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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Donair Wraps (Meat + Sauce)

11/6/20 by Nicole | 11 Comments

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5 from 8 votes. Leave a review!

Classic donair wrap recipes are usually far from vegan and require purchased products, which can be difficult to find. Regardless of where you live, or your comfort level in the kitchen, this recipe is quite approachable and produces an amazing result.

Included in this recipe is everything you need to achieve the perfect homemade vegan donair wrap. This incorporates the donair sweet sauce, vegetarian “meat” made with vital wheat gluten (seitan) and a few toppings to ensure you get all the flavor without sacrifice.

Two vegan donair wraps with donair sweet sauce in small glass bowl

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Is Donair Vegan?

Traditional donair recipes tend to include ingredients that are not vegan. Aside from the pita, onion and tomato toppings, there’s not much for vegans to enjoy. That’s why I made it a goal to make an irresistible vegan donair recipe that replicates its non-vegan alternative. 

Two key ingredients that we need to focus on include the vegan donair “meat” made from seitan (vital wheat gluten) and the sweet sauce made from condensed coconut milk. Both are easy enough to achieve but will take some time to cook and get the right texture/consistency. 

Close up of unwraped vegan donair showing filling ingredients including meat and sauce with additional wraps and sliced meat in background

Donair vs Gyro 

Donair and gyro wraps are similar; they’re both traditionally a rotisserie type meat in a pita with a creamy sauce and some veggies. The primary difference is that donair uses a sweet and milky sauce whereas gyro wraps are served with Tzatziki sauce. 

There are also shawarma wraps, which are very similar, but with Middle Eastern flair. 

Donair is very similar to Donner Kebabs (aka Kebabs) but donair (spelt with “air”), with its sweet sauce, originated in the East Coast of Canada. However, the tradition of making such a dish comes from Greece, Turkey and the Middle East where Gyros, Donner and Shawarma originate. 

Ingredients for Vegan Donair Meat and Sauce 

While there are some store-bought vegan products available that can be used in this recipe, you’ll want to make the meat and sauce yourself to achieve the desired taste and texture. In doing so you’ll save money and come away with a better result! 

Vegan Donair Meat Ingredients 

  • Gluten flour (vital wheat gluten): This type of flour is the base ingredient for many vegan meats. It’s very high in protein and takes the flavors of herbs and spices that get mixed into it. It creates a chewy, meaty texture that can easily satisfy non-vegans, especially when used for rotisserie-style meats like classic donair meat. 
  • Herbs and spices: To flavor the seitan meat, I recommend a combination of nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, dry oregano, dry basil, celery seed, smoked paprika, ground turmeric, salt and black pepper. 
  • Onion: To help provide a variety of texture and flavor, onion almost acts as small “fatty” pieces within the meat. It’ll also keep the seitan moist while cooking. 
  • Olive oil: To further boost flavor and make the “meat” more satisfying, use some oil!
  • Ketchup: Here’s a simple flavor and color booster; just add some ketchup or tomato paste to the mix. 
  • Soy sauce (or tamari): Next, you’ll want to recreate some of the salty flavors from a typical donair meat. Soy sauce or tamari gives a depth of flavor while enhancing the taste of other ingredients. 
  • Apple cider vinegar: To introduce a slightly tangy flavor, add a splash of apple cider vinegar. It’ll create a uniquely irresistible, complimentary enhancement. 
  • Dijon mustard: There’s something about homemade vegan meats that just crave the use of mustard. Here, the Dijon adds some “zing” that just can’t be done without. 
  • Vegetable broth: Since there are other sources of salty flavor, use a low-sodium or no salt added vegetable broth. This will bring around a more robust flavor profile while adding the liquid needed to achieve the best texture possible.
Sliced vegan donair meat (seitan) on a wooden cutting board

Vegan Donair Sauce Ingredients 

  • Coconut milk (full fat): Donair sweet sauce is a thickened, creamy sauce with lots of flavor. Starting with a full fat coconut milk with produce the best taste possible while keeping it vegan-friendly. 
  • Granulated sugar: While coconut milk already provides some sweetness, granulated sugar is added to achieve the correct taste that contrasts the meat. Sweet meets savory flavors for the ultimate vegan donair. 
  • Apple cider vinegar: Same as with the seitan meat, apple cider vinegar in the sauce produces a tangier flavor and helps bring more depth to a sauce that might be too sweet without. Vinegar helps cut some of the sweetness and achieves a better result. 
  • Garlic powder and salt: While the sauce has achieved it’s required level of sweetness and tanginess so far, there’s more robust flavor needed. Garlic powder and salt help to further enhance the taste and recreate the classic flavor someone would expect from donair. 
Pot with vegan donair sweet sauce and whisk with a Halifax donair wrap in background

Why this Vegan Donair Recipe Works 

Not unlike the non-vegan version of this recipe, vegan donair works because of the combination of flavors and textures within the meat and sweet sauce. The soft yet chewy meat, with thick and creamy sweet sauce on top, makes for an irresistible savory dinner. 

If you’ve got a handle on making seitan “meat” through other vegan recipes, then the biggest “aha” moment from making this recipe is the sweet sauce. Make sure you use full fat coconut milk here as most low-fat varieties will be too thin and not achieve the desired consistency. This meal is a treat, so enjoy and use the ingredients that will help it taste more like a traditional donair wrap!

Single unwraped vegan donair with meat, tomato, onion, lettuce and donair sweet sauce in a small glass bowl

How to Make Vegan Donair

While it can seem like a daunting recipe to take on, making vegan donair wraps isn’t too challenging. It’ll take some time, but much of it is either waiting for the meat to cook or whisking the sweet sauce.

Follow these instructions and your meal should turn out perfectly! 

Step 1: Mix Donair Meat Dry Ingredients 

In a large mixing bowl, add gluten flour (vital wheat gluten), nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, dry oregano, dry basil, celery seed, smoked paprika, ground turmeric, salt and black pepper. 

Stir all these dry ingredients together to achieve an even mix without solid clumps. The herbs and spices will combine well with the dry gluten flour, so give it a quick mix and you should be ready for the wet ingredients. 

Image of vegan donair meat dry ingredients, including vital wheat gluten and spices required for seitan

Step 2: Add Donair Meat Wet Ingredients 

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine finely chopped onion, olive oil (or any liquid oil), ketchup or tomato paste, low sodium soy sauce (or tamari), apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and low sodium vegetable broth. 

Image of homemade donair meat wet ingredients, including oil, onion and tomato paste

Like the donair meat dry ingredients, mix all these together until you’re confident that all ingredients are well disbursed throughout the liquid. 

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in your large mixing bowl and stir until a ball of dough has formed. It should feel spongy to the touch.

Eventually this will become too difficult to stir in the bowl, so hand-knead as necessary to ensure everything is combined well prior to baking.

Step 3: Form and Bake Seitan Donair Meat 

Next, tear two sheets of tin foil, both about 1 ½ feet long. Place on the counter shiny side up. 

Remove seitan dough ball from your large mixing bowl and place onto one of the tin foil sheets, pressing into a rectangular shape. The formed dough should be about 6 inches wide and 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. 

Carefully wrap the seitan dough with tin foil, starting with the bottom edge, then both sides, then the top. Place the rough edge of the tin foil-wrapped seitan down onto the second sheet and repeat, creating a well-sealed, firmly packed seitan roast. 

Place the double-wrapped seitan onto a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook at 350 °F for 30 minutes, then flip and cook for another 20 minutes. 

Remove the seitan once done baking and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes before unwrapping the tin foil. Cool this vegan meat for as long as possible since it will firm and become easier to cut when not fresh out of the oven. 

Image of uncooked vegan donair meat on a sheet of tin foil; almost ready for baking

Step 4: Heat and Whisk Donair Sweet Sauce

Your objective for the sweet donair sauce recipe is to condense (thicken) coconut milk while adding more sweetness and a tangy flavor.  

To do this, simply whisk all sauce ingredients together in a pot over medium heat. Continue to whisk every 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened. This process takes about 30 minutes but is well worth it. 

The final sauce is easily pourable, but it’s done when it starts to stick to the pot and whisk. It will also thicken as it cools, so don’t hesitate to take it off the stove before it’s at a serving-ready consistency. 

Close-up image of homemade donair sweet sauce in a pot with a spoon covered, showing the ideal sauce consistency.

Step 5: Slice Donair Meat and Serve in Pita 

Now that your seitan “meat” has cooled from being in the oven, it should be easier to slice into thin strips. Since donair meat is typically shaved from a rotisserie spit, the thinner you can slice this roast, the closer it will resemble a non-vegan donair.  

Once this is done, get the pita breads loaded up with your preferred amount of toppings! This recipe is ideal for about 8 donair wraps, so aim for ⅛ of the meat and sauce per pita. You can pile on more, or less to make it last longer, but find your ideal amount. Garnish with tomato and onion (option for lettuce too) and serve!  

Image of ready-to-serve Halifax donair wrap with extra sliced seitan meat in the background

Vegan Donair Variations 

After working out this vegan donair recipe to perfection, I can safely say that it’s as simple to make as possible without needing to find any specialty ingredients. I hope you enjoy this recipe as-is, but if there’s a substitution you try, feel free to let me know how it goes in the comments section below! 

Looking for other ways to capture this donair taste, just not in a pita wrap? My husband and I are so in love with these flavors that we also make it into a pizza and hot dip. Try these favorites, they might just be your go-to donair recipe in the future! 

  • Donair Pizza Recipe | Homemade & Vegan
  • Hot Donair Dip Recipe | The Best Halidip (Vegan)
Rectangle flatbread covered with vegan donair seitan, white sauce drizzle, onion and tomato on a piece of white parchment paper; with a wooden board of extra pizza ingredients to back left and bowl of extra sweet sauce in glass dish wit spoon to back right

How to Store Donair Meat and Sauce

While a family of four could consume this entire recipe in a single meal (you’ll want lots), there’s a chance you’ll have some leftover sweet sauce and seitan meat. That’s okay, it keeps well in the fridge or freezer, so feel free to make a full batch or double batch as required. 

In the refrigerator, both the donair sweet sauce and the meat will keep in airtight containers for a week. When ready to eat more, remove from the fridge and warm prior to serving again. 

If your preference is to freeze the meat, sauce or both, just ensure both are fully prepared (the sauce has condensed and the meat has cooked) and completely cooled prior to freezing. 

Wrap the meat in tin foil (the foil it was cooked in) and insert into a freezer bag for optimal freshness and texture. When ready to consume again, remove from the freezer and thaw in your fridge overnight.

Flat layout of Halifax donair ingredients including tomato, onion, sweet sauce and vegan donair meat sliced on a wooden cutting board; 3 assembled wraps laid out unwrapped

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Close up of a pita bread wrap filled with donair "meat", white sauce, tomatoes and onion.

Vegan Donair Wraps (Meat and Sweet Sauce)

Create delicious vegan donair wraps with donair “meat” and sweet sauce wrapped in a pita! Enjoy all the flavors and textures of this vegan Canadian classic!
5 from 8 votes. Leave a review!
Prevent screen going dark
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Servings 8 Wraps
Calories 546 kcal
Cuisine Canadian-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Baking tray
  • Silicone baking mat
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Tin foil

Ingredients
  

Vegan Donair Meat: Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten flour (vital wheat gluten)
  • 2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dry basil
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper (to taste)

Vegan Donair Meat: Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup onion , finely chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil (or any liquid oil)
  • 4 tablespoons ketchup (or tomato paste)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce , low sodium (or tamari)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth , low sodium

Vegan Donair Sauce

  • 1 ¾ cups coconut milk , full fat (14 oz/ 400 mL can)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

To Serve

  • 1 cup tomato , chopped
  • 1 cup onion , chopped
  • 8 large pita breads , whole wheat
Prevent screen going dark

Instructions

Vegan Donair Meat

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
  • In a large bowl, mix all the donair meat dry ingredients.
    2 cups gluten flour, 2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons dry basil, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper
  • In a separate, medium-sized bowl, mix together all the donair meat wet ingredients.
    ½ cup onion, ¼ cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons ketchup, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ¾ cup vegetable broth
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, use your hand to knead the dough until everything is evenly mixed together.
  • Place two sheets of tin foil on the counter (shiny side up). The pieces should be about 1 ½ feet long.
  • Put the seitan dough onto one of the tin foil sheets and press into a rectangular shape, about 6 inches wide and 1 – 1 ½ inches thick.
  • Carefully wrap the seitan dough in the tin foil. It’s often best to fold up the bottom edge (away from you), then fold in both sides, then fold down the top. Place the rough edge of the tin foil-wrapped seitan down onto the second sheet of tin foil and repeat the folding.
  • Place the double-wrapped seitan onto a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, flip the seitan over and cook for another 20 minutes.
  • Take the seitan out of the oven and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes before unwrapping the tin foil. Allow seitan to cool for as long as possible (as it cools it will set and become easier to cut).

Vegan Donair Sauce

  • Whisk all sauce ingredients together in a medium pot over medium heat. Continue to whisk every 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Takes about 30 minutes.
    1 ¾ cups coconut milk, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
  • The final sauce will be easily pourable, but it’s done when it starts to stick to the sides of the pot and stick to the whisk. It will also thicken as it cools.

To Serve

  • Once the donair meat has cooled, slice it as thin as possible.
  • Take one pita bread and place ⅛ of the meat, ⅛ of the sauce (a couple tablespoons) and a couple tablespoons of tomato and onion into the wrap. Optional to add some lettuce for color.
    1 cup tomato, 1 cup onion, 8 large pita breads
  • Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.
Total cook time assumes that the sauce and toppings (onion and tomato) are prepared while the meat cooks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Wrap (⅛ of recipe)Calories: 546 kcalCarbohydrates: 66 gProtein: 35 gFat: 19 gSaturated Fat: 10 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2 gMonounsaturated Fat: 6 gSodium: 1164 mgPotassium: 503 mgFiber: 7 gSugar: 10 gVitamin A: 540 IUVitamin C: 9 mgCalcium: 96 mgIron: 7 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Meat Recipes

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About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elizabeth

    September 22, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    Thoughts on air frying? That’s what I’d like to do today.

    Reply
  2. Sadie

    July 12, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    Added 2tbsp of Halifax Donair Spice by Drunken Sailor for a more local kick
    My 11 year old is going more plant based and this was a win! First time using Vital Wheat Gluten
    Love it!

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      July 12, 2021 at 1:17 pm

      So happy you and your family enjoyed! I'll have to look into that seasoning too!

      Reply
    • Angela

      August 16, 2022 at 9:33 pm

      I also added the Halifax Donair Spice by Drunken Sailor !! 😊

      Reply
      • Nicole Stevens

        August 17, 2022 at 7:20 am

        That would be tasty!

        Reply
  3. Brett

    March 30, 2021 at 7:15 pm

    This is a great recipe. We all loved it...will definitely make it again soon. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      March 31, 2021 at 8:40 am

      Hi Brett, so happy you enjoyed!

      Reply
  4. susan dorey

    December 26, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    Does the donair sauce have a coconut flavour?

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      December 26, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      I don't notice a strong coconut flavor but I love coconut so may not notice - I've never heard anyone else comment on a coconut flavor either. I find it tastes like what I remember regular donair sauce to be. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  5. Frank

    October 06, 2020 at 7:54 pm

    Halifax veg-donair veteran here. Just searched for recipes of it out of the blue, came across yours, and I'm a bit shocked that there's not more attention to your version yet. It's really excellent. The flavour is great and accurate enough, and you hit it out of the park with the ingredients also. My new go-to recipe for homemade vegan donair, thank you.

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      October 07, 2020 at 7:29 am

      Hi Frank! Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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