These roasted chickpea gyros are so simple and so delicious. They’re ready in under 30 minutes, and make the perfect light, flavor-packed summer lunch or dinner. This recipe is perfect for meal prep and a great alternative for vegetarians.
I love the combination of crunchy chickpeas and creamy dips – which is why you’ve seen it featured here so often, from my harissa chickpeas with whipped feta to these crunchy chickpea croutons on a creamy pesto pasta bed!
This gyros recipe is the perfect light but flavorsome lunch or dinner. Another popular gyro recipe to check out is these vegetarian gyros which use a chicken substitute. The chickpea gyros are a good alternative that uses whole foods!
Ingredients
- Chickpeas: The star of the show in these chickpea gyros are, of course, the chickpeas themselves. Here, I’ve roasted them in spices and seasonings until perfectly crunchy. Use canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, to cut down on time.
- Seasonings: The seasonings used on the chickpeas are a combination of smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Flatbreads: You should be able to find Greek-style flatbreads in most major stores. I look for the oval-shaped ones as they’re easier to eat than the circular ones!
- Salad: Feel free to customize the salad element of this recipe according to your own preferences. I used lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, red onion, and feta cheese.
- Tzatziki: These chickpea gyros use my tzatziki sauce – it’s a must-have for off-setting the spicy, crunchy chickpeas.
Chef’s Notes / Tips
Avoid allowing your chickpeas to roast too long – you want them to be just about crunchy, but not lose their softness altogether. Very crunchy chickpeas just seem to crumble in your mouth, which isn’t the nicest experience.
This recipe is mildly spicy from the cayenne chili pepper in the chickpea seasoning. Feel free to omit this for a milder recipe, or add chili peppers or hot sauce for more spice!
You could also enjoy this recipe as a salad, using your flatbread to scoop up the salad or omitting altogether for a lower carb option.
Storing
This is a great recipe for meal prep. Store the ingredients in the fridge in airtight containers separately, assembling your wrap the night before.
Don’t leave your assembled chickpea gyros any longer than 12 hours, or you risk the sauce turning everything else a little limp.
Chickpea Gyros
These chickpea gyros are so simple and so delicious. They’re ready in under 30 minutes, and make the perfect light, flavor-packed summer lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 (400g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 flatbreads
- ¼ cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- ½ head romaine lettuce, shredded
- ½ red onion, sliced
- ¼ cup sliced olives
- 2 tbsp feta, crumbled
- 2 servings tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas, gently patting them dry and removing any excess skins. Add the oil and seasonings, stir, then tip the chickpeas onto a baking sheet.
- Place in a preheated oven (180C | 355 F) and roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your tzatziki sauce according to the recipe instructions and set it to one side.
- Chop your salad vegetables of choice.
- When the chickpeas are cooked, remove them from the oven.
- Assemble your flatbreads: slather over the tzatziki sauce, add your salad, then the chickpeas, and sprinkle over the feta.
- Wrap up with baking paper to keep the gyros together and enjoy!
Notes
The chickpeas have a slight kick from the cayenne chili pepper - feel free to omit this or increase it depending on your preferences for spice!
Gyros can be messy - take care not to overfill your flatbread. If you’re spilling everything, wrap the flatbread in some foil (burrito style!) to keep it all together, or simple give in and use a knife and fork!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 694Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 1599mgCarbohydrates: 100gFiber: 16gSugar: 15gProtein: 26g