Looking for a fun and filling vegetarian option for dinner? These delicious vegetarian gyros are stuffed in a warm pita with saucy harissa-spiced chickpeas, creamy tzatziki sauce, sweet potato fries, and fresh veggies. This is a great candidate for meal prep too!
I'm a big fan of Greek food, especially traditional gyros, but I wanted to develop a vegetarian version that felt just as nourishing and satisfying. These chickpea gyros are saucy, spicy, and oh-so comforting, with so much flavor wrapped in a fluffy pita.
One of my favorite ingredients in gyros is the french fries! I use sweet potato fries here for added sweetness and a fun twist. For more tasty bean recipes, try my bean and cheese tacos, breakfast beans and eggs, or chili for two.
Ingredient Notes
- Chickpeas: You'll need a can of chickpeas, but you can also make your own to enjoy throughout the week.
- Harissa paste: This is not a traditional ingredient in gyros (it's not even from the same country!), but it offers a nice spice to the chickpeas. I like New York Shuk and Mina brands, as they're mild but packed with lots of flavor.
- Cucumber: I call for one Persian cucumber, or you can substitute half an English cucumber.
- Herbs: Fresh dill is a common herb added to tzatziki, which gives it a nice grassy flavor. Mint is another great option.
- Greek pita: Unlike a typical supermarket pita pocket, Greek pita is pocketless, with a thicker, sturdier texture that's great for holding lots of toppings. I like Kontos pita bread, or you can make your own.
Toppings
In my opinion, the toppings in a gyro serve two functions. First, they add a bit of texture, so I use a combination of crunchy sliced veggies like red onion and iceberg or romaine lettuce. They also offer a bit of brightness to the dish. You can use any variety of toppings, from salty Kalamata olives to feta cheese to juicy tomatoes.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Prep
Step 1: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Evenly arrange in a single layer.
Step 2: Bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes until nicely browned on one side, then flip and bake for another 5 - 8 minutes.
TIP: The cornstarch gives the fries a nice 'crisp', a tip I learned from Cookie and Kate!
Step 3: Meanwhile, make the homemade tzatziki sauce.
In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice. For a larger quantity, try my Greek tzatziki recipe!
Season with salt and keep in the fridge.
Step 4: In a medium skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil, and stir in the harissa paste and tomato paste. Saute over medium heat until the mixture turns dark red. Stir in the spices, water, and chickpeas.
Simmer until the chickpeas are saucy but not soupy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly until warm but not hot.
Assemble
Step 5: To assemble the pitas, I recommend laying down a large piece of aluminum foil (I used parchment in the photo because it's prettier, but foil is much sturdier!).
Overlap the bottom two-thirds of the pita over the foil. Smear a layer of yogurt sauce over the right half of the pita, leaving a bit of space on the edge. Top with the shredded lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
Step 6: Follow with some sweet potato fries and a spoonful of chickpeas.
Take one side of the pita and fold it over the fillings toward the center. Repeat with the other side, overlapping the first fold. This creates a snug wrap around the ingredients. Wrap the bottom half of the gyro with foil, and enjoy!
I love enjoying any leftover fries dipping in the tzatziki sauce or this Taco Bell chipotle sauce recipe!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prep all of the individual components ahead of time, store them in the fridge, and reheat the chickpeas before serving. I do recommend making the sweet potato fries fresh (or omitting the cornstarch, which can dry out the fries in the fridge).
Leftovers should all be stored in airtight containers in the fridge. Leftover chickpeas can be stored in the fridge for 4 - 5 days, the tzatziki sauce should be consumed within 3 - 4 days, and the sweet potato fries should be consumed within 3 - 4 days.
If you don't have harissa paste, I recommend adding another tablespoon of tomato paste to the chickpeas, plus some chili garlic paste, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes. It won't mimic the flavors perfectly but will work in a pinch.
Absolutely. Try this vegan, dairy-free tzatziki, which uses tahini instead of yogurt!
For even more cozy recipes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter.
Happy eating! Love, KarishmaVegetarian Gyros
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, about 8 - 12 ounces total
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, divided
- ½ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 - 2 tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ cup water
- 15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
For the tzatziki:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Persian cucumber, grated
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, grated
- Squeeze of lemon
- Salt, to taste
For serving:
- 2 large pitas, preferably Greek-style pitas or “Gyro” bread | warmed
- A pinch of hot sauce, optional | for extra heat
- Tzatziki sauce, recipe below
- 1 tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bake the fries: Set a rack in the bottom-third of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Peel 1 large sweet potato, then cut into ¼-inch thick fries. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal kosher salt, and black pepper. Arrange in an even layer on a large parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 8 - 10 minutes until nicely browned. Flip, and bake for 5 - 8 minutes until fully cooked through and browned on the other side. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Make the spicy chickpeas: Meanwhile, to a large skillet set over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste, then add 1 tablespoon harissa paste, and cook down for 1 - 2 minutes until the mixture turns dark red. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and toast the spices for 30 seconds. Add ¾ cup water and 15 ounces canned chickpeas, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the chickpeas are saucy but not soupy. Season with salt, and add more harissa if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly until warm but not hot.
- Make the tzatziki: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 Persian cucumber (grated), ¼ cup fresh dill, 1 large clove garlic (grated), a Squeeze of lemon, and season with Salt.
- Assemble: Place a warm pita on a 12-inch square of aluminum foil. Spread ¼ cup of tzatziki from the top to bottom on the right-half of the pita, leaving a couple of inches of space from the edge. Scoop and spread some of the chickpeas over the tzatziki, followed by some of the fries. Top with some of the tomato, lettuce, red onion, and hot sauce (if desired). Take one side of the pita and fold it over the fillings toward the center. Repeat with the other side, overlapping the first fold. This creates a snug wrap around the ingredients. Wrap the bottom half of the gyro with foil, and repeat with the second pita. Serve immediately, and enjoy!TIP: I like to serve any remaining sweet potato fries with the tzatziki for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Karishma
Owner's Review: I'd been looking to build out more nourishing, balanced vegetarian weeknight meals so this is how this recipe came to fruition. It requires a bit of prep, but you can easily make most of the components ahead of time!