Falafel with Tomato Cucumber Salad is a delicious and satisfying Middle Eastern dish that combines crispy falafel patties with a refreshing tomato-cucumber salad.
To start, preheat your oven to 425°F. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until you achieve a chunky paste-like consistency. Add diced onion and breadcrumbs, pulsing until the mixture tightens up and can be formed into patties. Adjust the texture with additional breadcrumbs if needed. Shape the mixture into twelve 1/2-inch-thick falafel patties.
Next, heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook six of the falafel patties until nicely browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked patties to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining patties. Bake the falafel in the oven for about 5 minutes to ensure they are heated through.
While the falafel is baking, prepare the tomato-cucumber salad. Toss quartered cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste.
To serve, split the pitas and stuff them with the falafel patties and the tomato-cucumber salad. The combination of crispy falafel, fresh vegetables, and tangy flavors makes for a delightful and satisfying meal.
Enjoy the falafel with tomato cucumber salad as a main course or as part of a mezze platter, and savor the flavors of this classic Middle Eastern dish.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 7 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup plain, fine dry breadcrumbs; more as needed
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 medium pickling cucumber or 1/3 English cucumber, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 4 pitas, warmed
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, 2 Tbs. of the oil, the cumin, coriander, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper into a chunky paste. Add the onion and breadcrumbs and pulse until the mixture tightens up. You should be able to easily form it into a patty—add more breadcrumbs as needed. Gently form the chickpea mixture into twelve 1/2-inch-thick patties.
- Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Add 6 of the patties and cook until nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until browned, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the patties to a baking sheet. Repeat with 2 Tbs. more oil and the remaining 6 patties. Bake the patties until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes and cucumber with the lemon juice, the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, and salt to taste.
- Split the pitas and stuff them with the falafel and tomato-cucumber salad.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
PER SERVING
- 640 CALORIES | 18G PROTEIN | 80G CARB | 28G TOTAL FAT | 4G SAT FAT |
18G MONO FAT | 4.5G POLY FAT | 0MG CHOL | 920MG SODIUM | 12G FIBER
NOTE:
- Falafel are usually deep-fried, but pan-searing these chickpea fritters is healthier (and not as messy). Serve them in pita bread, topped with thick yogurt or tahini sauce, if you like.
