April 20, 2022

Falafel with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Falafel with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce is one of our favorite meatless meals. I start this dish by frying the crispy chickpea falafel patties. Then, I stuff the falafel into pita pockets along with sliced veggies. Finally, I spoon on a creamy cucumber and yogurt sauce. We like this dish for several reasons. First of all, once you are done soaking the chickpeas, this whole meal comes together in less than an hour. Secondly, I like that this is a meatless meal. But, it’s so filling that you won’t miss the meat. And, lastly, we all love the crispy falafel and the creamy yogurt sauce.

The Equipment I Used

A Food Processor- You’ll need this to grind up the chickpeas.
A Deep Fry Thermometer- Use this to monitor the temperature of your oil.
A Dutch Oven- I like to use my enameled cast iron Dutch oven to fry my falafel. But, you can use any large pot.

The Ingredients Needed for Falafel with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Chickpeas- Use dried chickpeas, not canned. Be sure to soak them for a good 20 hours.
Garlic- I like to buy the peeled cloves and store them in the freezer.
Onions- Use fresh onions, without green sprouts in the middle.
Parsley and Cilantro- These fresh herbs are essential. Wash them well and pat them dry.
Cumin and Coriander- These ground spices are also essential.
Oil- Use vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
Yogurt- Use full fat Greek plain yogurt. I like Fage 5% Greek Yogurt.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil- Use a good quality oil. I like California Olive Ranch brand.

How I Made my Falafel

First, I stirred together my Cucumber Yogurt Spread.
Next, I made the falafel batter. Be sure to process the chickpeas until they are well ground up.
Then, I fried the falafel. Be sure to keep your oil at 375 degrees.

If you enjoy meatless meals, you need to try this crispy and delicious Falafel with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.

Falafel with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Falafel sandwiches stuffed with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and fresh vegetables.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Soaking Time 1

Total Time 1 50

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Servings

Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

Food processor

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 Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup peeled English cucumber, shredded
1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

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 Cucumber Yogurt Sauce: Place the cucumber in a clean dish towel and squeeze out all the liquid. Place the cucumber in a bowl along with all the other ingredients and stir them together.
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 Cucumber Yogurt Spread.