Healthy vegan falafel burger recipe

Falafel (pronounced “fell-off-uhl”) is growing in popularity – and it is easy to see why. This Middle Eastern delight is a firm favourite with both vegans and vegetarians alike and provides an excellent source of healthy fats and proteins. Falafel is also delicious and can be used in so many different ways. Add it to a wholesome buddha bowl or pop it inside a pitta with lashings of hummus and tahini. Alternatively, shape your falafel into small balls for a high-energy snack that will provide a little boost whenever you need it. If you are looking to incorporate some meat-free foods into your diet, we have got a tasty falafel burger recipe for you to try. It is perfect as a weekend meal or a delicious mid-week treat. Enjoy!

What’s in falafel?

The main ingredient of falafel is chickpeas. Sometimes also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre.¹ They are also high in protein and a good way to help vegans and vegetarians maintain a healthy diet. Not only that, but a cup of chickpeas weighing 164g contains no less than 12.5 of fibre.² Falafel also contains onions and spices, including coriander, paprika and cumin. These ingredients are what give falafels their distinctive taste and texture. Coriander, paprika and cumin are known to have a range of health benefits and antioxidant properties, making them a healthy addition to your falafel.^3,4,5 Sometimes chilli powder is added to falafels to give them a bit of a kick, but this is optional, depending on your personal taste.

Best vegan falafel burger recipe

This falafel burger recipe is so easy to make and requires just a few ingredients to pull together a speedy lunchtime snack or tasty evening meal. And to serve, why not create a delicious tahini falafel sauce, using just a few simple ingredients? Cooking and preparation time: 60 minutes Makes: 4 falafel burgers

Ingredients:

For the falafel burgers:

• 400g tinned chickpeas
• 340g tinned sweetcorn
• 15g coriander
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 15g fresh coriander
• 1 fresh, medium-sized lemon
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• Splash of oil

For the tahini dressing:

• 3 tbsp plant-based plain yoghurt
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

To serve:

• Vegan burger buns or vegan brioche buns
• Iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Beef tomato, thinly sliced

Equipment you will need:

• Food processor
• Large frying pan
• Baking tray
• Baking paper
• Lemon zest

How to make healthy vegan falafel burgers:

1. Drain your chickpeas, rinse, and dry them off using kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Drain the sweetcorn and tip them into a food processor along with the chickpeas. Add the fresh coriander. 2. Finely grate the lemon and add the falafel spices, flour, and a pinch of salt to the food processor. Give everything a whizz until roughly chopped. Do not overdo it on the blending as you will need a bit of texture in your falafel. 3. Shape the mixture into 4 burger-sized patties and pop them into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. This gets them nice and firm, so that they hold their shape. 4. Once firm, add a splash of oil to a large pan. Add the falafel patties once the oil is hot and cook them on either side until golden and crisp for around 10 minutes. To stop them from burning, turn them regularly. 5. To make the tahini sauce, mix all the ingredients until you have a smooth paste. Stir in warm water 1 tbsp at a time until the consistency becomes thinner and easy to drizzle. 6. Serve the falafel burger in between a vegan brioche bun, shredded iceberg lettuce, a couple of thinly sliced tomatoes, and your homemade tahini sauce. You can also modify this recipe to make gluten-free falafels by swapping the plain flour for multi-purpose gluten-free flour and the burger buns for a gluten-friendly option.

Nutritional information

Each falafel (without the burger bun and tahini sauce) contains 417 calories and 7.1g of fat. It also contains 6.1g of sugar, 1.3g of salt, 11.7g of fibre, 74.46g of carbohydrates and 18.1g of protein. Shop Food & Drink Last updated: 9 February 2021 Sources 1 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chickpeas-nutrition-benefits 2 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280244#benefits 3 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277627#preparation-and-uses 4 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/paprika-benefits 5 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-of-cumin