Grilled Veggie Gyros with Creamy Cucumber Dill Sauce

A lot of people seem to be under the impression that being a vegetarian is totally restrictive and boring and all about the things you can’t eat. Untrue! Eating meatless opens up so many possibilities! Take gyros for example. If you’re having standard gyros, your possibilities are meat and meat. You are bound by tradition. But not here. We can break rules.

Before grilling the veggies, it’s good to marinate them in a tangy lemon-olive oil sauce. The veggies will soak up the sauce pretty quickly, so you can heat up your grill while they’re marinating. We used an indoor grill that has ridges on it instead of grates so there’s no need to worry about the veggies falling through, but if you’re using an outdoor grill, you’ll want to use a vegetable basket. They’ll only take a few minutes to cook, although the exact time will vary depending on the type of grill you use.

Throw the pita bread on the grill after the veggies are done to warm it up a little bit so it’s easily bendable. Pile the veggies on the bread, then top it with chopped tomatoes and romaine lettuce, and a drizzle of tzatziki or Creamy Cucumber Dill Sauce. Don’t forget to wrap the bottom half of your Grilled Veggie Gyros with foil for that authentic restaurant-style experience—and also because these gyros are a little bit messy.

Grilled Veggie Gyros

A vegetarian version of gyros made with grilled mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, and onions.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light olive oil (or grapeseed oil)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 portabella mushrooms, stemmed and sliced into thick strips
• 1 red pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 large zucchini, cut into half crosswise and sliced into thick strips
• 1 red onion, cut into thick half moons
• 4 pocketless pitas or flatbread, warmed
• Chopped tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and Creamy Cucumber Dill Sauce for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a large baking dish. Place the vegetables in the dish and toss them with the marinade to coat. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Heat an indoor grill to high or sear. Put the veggies 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 just 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.
3. Divide the veggies onto the pita bread and top them with tomatoes, lettuce, and Creamy Cucumber Dill Sauce. Fold the bread over and wrap the bottom half tightly with foil.

Notes

If you don’t have an indoor grill, you can use a grill pan or an outdoor grill for the veggies. If you’re using an outdoor grill, use a basket so the veggies don’t fall through the grates!