Falafel Pita

Falafel Pita is one of my favorite ways to enjoy falafel. A warm pita with hot falafel that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Cool cucumber tzatziki sauce, red onion, tomato, Kalamata olive, feta, cucumbers and spicy schug sauce are added to the pita.

There is so much flavor in these Falafel Pita, I could eat them every day. This is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes.

Falafel Pita are great for lunch or dinner and can easily be made gluten free. Use rice flour instead of all purpose in the falafel. Then serve with a gluten free pita or over rice.

If you like this Falafel Pita then you’ll like Eggplant Shawarma!

What is falafel?

Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food. It’s traditionally made from chickpeas that have been mashed and spiced. They are then formed into balls or patties then deep fried.

Falafel is most often eaten with pita bread but can be served over rice or by itself with sauce. Falafel is a vegan and vegetarian dish on its own and has gained popularity in the those two communities in America.

This recipe is my own take on falafel.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Chickpeas – I use canned chickpeas that are drained well
• Onion – Chopped onion adds flavor to the falafel
• Cilantro – Fresh cilantro adds a lot of flavor
• Parsley – Use fresh parsley, not dried
• Garlic – Garlic cloves are a huge part of the falafel flavor
• Cumin – Cumin adds great flavor
• Coriander – A little coriander will go a long way
• Kosher Salt – Salt enhances the flavor of all the ingredients
• All Purpose Flour – Rice flour works well here for a gluten free option
• Baking Powder – I add a bit of baking powder to mine to help with texture but it’s not absolutely necessary
• Lemon Juice – I find that lemon juice really brings out the flavor of the falafel
• Schug – Get the Schug recipe here
• Cucumber – Cucumber goes on the Falafel Pita and in the tzatziki sauce
• Plain Greek Yogurt – The base of the tzatziki sauce. Use dairy free yogurt for a vegan option
• Fresh Dill – Fresh dill will flavor the tzatziki sauce
• Red Wine Vinegar – This will give the tzatziki sauce a little kick
• Red Onion – This will go on top of the Falafel Pita
• Kalamata Olive – This is another topping for the pita
• Feta Cheese – This is a topping for the Falafel Pita. Use a dairy free feta or leave it off for a vegan option

Equipment needed

• Food Processor – Use a food processor to blend the falafel up then form it into balls
• Deep Fryer or Deep Pan – Use a deep fryer to fry the falafel. You can also use a deep pan filled with oil to fry them
• Whisk – Whisk together the tzatziki sauce
• Mixing Bowls – You’ll need multiple mixing bowls to mix the falafel, tzatziki sauce and schug ingredients

Tips for the best Falafel Pita

• Warm the pita before building the Falafel Pita. It makes a big difference on texture
• Cook a small piece of falafel before rolling them all out. That way you can taste then adjust the salt level if needed before making all of them
• Make the schug sauce! The schug adds such amazing flavor to this Falafel Pita, you don’t want to leave it off
• Make this Falafel Pita gluten free by using rice flour instead of all purpose. Then you can use gluten free pita bread or serve it over rice
• Make this Falafel Pita vegan by using dairy free yogurt then skipping the feta cheese or using dairy free feta
• Serve the falafel fresh out of the fryer when they’re still hot
• Make the schug sauce a day ahead of time then the flavors have time to meld
• Store the schug sauce for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge
• Make the tzatziki sauce ahead of time then store it in the fridge for up to 5 days
• Make the falafel balls up to 2 days ahead of time before cooking them. Wrap them tightly and store in the fridge until ready to cook
• You can air fry the falafel instead of frying them in a pan if you’d like an even healthier version. They are slightly different in texture but still delicious. Brush falafel with a little olive oil. Air fry on 400°F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside and warm in the middle

How to make Falafel Pita

Add all falafel ingredients except the flour and baking powder to a food processor and pulse until almost fully blended but still a bit chunky. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your food processor.

Empty the blended falafel mix into a large mixing bowl then add flour and baking powder and mix well. Form falafel mix into 2oz balls and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

Set aside until ready to cook. In the meantime, whisk all tzatziki sauce ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.

If you didn’t make the schug ahead of time, make it now and set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in your deep fryer to 350°F. If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can fill a heavy bottomed large pot with 2-3 inches of oil then heat it to 350°F.

Olive oil, peanut oil or canola oil will all work just fine. Once the oil is hot, add the falafel and fry until golden brown. This should take between 5-7 minutes, depending how full your fryer is.

Remove the falafel and set them on a plate lined with 4-5 paper towels to help absorb some of the oil. While the oil is absorbing, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and spray with non stick cooking spray.

Heat each pita on the skillet for 30 seconds per side or until warm. Build the Falafel Pita by smearing the schug and tzatziki sauce on the bottom of the warmed pita. Top with falafel then add cucumber, red onion, tomato, olives and feta. Eat the Falafel Pita while still warm.

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