Baked Falafel with Tahini Tzatziki Sauce

By Vegiegail

Ingredients

• For the Falafel:
• 1 15-oz. can or 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 2-3 garlic cloves, quartered
• ½ cup parsley, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp flour (I use white whole wheat)
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp onion powder
• Generous ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• Pita bread
• For the Tzatziki Sauce:
• ½ cup plain nondairy yogurt
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried dill)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp garlic granules/powder
• ½ tsp onion granules/powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• Pinch black pepper

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from thedomesticvegan.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the Falafel:

Preheat oven to 425℉.  Lightly drizzle a cookie sheet with olive oil. Combine the chickpeas, garlic, and parsley in a food processor.  Pulse until well-combined. Add the rest of the ingredients, and process until the mixture is smooth & uniform.  It should be perfectly moist at this point, but if you find that the mixture is a little dry, add a teaspoon or two of water.

Form the falafel mixture into golf ball-sized balls.  Flatten the tops a bit & place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, flip, and continue baking for 5-8 minutes until both sides are beautifully golden brown.  Serve inside a slightly warmed pita with spinach, cucumber, the hummus of your choice and/or Vegan Tahini Tzatziki Sauce (recipe below).

For the Tzatzaki Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and stir to incorporate.  Taste & adjust seasonings as necessary. Chill as the falafel bakes, then drizzle in the pita and on the falafel. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. This sauce also makes a great salad dressing – especially when the salad is topped with falafel or chickpeas!