Baked Quinoa Falafel Pita With Tzatziki
“College taught me many things, but in the food department I’m thankful that my college cafeteria introduced me to falafel. When I walked up to the vegetarian-friendly line my freshman year, I had never heard of the little fried chickpea balls, but the obsession started immediately after I bit into my first one. It took me a while to perfect a recipe to use at home, but I’ve found that the spice mixture below brings me back to that college cafeteria experience. I like adding quinoa to my falafel because it adds extra fiber and protein, as well as a boost in texture. Instead of deep-frying my falafel, I simply bake them to firm them up, then quickly pan-fry them to give them a good crunch on the outside. The refreshing tzatziki is tangy, cool, and a perfect balance to the spiced falafel patties.” — Katie Parker, author of The High-Protein Vegetarian CookbookClick here for more of our best falafel recipes.
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon dried coriander
- 1¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- ½ cucumber, peeled and grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- juice of 1/4 small lemon
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup 2% plain greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 whole wheat pitas, cut in half
- Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Pulse together the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and other spices in a food processor. Process until everything is finely chopped (it won’t become completely smooth, and that’s okay). Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the quinoa. Add the egg yolk and stir until fully incorporated.
- Shape the dough into eight balls, and then flatten with your palm into about ½-inch-thick patties. Transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip each patty, and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Heat half of the oil in a large nonstick fry pan. Place four of the patties in the heated oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining oil and remaining patties.
- Place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh strainer set over the sink or a bowl, and let drain for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Fill each pita half with two falafel patties, tzatziki, and any other toppings you like (I recommend crunchy romaine leaves, tomato slices, and red onion).