Pita Falafel
Enjoy crispy, golden falafel balls stuffed into warm pita pockets with fresh vegetables and creamy tahini sauce.
Ingredients
- •1 cup dry chickpeas (180g), soaked in water for 24 hours and drained (do not use canned)
- •1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- •2 cloves garlic, peeled
- •1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- •1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •1 teaspoon ground coriander
- •1/2 teaspoon salt
- •1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- •1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- •1 teaspoon baking powder
- •2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or chickpea flour
- •Vegetable oil for frying
- •4 large pita breads
- •1 cup tahini paste
- •2 tablespoons lemon juice
- •2-3 tablespoons warm water
- •1 clove garlic, minced
- •2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- •2 diced tomatoes
- •1 cucumber, diced
- •1/2 cup pickled turnips or pickles
Instructions
- 1
In a food processor, combine the soaked and drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- 2
Pulse the mixture until coarsely ground, scraping down the sides as needed, until it resembles coarse sand or fine couscous, making sure not to puree it into a paste.
- 3
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, fold in the flour and baking powder, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- 4
To make the tahini sauce, whisk together the tahini paste, lemon juice, minced garlic, and warm water until smooth and pourable, seasoning with salt to taste.
- 5
Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 375°F (190°C).
- 6
Use a falafel scoop or two spoons to form small balls or patties from the mixture, and carefully drop them into the hot oil.
- 7
Fry the falafel in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until they are deeply golden brown and crispy on the outside, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 8
Warm the pita breads, cut them in half, and gently open the pockets.
- 9
Stuff each pita half with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, and several hot falafel balls.
- 10
Drizzle generously with the prepared tahini sauce before serving immediately.
💡 Chef tips
- Always use dry chickpeas soaked overnight rather than canned chickpeas, as canned chickpeas contain too much moisture and will cause the falafel to disintegrate while frying.
- Chilling the falafel mixture before frying helps the balls hold their shape together in the hot oil.
- You can bake the falafel on a heavily oiled baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway, as a lighter alternative to deep frying.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished pita falafel features warm, fluffy bread packed with crunchy, herbaceous falafel balls and fresh vegetables, all tied together by a rich, tangy tahini sauce.