Herbed Falafel Pitas w/ Tatziki
I have a very hard time picking favorite foods; actually, no less than 10 items come to mind immediately (starting with dark chocolate and sushi). Also on that list? Hummus and falafel. Ironically, today’s post features them both! I’m a bit of a hummus snob– I find myself going through a tub every 4-5 days. With chips, on sandwiches, as a dip for veggies/olives, and basically dolloped on top of any meal. Case and point, hummus makes everything better.
I’ve been making a version of this falafel recipe for several years now and it’s such a great classic to have on hand. They’re not fried, but still get super crispy in the oven and have this nutty + herb quality that meshes so well.
These will last all week long, can be thrown over salads or into pitas, and also freeze exceptionally well. I originally adapted the recipe from one of my favs, Sprouted Kitchen, and have since changed it up just a little. It’s so easy and comes together in under 10 minutes!
Ingredients
- ½ cup pistachios (unsalted)
- ½ cup almonds (unsalted)
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- 5 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 (15oz) can of chickpeas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp flour (any will work)
Tzatziki:
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt (or sub vegan)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp cucumber (finely diced)
- 1 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
- pinch sea salt + black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375. Combine the herbs, garlic cloves, onion, cumin, and nuts in a food processor. Pulse until combined and lightly chopped.
- Add in the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, and flour. Pulse until fully combined. You may need to scrape down the sides every so often. Continue until it’s as smooth as you’d like, I prefer it a little chunky.
- Scoop and roll with hands into small balls onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning halfway. They should get a little brown/crispy on top.
- For the tzatziki, combine all ingredients into a bowl and stir together.
- Use in a pita, over a salad, or with rice. My favorite combo (as seen here) is with a pita, hummus, lettuce, and avocado. Oh, and with lotssss of tzatziki.
This is one of those recipes that I always come back to, time and time again. For a falafel recipe it is extremely easy (no soaking, no skinning chickpeas lol, no frying) and I tend to have most of the ingredients in my kitchen. I like to double the batch and freeze half for a quick dinner another day.