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Grilled Eggplant Gyros with Vegan Tzatziki

Eggplant slices are marinated in lemon juice and spices then grilled to make these vegan gyros.

Course Main Dishes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Hello Veggie

Ingredients

For the gyros:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 medium eggplants cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
  • 1 red onion cut into thick half moons
  • 6 pocketless pitas or flatbreads warmed
  • 3/4 cup roasted red pepper cut into long, thin strips
  • 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
  • Chopped tomatoes romaine lettuce, and tzatziki for serving

For the vegan tzatziki:

  • 1 cup diced peeled cucumber
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in water for 2-4 hours
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a large baking dish. Place the eggplant and onion in the dish and toss them with the marinade to coat. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. While the vegetables are marinating, making the tzatziki. Combine the cucumber, cashews, lemon juice, and garlic in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time—the sauce should have the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. Stir the dill into the sauce and season with salt to taste. Set aside.
  3. Heat an indoor grill to high or an outdoor grill to medium. Put the eggplant and onions on the grill in a single layer (you might have to do them in 2 batches, depending on the size of your grill). Cook them for 5-7 minutes, until they're beginning to char, then flip them over and cook them on the other side until they're lightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes more.
  4. Divide the eggplant, onions, roasted red peppers, and olives onto the pita bread and top them with tomatoes, lettuce, and tzatziki. Fold the bread over and serve.

Recipe Notes

Gyros can be messy! I like wrapping the bottom half of each gyro in foil to keep the juices from dripping out.