We love anything and everything that can be made with chickpeas and falafel is one of our favorites! So how happy are we that June 12th is International Falafel Day?! The whole world will come together to celebrate these delicious little balls of chickpeas.
The traditional way to make falafel involves soaking dried chickpeas and then grinding them up. Then, they are seasoned with garlic, parsley, cumin, salt, and pepper. The mixture is finally shaped into balls or patties and deep-fried. Expert falafel makers rarely use flour to hold the balls together. The most common way to eat falafel is in a pita with garnishes of tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled onions. Finally, the sandwich is topped with hummus, tahini, and/or spicy sauces.
For this holiday, however, we are breaking tradition and getting creative with our falafel. After all, it is believed that the original falafel was made with fava beans. Why not try making falafel with all sorts of different beans or adding interesting ingredients such as beets, walnuts, pistachios, and sweet potatoes? Instead of frying, we can bake our falafel. We can turn the balls into burgers, sliders, or large loaves. Are you ready to use your imagination? Let’s start with these 15 creative and delicious ways to make falafel!
1. Falafel-Stuffed Peppers With a Coconut Dill Sauce
You’ve never had stuffed peppers like these Falafel Stuffed Peppers With a Coconut Dill Sauce. The crispy falafels are seasoned with fresh basil and parsley with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and baked to savory perfection. They’re then stuffed in crispy red bell peppers and drizzled with a tangy dill sauce for the perfect dish with Mediterranean flavors.
2. Falafel Burger With Avocado Sauce, Spinach, and Homemade Burger Buns
Falafel served in pita bread is awesome, but falafel in a burger is super-duper-amazing! TheseFalafel Burgers With Avocado Sauce are a real flavor explosion. The creaminess of the avocado, the crunchiness of the falafel, and the freshness of the spinach all come together to make an exciting blend of tastes and textures. The homemade burger buns make this already extraordinary burger even more amazing.
3. Deep Dish Falafel Pizza
This unique Deep Dish Falafel Pizza starts with a falafel-inspired crust of chickpeas, fresh herbs, and spices. Once crispy from the oven, it’s topped with a vibrant beet hummus and vegetables of your choice. The finishing touch is a layer of cheesy tahini sauce that gets spread over the vegetables once they’ve roasted. This dish is a show-stopper, for sure!
4. Beet and Chickpea Falafel
These Beet and Chickpea Falafel are certainly the prettiest falafel you’ll ever have. Vibrant from the beets, these falafel are bursting with fresh flavors. Serve these over a bed of salad with a coconut yogurt tahini sauce, or wrap them in a pita with plenty of greens.
5. Korean Spicy Sweet Potato Falafel Tacos With White Kimchi
Fusion food never tasted so good! These Korean Spicy Sweet Potato Falafel Tacos With White Kimchi combine Korean flavors with Mediterranean falafel and Mexican tacos. This is the most culturally diverse meal you’ll ever, have and it’s pretty darn delicious, too.
6. Smoky Falafel Burgers
The secret ingredient in these Mediterranean-inspired Smoky Falafel Burgers is smoked paprika! Just a pinch adds a ton of smoky, slightly spicy flavor. These healthy falafel burgers are so easy to make and can be served any way you like — inside a pita, on traditional slider buns, or even on a bed of greens.
7. Sweet Potato Falafel With Avocado Dipping Sauce
These naturally sweet, low-fat, baked Sweet Potato Falafel With Avocado Dipping Sauce make for a delicious appetizer or snack. They’re flavored with turmeric, garlic, cumin, and a pinch of chili flakes. You could eat these falafel as they are, dipped in the creamy, avocado sauce, or on top of a vegetable salad for a nutritious, light meal!
8. Falafel Tacos
If falafel taste great wrapped in pitas, it follows they would be awesome wrapped in tortillas. These Falafel Tacos are the proof of that theory. Served with a homemade green sauce containing tahini and lots of cilantro, this is one delicious fusion dish.
9. Chickpea and Pistachio Falafel
This Chickpea and Pistachio Falafel recipe is so simple to make! The addition of pistachio nuts adds some crunch and a delightfully nutty flavor. You’ll have a hard time resisting these fresh out of the oven so don’t even try. You can always say you’re testing one for quality assurance.
10. Beet Falafel Burger
Made with juicy beets and chickpeas, these Beet Falafel Burgers are crispy on the outside and sweet and spicy on the inside. They’re crispy like falafel, without all the oil because they’re baked, not fried! Top with no shortage of guac and serve on toasted buns at your next cookout.
11. Baked Roasted Poblano Kale Falafel
These Baked Roasted Poblano Kale Falafel are simply outstanding! Roasted poblano peppers give them a smoky, spicy kick, and since they are baked using a very small amount of oil, they are much better for you than fried falafel. Not to mention every bit as delicious! You can dress these falafel up however you like, with pita bread, fresh veggies, and tahini sauce.
12. Falafel Waffles
These Falafel Waffles are a work of genius. They ‘re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Best of all, no deep-frying is required to make these savory waffles. Topped with a hummus “syrup” and fresh garnishes, you’ll love these waffles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
13. Spinach Falafel With Tahini Dressing
These Spinach Falafel With Tahini Dressing really amp up the nutrition. Fresh spinach is added to the chickpea mix for extra green, extra pretty, and extra tasty falafel. They’re served in homemade pitas with an easy homemade tahini sauce.
14. Falafel Burger
Try everyone’s favorite Mediterranean delicacy in burger form with this Falafel Burger. Chickpeas and fava beans come together to create a succulent falafel patty that is then seasoned with fennel, cumin, and coriander seeds. Enjoy it in a burger bun, on top of a salad, or in a lettuce wrap.
15. Baked Sweet Potato and Walnut Falafel
Delicious and healthy, these Baked Sweet Potato and Walnut Falafel are a whole new spin on the classic recipe. The falafel is made with fresh herbs, sweet potato, and crunchy walnuts. They’re perfectly moist and full of flavor. You can serve them either hot or cold, and they freeze really well, too!
Eating falafel the traditional way is delicious but getting creative with your falafel recipes is priceless! Try these imaginative and mouthwatering recipes and then come up with your own creative spin on falafel.