Falafel Burgers with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on June 8, 2020
Time
45 minutes, plus 8 hours soaking
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 ounces dried chickpeas, picked over and rinsed⅓ cup tahini ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems¾ cup fresh parsley leaves ½ onion, chopped fine2 garlic cloves, minced1½ teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra as needed4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired¼ English cucumber, sliced thin
Before You Begin
We prefer to use our Quick Pickled Red Onions in this recipe.
Instructions
- Place chickpeas in large container and cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain well.
- Whisk tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice in medium bowl until smooth. Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; let come to room temperature and stir to recombine before serving.)
- Process cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and cayenne in food processor until mixture is finely ground, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add chickpeas and pulse 6 times. Continue to pulse until chickpeas are coarsely chopped and resemble sesame seeds, about 6 more pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
- Whisk flour and ⅓ cup water in bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 10 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl, 40 to 80 seconds. Stir baking powder into flour paste. Add flour paste to chickpea mixture and, using rubber spatula, mix until fully incorporated. (Falafel mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using 1 cup measure, drop 4 even portions (about ¾ cup each) into skillet, then press each portion into ¾-inch-thick patty with back of spoon. Cook until golden brown and crisp on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, gently flip patties and cook until well browned and crisp on second side, 4 to 6 minutes, adding extra oil as needed if skillet looks dry. Serve burgers on buns, topped with cucumber, pickled onions, and tahini-yogurt sauce.
Time
45 minutes, plus 8 hours soakingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
8 ounces dried chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
⅓ cup tahini
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
¾ cup fresh parsley leaves
½ onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
¼ English cucumber, sliced thin
Ingredients
8 ounces dried chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
⅓ cup tahini
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
¾ cup fresh parsley leaves
½ onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
¼ English cucumber, sliced thin
Ingredients
8 ounces dried chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
⅓ cup tahini
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
¾ cup fresh parsley leaves
½ onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
¼ English cucumber, sliced thin
Why This Recipe Works
We essentially supersize these chickpea fritters to make a uniquely delicious burger. We started by soaking dried chickpeas overnight to soften before grinding them into coarse bits along with onion, herbs, garlic, and spices. Traditional falafel recipes use flour and chickpeas for a dough-like texture, but uncooked flour yielded patties that were dry and bready; instead, we used a microwaved flour paste to add moisture and create a soft interior. To ensure burger-size falafel, we used a dry measuring cup and dropped scoops of the falafel mixture into a heated skillet and then used the back of a spoon to press each portion into a ¾-inch-thick patty. To top off our burgers, we created a sauce featuring tahini, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice and also added sliced cucumber and quick pickled red onions for a burger so flavorful we may never go back to falafel wrapped in pita bread.
Before You Begin
We prefer to use our Quick Pickled Red Onions in this recipe.
Instructions
- Place chickpeas in large container and cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain well.
- Whisk tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice in medium bowl until smooth. Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; let come to room temperature and stir to recombine before serving.)
- Process cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and cayenne in food processor until mixture is finely ground, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add chickpeas and pulse 6 times. Continue to pulse until chickpeas are coarsely chopped and resemble sesame seeds, about 6 more pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
- Whisk flour and ⅓ cup water in bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 10 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl, 40 to 80 seconds. Stir baking powder into flour paste. Add flour paste to chickpea mixture and, using rubber spatula, mix until fully incorporated. (Falafel mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using 1 cup measure, drop 4 even portions (about ¾ cup each) into skillet, then press each portion into ¾-inch-thick patty with back of spoon. Cook until golden brown and crisp on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, gently flip patties and cook until well browned and crisp on second side, 4 to 6 minutes, adding extra oil as needed if skillet looks dry. Serve burgers on buns, topped with cucumber, pickled onions, and tahini-yogurt sauce.
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