Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce is one of our favorite meatless meals. I start this dish by deep-frying the falafel chickpea patties. Then, I stuff the falafel in pita pockets, and drizzle on the Lemon Tahini Sauce. Finally, I add tomatoes, red onion, and sliced cucumbers. We like this dish for several reasons. First of all, I like that this is a meatless meal. While we like eating meat, sometimes it’s nice to have an all-veggie meal. Secondly, I like how inexpensive this meal is, compared to a meat meal. And, lastly, we all love the crispy falafel, the creamy tahini sauce, and the salad vegetables.
The Equipment I Used
- A Food Processor- You’ll need this to process the chickpea mixture.
- A Deep Fry Thermometer- This is essential for maintaining the correct oil temperature.
- A Dutch Oven-I like to fry my falafel in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. But you can use any four quart or larger pot.
The Ingredients Needed for Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce
- Chickpeas- Use dried chickpeas. But be sure to soak them at least a day and a half before you want to make them. I like the India Tree brand chickpeas.
- Oil- Be sure to use vegetable oil to fry the falafel. You could also use peanut or canola oil.
- Lemon Juice- Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Pita Bread- I like to use homemade pita bread. My recipe is below.
- Tahini – I always use the Soom brand tahini.
How I Made my Falafel
- First, I combined all the falafel ingredients in my food processor.
- Then, I formed the falafel into patties. Resist the urge to make them too big. If they’re too big, they won’t cook in the middle.
- Next, I fried the patties. Be sure to keep the oil at 375 degrees.
- Finally, I assembled the pita sandwiches.
If you like fried food, you need to try this crispy and delicious Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce.
Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Falafel sandwiches stuffed with Lemon Tahini Sauce and fresh vegetables.
Equipment
- Food processor
- deep frying thermometer
Ingredients
For the Falafel Batter:
- 1½ cups dried chickpeas
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- ¾ cup each chopped parsley and chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. each ground coriander and black pepper
- ½ tsp. baking soda mixed with a ¼ cup of water
To Assemble the Sandwiches:
- 4 pita breads
- 1 quart vegetable oil
- 1 cup each sliced plum tomatoes, sliced red onion, sliced cucumber
For the Lemon Tahini Sauce:
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- ⅛ tsp. paprika and black pepper
Instructions
- The afternoon before you want to make the falafel, soak the rinsed dry chickpeas in a bowl of water. Make sure the chickpeas are covered by a couple of inches of water and put keep them in the refrigerator.
- First, make the Lemon Tahini Sauce: Place the tahini in a bowl. Stir it well. Stream in the water, whisking constantly. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- The next day, drain the chickpeas and put them in a food processor, along with the rest of the falafel batter ingredients. Process until everything is creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Form each tablespoon of mixture into a one inch pattie. Place the patties on waxed paper.
- In a Dutch oven, heat an inch and a half of oil to 375 degrees. Fry in about four batches, until the falafel is brown all over. You will have to flip them over, so they brown evenly. Do not add more oil until the oil comes back to 375 degrees. Drain the falafel well.
- Serve the falafel on top of or inside of the bread, with the sliced vegetables and Lemon Tahini Sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal
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Easy Bread Machine Pita Bread
Equipment
- Bread Machine
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp. plain full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2½ cups bread flour (300g)
- 1 tsp. instant yeast
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in your bread machine, in the order recommended by your manufacturer. Process on the dough cycle.
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle, about a quarter inch thick.
- Bake on two parchment lined baking sheets, for about five minutes, or until they puff up. Cut each pita in half and use a knife, if needed, to help along the separation.
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