Vegetarian, Middle Eastern (Print Version)
Ingredients:
01 -
2 cups roughly chopped white onion.
02 -
6 garlic cloves.
03 -
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained.
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1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves.
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1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves.
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1 teaspoon salt.
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1/4 teaspoon chili powder.
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2 teaspoons cumin.
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2 teaspoons baking powder.
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
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Canola oil, for sautéing.
12 -
Pita bread, for serving.
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1 1/4 cups plain yogurt (full fat or non-fat).
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1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste).
15 -
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
16 -
Salt and pepper, to taste.
Instructions:
01 -
Combine Ingredients: Pulse together the chopped onion, garlic, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cumin, and baking powder in a food processor until the mixture is well combined but still retains some texture. Add Flour: Add the all-purpose flour and pulse until just combined. Chill the Mixture: Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
02 -
Whisk Ingredients: While the falafel mixture is chilling, prepare the tahini sauce by whisking together the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a bowl. Season: Season the tahini sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Chill: Cover the tahini sauce and place it in the fridge.
03 -
Form Patties: Once the falafel mixture has chilled, use a small ice cream scoop or spoons to form the mixture into balls (roughly 3 Tablespoons per ball). Flatten them slightly into patties. If the mixture is too wet, you can add additional flour. Heat Oil: Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add a liberal amount of canola oil so that the pan is well-coated. Let the pan preheat for 3 minutes. Cook Falafel: Add the falafel patties one by one to the preheated pan. Brown them on the first side for 3 minutes, then flip them and brown the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout. Cool and Season: Transfer the cooked falafel to a paper towel-lined cooling rack and immediately season them with salt. Repeat this process until all the falafel are cooked.
04 -
Warm Pita: Warm pita bread by halving it. Assemble: Place three or four falafel inside the warmed pita and drizzle with the prepared tahini sauce.
05 -
If you prefer to bake the falafel instead of sautéing, refer to the recipe for Crispy Homemade Baked Falafel. For an alternative to tahini sauce, you can use a schmear of Greek yogurt as a cool and creamy complement to the hot falafel patties.
Notes:
01 -
This recipe includes instructions for making both falafel and tahini sauce from scratch. If you do not have a food processor, you can alternatively mash the chickpeas with a fork and finely chop the other ingredients. For a gluten-free version, consider using chickpea flour instead of all-purpose flour.