Falafel Burgers Recipe
This falafel burger is a punchy, flavorful, high-protein vegetarian dinner! Top with tahini yogurt, pickled onions, sliced cucumbers, and tomatoes on a toasty brioche bun.
How to Make the Best Falafel Burgers
These homemade falafel burgers bring the beloved flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine to your dinner table in a fun, satisfying format. Made with soaked dried chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warm spices like cumin and coriander, these patties deliver an authentic falafel taste with a crispy exterior and tender interior.
What makes this recipe special is its versatility—you can bake, air fry, or pan-sear the patties depending on your preference. The key to perfect falafel is using dried chickpeas that have been soaked (never canned), which gives you that classic texture that’s crispy on the outside and fluffy within.
Top your falafel burgers with creamy tahini yogurt sauce, tangy pickled onions, fresh vegetables, and a drizzle of zhoug for heat. Served on a toasted brioche or sourdough bun, this is vegetarian comfort food at its finest—packed with protein and bursting with flavor.
Falafel Burgers
This falafel burger is a punchy, flavorful, high-protein vegetarian dinner! Top with tahini yogurt, pickled onions, sliced cucumbers, and tomatoes on a toasty brioche bun.
Ingredients
Falafel Patties
Toppings and Assembly
Instructions
Prepare the Falafel
- Soak the dry chickpeas in a bowl of water for 8-24 hours on the counter (make sure they are covered with water). Drain and blot dry. You should have about 2 cups.
- In a food processor, place the garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, spices, baking soda, and olive oil. Pulse repeatedly, scraping down the sides, until the mixture sticks together and forms a granular thick paste.
- With wet hands, form 4 patties compressing them tightly and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes while you prep your burger ingredients.
Cook the Falafel
- If baking, preheat oven to 400°F. If air frying, preheat to 375°F. You can also pan-sear in a skillet.
- Make the quick pickled onions and yogurt tahini sauce while the oven preheats.
- If baking, spray falafel tops with olive oil spray. Bake for 15 minutes, flip and spray tops again, then bake until golden. For pan-searing, cook in a cast iron skillet over medium heat with generous olive oil until each side is golden, then finish in a warm oven. For air frying, cook on greased grates for 7-8 minutes, flip, and air fry until golden (about 7 more minutes).
Assemble the Burgers
- Spread tahini yogurt on buns, add a little zhoug if using, top with falafel burger, sliced tomato and cucumber (season both with salt), microgreens, and pickled onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use canned chickpeas—you must use dried chickpeas that have been soaked but not cooked for authentic falafel texture.
- Allow 8-24 hours for soaking the chickpeas before starting this recipe.
- The baking soda is optional but makes the falafel lighter and fluffier.
