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Falafel pitas

Middle Eastern · 40 min · MediumVegan

Crispy chickpea falafel in warm pita with tahini sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers and pickles.

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Crisp falafel in a bowl, one broken open to show the green herb filling

Photo: Anton on Unsplash

Crisp on the outside, bright green and fluffy inside: homemade falafel is worth the small amount of planning it takes. The one rule is to use dried chickpeas soaked overnight, not canned. Canned chickpeas are too soft and the falafel fall apart in the oil.

Stuff them into warm pitas with a simple tahini sauce, crunchy vegetables and a few pickles.

Falafel pitas recipe

By FeastPick Kitchen · Updated October 11, 2026

Prep
25 min
Cook
15 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4

Ingredients

Falafel

  • 1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas, soaked in plenty of cold water for 12 to 24 hours
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup (30 g) packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup (15 g) packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons chickpea flour or all-purpose flour
  • Neutral oil, for frying (about 2 inches / 5 cm deep)

Tahini sauce

  • 1/3 cup (80 g) tahini
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons cold water
  • A pinch of salt

To serve

  • 4 pita breads, warmed
  • Chopped tomato and cucumber
  • Shredded lettuce or cabbage
  • Pickled turnips or pickles
  • Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. Drain the soaked chickpeas well and pat them dry.
  2. Put the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander and salt in a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides, until the mixture looks like coarse sand and holds together when squeezed. Don't blend it into a paste.
  3. Stir in the baking powder and flour. Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes so it firms up.
  4. Meanwhile, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt. It will seize up at first; whisk in the water a spoonful at a time until smooth and pourable.
  5. Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls or small patties, about 2 tablespoons each.
  6. Fry in batches of 5 or 6 for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
  7. Fill the warm pitas with falafel, vegetables and pickles, and drizzle generously with tahini sauce.

Tips

  • Test-fry one falafel first. If it breaks up, pulse the mixture a little more or add another tablespoon of flour.
  • To bake instead: brush the patties with oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, flipping halfway. They won't be as crisp, but they're still very good.

Storing leftovers

Fried falafel keep in the fridge for 3 days; reheat in a hot oven to crisp them up. The uncooked mixture freezes well for 2 months.

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