Falafel Sandwich Recipe
Seasoned ground vegetables, lettuce, tomatoes, onions & tzatziki sauce
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Ingredients
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Falafel (patty)
Tzatziki Sauce
Sandwich components
Method
Falafel (patty)
- 1
Soak chickpeas
Place 1 cup dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Soak at least 8 hours or overnight until enlarged and tender but still firm. Drain and rinse well before use.
- 2
Process mixture
Drain soaked chickpeas and add to a food processor with 1/2 cup roughly chopped onion, 1/2 cup packed parsley, 1/4 cup packed cilantro, and 3 garlic cloves. Pulse in 1-second bursts until mixture is coarse but holds together when squeezed — do not purée into a paste. You should have small grains; scrape down the bowl as needed.
- 3
Season and bind
Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp flour. Adjust flour a tablespoon at a time if mixture feels too wet. Chill mixture 20–30 minutes to firm up (optional but recommended).
- 4
Form falafel
Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 8 small patties (about 2 tbsp each) or slightly larger balls depending on desired sandwich size. Flatten slightly to form discs for even cooking.
- 5
Cook falafel
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1–2 tbsp oil. Cook falafel in batches without crowding, 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp. Add more oil as needed between batches. Alternatively, shallow-fry in 1/2 inch oil, 3–4 minutes per side, or bake at 200°C/400°F for 18–22 minutes, turning once, until golden.
Tzatziki Sauce
- 6
Prepare cucumber
Peel and grate 1/2 cup cucumber, then place in a fine sieve or clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture until mostly dry (this prevents watery sauce).
- 7
Mix sauce
In a bowl combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, the drained grated cucumber, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until smooth. Taste and adjust salt/lemon. Refrigerate at least 10 minutes to let flavors meld.
Sandwich assembly
- 8
- 9
Assemble sandwiches
Spread 1–2 tbsp tzatziki on each flatbread or inside each pita. Layer 1/2 cup chopped lettuce, 1/4 cup sliced tomatoes, and 2 tbsp sliced onions per sandwich. Place 2–3 falafel patties (depending on size) on top of the vegetables. Drizzle an additional 1 tbsp tzatziki if desired. Add a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce or chili flakes to taste.
- 10
Serve
Fold or close the sandwich and serve immediately while falafel are warm. Leftover tzatziki keeps refrigerated up to 3 days; falafel are best the day they are cooked.