Crispy Tofu Shawarma

Crispy Tofu Shawarma

The flavors of shawarma come alive in this plant-based spin featuring crispy shaved spiced tofu, sumac pickled onions, lemony tahini and fresh vegetables. Super-firm tofu is ideal as it doesn’t require pressing and is sturdy enough to withstand being thinly sliced. Tossing the tofu with soy sauce, an admittedly unusual ingredient in shawarma, imbues it with a deep savoriness, and when the tofu is pan-fried, it gets remarkably crisp-chewy. Cooking in batches ensures maximal crispness, but doesn’t require much babysitting, so that time can be spent whipping up the tahini sauce and prepping the vegetables. Cucumbers and cherry tomatoes offer a mix of crunch and sweetness, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Scoop leftovers into pita pockets for lunch. 

Yield: 4 servings

For the Sumac Onions

½ medium red onion, sliced very thinly (about 1 heaping cup)  

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground sumac (see Tip) 

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) 

Pinch of sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Tofu

1 (16-ounce) block super-firm tofu (see Tip) 

1 generous tablespoon soy sauce or tamari  

Black pepper

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon shawarma spice blend (see Tip for homemade blend)

For the Tahini Sauce

⅓ cup tahini, well-stirred 

2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if necessary

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more if necessary

1 teaspoon sugar, plus more if necessary

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

For Serving

Warm cooked white rice  

Sliced or chopped vegetables (such as cucumbers and cherry tomatoes) 

½ cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves

Make the sumac onions: Add the onion to a shallow bowl and sprinkle with the sumac, a couple pinches of salt and a pinch of sugar. Massage with your hands, then add the lemon juice and toss with your hands to coat. Allow to macerate while you make everything else, stirring occasionally.

Prep the tofu: Pat the tofu with a clean dish towel or paper towels to ensure it’s as dry as possible. Using a sharp chef’s knife (or mandoline), thinly slice the tofu crosswise, ideally ⅛ inch or slightly thicker (about the thickness of 2 to 3 stacked quarters).

Coat the tofu: Transfer the tofu to a large sheet pan (or wide shallow container). Drizzle with the soy sauce and a few pinches of pepper. Toss gently with your hands, flipping it a few times to coat evenly. Add the cornstarch to a fine-mesh sieve and dust half of it on the tofu, then use your hands to gently flip the tofu and ensure it’s coated. Dust with the remaining cornstarch and toss again.

Cook the tofu: Add 1 ½ tablespoons oil to a large nonstick frying pan and heat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add half of the tofu, arranging it with as little overlap as possible. Cook undisturbed until deeply golden brown and crispy on the bottom, occasionally shaking the pan to encourage even browning, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a wide spatula to flip the tofu (some pieces will stick together, that’s fine) and cook until deeply golden brown on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a wire rack.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Once it’s shimmering, add the remaining tofu. Cook as above, keeping in mind that the second batch may cook a bit faster.

When the second batch is done, reduce the heat to low and return the first batch of tofu to the pan with the second batch. Sprinkle the shawarma spice blend over all of the tofu. Use a silicone spatula to toss the tofu in the spices, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Transfer all of the tofu to the wire rack to further crisp up. Season with a pinch of salt, as needed.

While the tofu cooks, make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the tahini, ice water, lemon juice, sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and several twists of pepper. Whisk until pourable but creamy, adding more ice water as needed. Season with sugar for sweetness, lemon juice for acidity, or salt as needed.

To serve, divide warm rice among four bowls. Top with tofu shawarma and sliced vegetables. Spoon a bit of the onion-pickling liquid on top of the rice and vegetables. Add the sumac onions and dollop the tahini sauce on top. Before serving, tear the mint leaves with your hands over the bowls.

Tips: Sumac is a tart, fruity spice and can be found at Middle Eastern grocers, well-stocked grocers, or online. If you don't have sumac, zest one of the lemons before juicing it and use 1 tablespoon lemon zest in its place.

If you don't have a shawarma spice blend, you can make your own: Mix together 1¼ teaspoons ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon sweet or hot paprika, ¾ teaspoon ground coriander, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom or cloves. 

If you can't find super-firm tofu, use extra-firm tofu. Wrap the block in a dish towel or paper towels, weigh it down with a heavy book and press for 20 minutes, changing the towel halfway through. After slicing the tofu, gently press down on the slices a few times using a towel, then coat and cook as above (allowing 6 to 8 minutes to cook on the first side). If your block is less than 16 ounces, use slightly less oil and shwarma spice.