Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Jerusalem Garden Café›Falafel Gyro (v) Recipe

Falafel Gyro (v) Recipe

Inspired by Jerusalem Garden Café
Time1h 40m
Serves4

Lettuce, hummus, tahini salad, pickle

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Ingredients

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Falafel

Hummus & Tahini Salad

Assembly & Garnish

Method

Falafel

  1. 1

    Soak chickpeas

    Place dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Soak 12–24 hours in the refrigerator until plump. Do not use canned chickpeas for best texture.

  2. 2

    Drain and prepare

    Drain soaked chickpeas and pat lightly dry. Add chickpeas, chopped onion (0.5 cup), parsley (0.5 cup), cilantro (0.25 cup), garlic (3 cloves), cumin (2 tsp), coriander (1 tsp), salt (1.25 tsp), and black pepper (0.5 tsp) to the bowl of a food processor.

  3. 3

    Pulse to a coarse paste

    Pulse the mixture in 8–12 short bursts, scraping the bowl as needed. You want a coarse, slightly grainy mixture that holds together when pressed—avoid puréeing into a smooth paste. If mixture is too wet, add flour 1 tbsp at a time up to the listed 3 tbsp.

  4. 4

    Rest and shape

    Transfer the falafel mix to a bowl, stir in lemon juice (1 tbsp) and baking powder (0.5 tsp). Refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up (this makes shaping easier). Using wet hands or a small scoop, form 12–16 walnut-sized balls or flattened patties.

  5. 5

    Fry

    Heat 1" of oil in a heavy skillet to 350°F (175°C) or heat oil in a deep fryer to the same temp. Fry falafel in batches without crowding, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, about 3–4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while finishing remaining batches.

Hummus & Tahini Salad

  1. 6

    Make tahini drizzle

    In a small bowl combine tahini (3 tbsp), lemon juice (1 tbsp), minced garlic (0.5 tsp) and 2 tbsp water. Whisk until smooth and pourable; add more water, 1 tsp at a time, to reach drizzle consistency. Season with a pinch of salt to taste.

  2. 7

    Prepare hummus

    If using store-bought hummus (1 cup), spoon into a shallow bowl or keep ready to spread on the pita. If desired, thin with 1–2 tsp olive oil or water to spread easily.

  3. 8

    Assemble salad mix

    In a medium bowl toss shredded lettuce (3 cups), cucumber slices (0.5 cup), diced tomato (0.5 cup), red onion (0.25 cup), chopped parsley (2 tbsp), olive oil (1 tbsp), salt (0.25 tsp) and black pepper (0.25 tsp) until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assembly & Garnish

  1. 9

    Warm pita

    Warm pitas (4) briefly on a hot dry skillet or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes wrapped in foil so they are pliable.

  2. 10

    Build the gyro

    Spread about 2–3 tbsp hummus onto each warmed pita, leaving the center open for fillings. Place a generous handful (about 3/4 cup) of the tahini-dressed lettuce salad down the center. Arrange 3–4 falafel balls (or patties) on top of the salad.

  3. 11

    Finish and serve

    Drizzle tahini sauce (about 1/2 tbsp per gyro) over the falafel, add pickles (about 2 tbsp each) and a sprinkle of extra parsley if desired. Add hot sauce to taste. Fold pita like a gyro and serve immediately with extra hummus or tahini on the side.

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