about 30 seconds, then set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Make the garlic sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic paste, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon juice as needed. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the wraps.
- Shape the tofu: Tear or slice the tofu into thin, irregular pieces. Irregular edges will become crispier during cooking and give the tofu a more shawarma-like texture.
- Boil the tofu: Add the water, soy sauce, vegetable bouillon paste, and liquid smoke to a large saucepan. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the tofu and boil for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Cool the tofu: Carefully drain the tofu and allow it to cool for several minutes. Cooling the tofu makes it easier to handle and helps the yogurt marinade cling more effectively.
- Make the yogurt marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic paste, ginger paste, paprika, hot sauce, sumac, coriander, salt, cumin, and white pepper.
- Coat the tofu: Add the cooled tofu to the yogurt marinade and gently toss until every piece is evenly coated.
- Air-fry the tofu: Arrange the tofu in a single layer in the air-fryer basket. Lightly spray with oil and air fry at 400°F for about 12 to 15 minutes, flipping or shaking halfway through, until browned and crisp around the edges.
- Make the red sauce: In a small bowl, mix the melted vegan butter, hot sauce, ketchup, and smoked paprika until smooth.
- Assemble the wraps: Spread the garlic sauce over each tortilla. Add the tofu, sumac onions, sliced pickles, and any additional fillings you prefer. Fold in the sides and roll each tortilla tightly into a wrap.
- Brush and crisp: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Brush the outside of each wrap with a thin layer of red sauce, then place it seam-side down in the skillet. Cook until golden and crisp, then turn and crisp the remaining sides.
- Add another layer, optional: For a stronger, saucier coating, brush the wraps with a second layer of red sauce and return them to the skillet for another brief round of crisping.
- Serve: Slice the wraps in half and serve immediately with additional garlic sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
