These hearty, crisp veggie burgers have bite
Falafel on challah topped with tangy onion jam will satisfy any backyard food craving
Falafel is a mixture of mashed chickpeas, onions and herbs and spices, formed into a small cake and deep fried.
This burger gives us everything we love about falafel — a crispy patty, fresh vegetables and creamy tahini. The tangy red onion jam helps cut through the richness of the fried patty and challah bread.
We bet you’ll find yourself making a big batch to use again and again.
Falafel Burgers
1 cup (250 mL) dried chickpeas (do not substitute canned beans, as they will not work properly) 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped 3-5 cloves garlic or roasted garlic 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp (4 mL) kosher salt 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground coriander 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped fresh green herbs (parsley, cilantro)
Vegetable oil, as needed for frying
Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about three inches (7.5 cm) of cold water. Cover and soak overnight.
Drain and rinse the beans and transfer to a food processor. Add the onion, garlic, flour, salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, and fresh green herbs.
Pulse until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. The mixture should hold together, but not be as smooth as hummus.
Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large bowl and stir with a fork to ensure ingredients are distributed.
Fill a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil until it is about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) up the side of the pan. Slowly heat the oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into 4-inch (10-cm) round slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop.
If the falafel won’t hold together, return it to the food processor and continue processing until it has formed more of a paste.
If necessary, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) at a time, until the shape holds. They may seem delicate at first, but will hold their shape once they are in the oil.
Fry the falafel patties until they are golden brown, two to three minutes per side. Transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined tray.
Slice the challah into eight 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) slices. Use a circle cutter or jar to cut a 5-inch (12.5-cm) round from the centre of each slice.
Spread about one tablespoon (15 mL) of cashew tahini on half the challah rounds and top with a falafel patty. Top the falafel with the onion jam, a slice of tomato, avocado, and lettuce. Spread another tablespoon (15 mL) of cashew tahini on the remaining challah rounds and top the sandwiches. Serve with sweet potato chips.