Falafel Burgers

Name: Falafel Burgers
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 cups dried garbanzo beans or chickpeas; 1/2 tablespoon baking soda; 1 cup fresh parsley leaves; 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded; 6 garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon baking powder; YOGURT SAUCE:; 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt; 3 tablespoons tahini; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon salt; BURGERS:; 8 hamburger buns, split and toasted or whole pita breads; Optional toppings: Lettuce leaves, pickled onion, feta cheese, red onion, tomato or cucumber

Total Time Prep: 1 hour + soaking Bake: 20 min.

Yield 8 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

Smoky Middle Eastern spices and a zesty tahini-and-yogurt dressing give these falafel burgers their appeal. If you're expecting a ho-hum meat-free burger substitute, you'll be surprised by this vegetarian classic.

Ingredients

2 cups dried garbanzo beans or chickpeas
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
YOGURT SAUCE:
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
BURGERS:
8 hamburger buns, split and toasted or whole pita breads
Optional toppings: Lettuce leaves, pickled onion, feta cheese, red onion, tomato or cucumber

Directions

In a large bowl, cover garbanzo beans with water. Stir in baking soda. Cover; let stand overnight. Drain; rinse and pat dry.
In a food processor, combine garbanzo beans, parsley, cilantro, 6 tablespoons flour, jalapeno, garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, salt, pepper and baking powder. Pulse until crumbly. Using hands, try to shape a small portion into a ball. If mixture is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. If mixture is too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Shape garbanzo bean mixture into 8 3/4-in.-thick patties. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450°.
Bake until lightly browned, 18-22 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and salt. Serve patties on buns with yogurt sauce and desired toppings.

Nutrition Facts

1 burger: 327 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 692mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 16g fiber), 15g protein.

I love to get falafel at our local Middle Eastern restaurant. It’s not always cheap or convenient to eat out, so I tried making an at-home version burger-style. This falafel burger is baked, making it a little more calorie-friendly. —Kristyne McDougle Walter, Lorain, Ohio

Recipe Creator

Community Cook