Grilled Tofu Shawarma

Served with grilled veggies and a tomato cucumber salad, this grilled tofu shawarma eats like a salad or grain bowl with chickpeas and couscous.

There are so many things you can do with tofu. It’s a total chameleon ingredient.

As a vegan substitute for proteins in meals, tofu has the ability to take on a lot of flavor.

And you can stir-fry it, bake it and even grill it.

For this grilled tofu shawarma, I create my version of that signature spice mix with turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and a slew of other seasonings and make it into a marinade with lemon juice and olive oil.

The best part about grilling the tofu is that it gives it this wonderful slightly smoky taste. 

What Is Shawarma?

Typically made from chicken, beef or lamb that is thinly sliced and stacked into a cone shape, shawarma is served wrapped in a pita or flatbread with pickles and veggies.

It is considered a street food and has roots that date back to the Ottoman Empire.

My grilled tofu version goes very big on the vegetables and is served on a plate or in a bowl rather than being wrapped in a pita. It eats like a salad or grain bowl.   

The Ingredients

This is what you need for the tofu shawarma:

• Tofu: Because the tofu is sliced and grilled in this recipe, I use extra firm tofu since it keeps its shape. 
• Seasoning mix: The spices in this blend include turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper.
• Lemon juice: With so many dried spices, lemon juice adds brightness to the marinade as well as the tomato cucumber salad.
• Zucchini, yellow squash & red peppers: For me, these are the best trio for grilled vegetables.
• Grape tomatoes, cucumbers & red onions: This simple salad also has lemon juice, parsley and olive oil. 
• Couscous: I love couscous because it’s such a quick cooking option instead of rice, but you can use whatever cooked grains you have in your kitchen including quinoa.
• Chickpeas: For serving, a scoop of chickpeas makes this combination of tofu and veggies even more hearty and filling.

How To Make Grilled Tofu Shawarma

Before marinating the tofu, you need to press the moisture out of the block. You can wrap it in paper towels and place a heavy pot or cutting board on top of it and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

Pressing the tofu improves its texture and helps it hold its shape, which is important since it’s going to go on the grill. I cook tofu so often that I have a tofu press.

Once the tofu is pressed, I cut it into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Then I whisk together turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil in a big bowl.

I add the tofu and spoon the marinade over it. 

While to tofu is marinating, I prep the veggies. Zucchini, squash and red peppers are my favorite combination to grill. I just toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper.

The only thing left to make before I preheat the grill is the tomato cucumber salad. In a small bowl, I stir together the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, parsley, lemon, juice olive oil, salt and pepper.

By making the salad now, it gives it a chance to let the flavors meld.

Finally, it’s time to fire up the grill.

Since the vegetables take longer, I grill them first. 

With the zucchini, squash and peppers sliced lengthwise into strips, it makes it easier to arrange them on the grates and not risk them falling through.

Once they are grill marked, I give them time to cool a little before dicing the vegetables.

Next I grill the tofu. It only takes 1-2 minutes per side for it to finishing grilling.

Serving The Tofu

You can serve the tofu on a plate or in a bowl. I like to arrange each component in it’s own section. Then when I eat it, everything just ends up mixed together.

In addition to the tofu, roasted vegetables and tomato cucumber salad, I also include chickpeas and couscous. 

The tofu can be left in slices or you can cut it into cubes before plating it.

I finish everything with chopped parsley.

Can You Use A Grill Pan?

Absolutely! I am a big fan of stovetop grill pans. Not everyone has access to outdoor space or a grill, so they really come in handy.

I have a tutorial on how to grill vegetables without a grill.

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