Grilled Tofu Shawarma Bowls… Tofu skewers marinated in Middle Eastern Spices and grilled until crispy, served alongside warm pita, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and drizzled in a quick tahini yogurt sauce. Vegan, easy to make and so flavorful, this has to be one of the best ways to enjoy tofu!

How to Make Grilled Tofu Shawarma

In order for the tofu to soak up all the delicious flavor from the marinade, it will need to press for at least 30 minutes. This helps draw out excess moisture and allow the tofu to hold its shape. Pressing is easy, just wrap the block in a clean kitchen towel and a heavy object on top. I like to use a cast iron skillet or a couple heavy books.

Meanwhile, make the marinade. You’ll need olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and quite a few spices traditionally found in shawarma. Whisk that up then cut your pressed tofu into large cubes. Place the pieces in a shallow container and pour over the marinade. Turn over each piece to ensure it’s completely covered then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The longer the better, so just do whatever you have time for!

Alright now time to grill. Using a gas grill is going to give you the best results in terms of charring and smokiness, but an indoor grill pan could work too as a last resort. If you’re using wooden skewers like I did, it’s important to soak them in water for a 15 minutes so they don’t burn up on the grill.

Thread the pieces of marinated tofu on to the skewers, brushing over any extra marinade. Try not to manipulate them too much as they might crumble. For grilling, I highly recommend using a grill basket or tray. This just makes the skewers easier to turn and prevents them from falling through the grates. You’ll know they’re ready when they have some nice char marks. These grilled tofu shawarma skewers are definitely better served fresh, so make sure you have all the other ingredients ready to go!

What to Serve with Grilled Tofu Shawarma

I like to serve my tofu shawarma with a fresh tomato cucumber salad, rice, warm pita bread (homemade if you can!) and of course, this amazing tahini yogurt sauce. To keep things vegan, I used unsweetened coconut yogurt, but Greek yogurt would work too. Just make sure whatever you choose is nice and thick.

Some other serving ideas for these bowls include grilled vegetables, hummus, roasted red peppers, arugula and kalamata olives.

Tips for Grilling Tofu

• Depending on the firmness of your tofu (I use Nasoya, but every brand is a little different) you may have a difficult time threading the tofu onto the skewers. If they begin to crumble, place the container in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until firm enough to handle.
• While I highly recommend using some sort of grill tray, these can be grilled directly on the grates. Just make sure your grill is well scraped and oiled before adding the tofu.
• Another option for grilling—skip the skewers all together and cut the tofu in large slabs. Or, if you have a grill basket, toss in the cubes as they are.

More Recipes to Try

• Vegan Corn Chowder with Shiitake Bacon
• Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos
• Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Whipped Tofu Ricotta
• Spiced Lentil Salad Lettuce Wraps

Made this Grilled Tofu Shawarma recipe? Tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram and follow along on Pinterest for more delicious recipes!