Looking for an easy, homemade falafel recipe? These Easy Vegan Falafels with Dill Cucumber Sauce are packed with flavor and nutrients for the perfect plant based meal!
What is a Falafel?
Falafel is a Middle-Eastern street food made from ground garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas). Typically, they are formed into patties or balls, which are then deep fried, and often served in a pita or wrap. Falafels have become a huge staple in the vegan and plant based world, as they are packed with protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Instead of deep frying them, I resorted to pan frying in this recipe to reduce the amount of unnecessary oil for a healthier patty. If you haven’t had a falafel wrap before, whip up a batch and trying my go to recommendation!
Dill Cucumber Sauce
If you have heard of falafel, chances are you have heard of tzatziki sauce. Essentially, tzatziki is a yogurt-based dip that pairs perfectly with this type of cuisine. There are many different ways to make the sauce, hence the reason why I am not calling this “tzatziki”. I think it is more culturally appropriate for me to call this a dill cucumber sauce, even though dill and cucumbers are main ingredients in the traditional sauce. This dill cucumber sauce is the perfect edition to a plate of falafels, and even more so in my favorite falafel wrap.
My Perfect Falafel Wrap
- Large whole wheat wrap
- Hummus (spread out onto wrap)
- Homemade falafels (3 per large wrap)
- Kalamata olives
- Grape tomatoes
- Sliced cucumbers
- Spinach
- Feta
- Dill cumcumber sauce
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Easy Vegan Falafels with Dill Cucumber Sauce
Equipment
- food processor
- skillet
Ingredients
- 30 oz garbanzo beans canned and drained
- 4 Tbs white onion diced
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley stems removed and washed
- 2 Tbs garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (if garbanzo beans are not salted)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 Tbs casava flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
Dill Cucumber Sauce
- 1 cup non dairy yogurt
- 2 Tbs dried dill
- 5 cucumber slices diced fine
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Add garbanzo beans, onions, parsley, and spices into a food processor and blend until chickpeas are pulverized, stopping the processor to scrape down the sides if the ingredients get stuck
- Transfer chickpea mixture to a large bowl and add flours
- Mix well until all flour is combined, creating a "dough-like" mixture
- Heat a nonstick skillet on medium high heat for 1 minute. During that time, use a 1/4 cup to measure out four patties
- Roll each 1/4 cup into a ball, then press it in your palm to make a patty. Seal the edges so there are no cracks. Patty should fit in your palm and be approximately 3/4-1 inch thick
- Add the four formed patties to the heated pan and decrease the heat to medium.
- Set a timer and cook on first side for 2 minutes. Repeat the patty-making step during this time to form 4 more patties. When the timer goes off, flip the patties and press down gently to flatten them a little more.
- Cook for 2 minutes on second side, then flip back to the first side
- Cook for 1 minute, then flip and cook for a final 1 minute on what is the second side
- Add the next four patties and repeat the patty-making and cooking steps until all 12 patties are cooked (3 rounds total)
- At any point during the cooking, mix all ingredients for the dill cucumber sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Refrigerate the sauce until use for better flavor.
- Serve the falafels in a wrap or own there own with your favorite Mediterranean toppings!
Notes
Nutrition
All images and text ©Alexis Stambaugh for Passport Flavor™
I'm a 20-something foodie with a passion for travel. As a self taught chef, I believe food is what brings us together. When I'm not in my kitchen creating recipes, I love connecting with people as I experience cuisines from other cultures. Come join me on my culinary and travel adventures!