Falafel Pita Sandwich With Tahini Sauce
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
30 mins
-
Cook Time
15 mins
-
Additional Time
1 hr
-
Servings
4
-
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Falafel Pita Sandwich With Tahini Sauce
Description
This Falafel Pita Sandwich With Tahini Sauce features falafel made from soaked chickpeas blended with fresh herbs, garlic, onion, and ground spices including cumin and coriander. Baking powder is added to improve texture before the mixture chills, allowing the spices to meld. The falafel is shaped into small patties for easy stuffing into pita pockets and fried until cooked through and crisped.
The falafel salad mix provides a fresh contrast with thinly sliced red onion soaked in water to mellow its sharpness, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley, all dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The sandwich assembly includes creamy hummus and tangy tahini sauce, with optional spicy zhoug or hot sauce to taste. This combination balances the deep flavors and crisp textures of the falafel with fresh vegetables and rich sauces.
The recipe encourages prepping some components like tahini, hummus, and zhoug in advance. Small falafel patties fit neatly into narrow pita pockets, making the sandwich practical to eat. If not serving immediately, allow cooked falafel to cool to room temperature to maintain texture.
Ingredients
Falafel mixture (or use shop-bought falafel)
- 1 cup chickpeas soaked overnight in plenty of water, dried
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 cup fresh herbs a mix of parsley, cilantro and mint, roughly chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped, medium
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- cooking oil for frying
Falafel salad mix
- ½ red onion thinly sliced and placed in a bowl of water
- ½ cucumber sliced into half-moon shapes, English variety
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- parsley chopped, fresh bunch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
To serve falafel pita sandwich
- 4 pita bread or whole-wheat pita
- ½ cup hummus or store-bought hummus, creamy; lemon
- ½ cup tahini sauce
- zhoug or hot sauce; optional
Instructions
- You can make the tahini sauce, hummus and zhoug up to three days in advance. Or use good quality store-bought versions.
Make the falafel mixture
- Drain the soaked chickpeas in a colander or fine mesh strainer and pat dry with a clean tea towel.
- Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz for 15 seconds and scrape down the sides.
- Add the chopped herbs, onion and garlic. Blitz for another 30 seconds or so – scrape down the sides as necessary. The falafel mixture should be well combined and damp with a coarse texture. It should hold together when shaped.
- Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large mixing bowl or airtight container and add the spices and salt. Mix it well. Then, sprinkle over the baking soda and give it a final mix. Cover the falafel mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour (up to 24 hours) while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Prep the falafel salad
- Drain the onion and mix it with the cucumber, tomatoes, chopped herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. Add half a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
Shape the falafel
- Divide the falafel mix into 24 even-sized small portions (about a heaped tablespoon).
- Roll each portion of the falafel mix into a ball. Then gently flatten the ball into a thick rounded pattie. Use wet fingers to round any burst edges.
Cook the falafel
- Fill a deep, heavy-based medium saucepan with enough oil to rise about 2½ inches (7 cm) up the side. And place the pan on medium heat to bring the oil to 350 °F.
- Gently lower the falafel into the hot oil in batches – I do 6 to 8 falafel per batch. Cook the falafel patties for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked falafel to a bowl lined with kitchen paper.
Assemble the falafel pita sandwiches
- I like to heat the pita bread in the oven for 2 minutes at 350 °F, but you can skip this if the pita is super fresh.
- Cut each warm pita in half. Spread hummus inside the pita pocket and add some salad. Place 2 to 3 small falafel patties inside each half-pita pocket and top with tahini sauce and zhoug (or hot sauce).
Notes
- Prepare tahini sauce, hummus, and zhoug up to three days in advance for convenience.
- Small falafel patties are easier to fit into narrow pita pockets than larger shapes.
- Falafel can be shaped into balls or bullet shapes according to preference.
- Allow cooked falafel to cool to room temperature before assembling if not serving immediately.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
