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Home » Dinner recipes » Falafel Pita Sandwich (with creamy & spicy sauces)

Falafel Pita Sandwich (with creamy & spicy sauces)

Published: Jan 26, 2022

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Falafel Pita Pocket Sandwiches – this quite essential sandwich from Mediterranean cuisine is layered with warm pita, crispy falafel, creamy tahini, spicy red bell pepper sauce, salad and feta cheese. Makes for tasty and satisfying dinner.

Looking for more dinner ideas? Try my Asian Vegetable Soup, Instant Pot Veggie Lasagna Soup, Instant Pot Vegetable Pulao, Burnt Garlic Fried Rice, and Tikka Masala Pasta.

falafel pita vegetable sandwich is served in a white plate with sauces

What is Falafel?

Falafel is a Middle Easter deep fried snack made with chickpeas. Overnight soaked chickpeas are ground with spices and herbs and formed to small balls. These balls are deep fried till golden brown.

What is Falafel Pita Sandwich?

Pita is a flat bread made with wheat flour, popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. This Pita bread is stuffed with few falafel balls, tahini sauce, hot sauce or hummus, fresh salad (made with onions, cucumber, cherry tomato, parsley and lettuce) and feta cheese (which gives that extra creaminess. Add more sauces on the top and enjoy immediately.

Though the sandwich has different layers, it is relatively very easy to put together.

Few Tips to make these Vegetarian Falafel Pita Pockets for weeknight dinner

Use store bought frozen falafel

Make the tahini sauce and red bell pepper sauce over the weekend

No mood to make red bell pepper sauce – use hot sauce or sambal olek

Double the recipe to enjoy for another weeknight

Ingredients:

pic of the ingredients need to make falafel pita sandwiches

Falafel – make home made or store bought. I used store bought- I like trader joes and target falafels.

Onion – we don’t like the pungent flavor of onion, so I soaked the sliced onion in water and some lemon juice for 15 mins. After 15 mins, rinse and drain the onions.

Red Bell Pepper Sauce is not traditional, but I make it as kids are not big fan of tahini.

Tahini Sauce – I like to add some yogurt to make it creamy. Yogurt balances the nutty flavor of sesame and makes the sandwich very tasty.

Step by Step Method

1- To make the red bell pepper sauce – heat a skillet add oil, cubed red bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno and pinch of salt. Saute for 5 mins, do not over cook. Let the mixture cool and make a puree.

sauteed bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeno pureed in the blender

2 – To make the creamy tahini sauce – add tahini paste, garlic, salt, lime juice and Greek yogurt ( or hung thick yogurt) to a small blender. Blend until creamy. If it is too thick add 1 to 2 teaspoon of water to thin it out.

blended tahini, yogurt, garlic and salt to smooth paste

3 – Falafel – I used store bought frozen falafel. Follow the package instructions, I air fried at 300 F for 10 minutes and then turned the falafel over and baked for another 8 minutes. The time will depend on the size of the falafel.

For Salad – we don’t like the pungent flavor of onion, so I soaked the sliced onion in water and some lemon juice for 15 mins. After 15 mins, rinse and drain the onions. Now in a bowl combine the onion, cucumber and cherry tomato. Wash and wipe the lettuce and finely chop them.

air fried falafel and salad in a bowl

To Assemble

Cut the pita pockets to half, warm them up and gently open the pocket. Add a layer of red bell pepper sauce, salad, lettuce, tahini sauce and feta cheese. Now top it with few falafel balls, more salad, tahini, red bell pepper sauce, feta and hot sauce ( or pickled jalapeno red bell pepper sauce). Serve immediately.

a hand holding the falafel pita sandwich

You can also serve these sandwiches as Buddha Bowl

pita, falafel, sauce and salad served in a large plate

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I replace red bell pepper sauce with?

Hot sauce or Sambal Olek

Can I skip the yogurt in tahini sauce?

You may, just thin it out with water.

Can you recommend good frozen falafel?

Trader Joes and Target.

How long will the sauces last?

For 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

What else can I use in place of falafel?

I have tried with masala vada (Indian snack) and frozen black bean burger.

If you tried these Falafel Pita Sandwiches, don’t forget to give a star rating below. For more recipes and to see what’s cooking in my kitchen, follow me on Facebook,  Pinterest  and Instagram.

falafel pita vegetable sandwich is served in a white plate with sauces

Falafel Pita Sandwich ( with Creamy Tahini Sauce & Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce)

Falafel Pita Sandwiches with creamy tahini sauce – this quite essential sandwich from Mediterranean cuisine will be loved by your whole family. The best sauces and the toppings make this an ultimate lunch or dinner recipe.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3
Author: Madhavi

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pita bread
  • 16 cooked falafel balls ( home made or store bought)
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium cucumber, diced
  • 12 cherry tomato, diced
  • 1 cup lettuce, chopped
  • feta cheese as needed
  • sliced pickled jalapeno (optional)
  • Sambal olek or hot sauce to taste

Creamy Tahini

  • ¼ cup tahini paste ( I used trader joes)
  • ½ cup greek yogurt or thick hung yogurt
  • 1-2 small garlic cloves
  • 3 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
  • salt to taste

Spicy Red Bell Pepper Sauce

  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ medium onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 large jalapeno
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

To make the red bell pepper sauce

  • Heat a skillet add oil, chopped red bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno and pinch of salt. Saute for 5 mins, do not over cook. Let the mixture cool and make a puree.

To make the Creamy Tahini Sauce 

  • Add tahini paste, garlic, salt, lime juice and Greek yogurt ( or hung thick yogurt) to a small blender. Blend until creamy. If it is too thick add 1 to 2 teaspoon of water to thin it out.

Falafel

  • I used store bought frozen falafel. Air fried at 300 F for 10 minutes and then turned the falafel and baked for another 8 minutes. The time will depend on the size of the falafel.

Salad

  • Wash and wipe the lettuce and finely chop them.
  • We don’t like the pungent flavor of onion, so I soaked the sliced onion in water and some lemon juice for 15 mins. Rinse and drain the water. Add these sliced onion with cut cucumber and chopped cherry tomato.

Assembling the Sandwich

  • Cut the pita pockets to half, warm them up and gently open the pocket. I warmed the pita in a toaster. Add a layer of red bell pepper sauce, salad, lettuce, tahini sauce and feta cheese. Now top it with few falafel balls, more salad, tahini, red bell pepper sauce, feta and hot sauce ( or pickled jalapeno or red bell pepper sauce). Serve immediately.

Notes

Serve the sandwich immediately if not the sandwich will become soggy.
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @MadhusEverydayIndian or tag #MadhusEverydayIndian!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kundana

    February 02, 2022 at 10:05 pm

    5 stars
    U always come up with so different dishes…this is so good👌👌

    Reply
    • Madhavi

      February 03, 2022 at 9:29 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Rajashri Ramesh

    January 27, 2022 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy sandwich. We loved it! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
    • Madhavi

      January 27, 2022 at 7:56 pm

      So glad you enjoyed them Rajashri. Thank you for sharing your feedback!

      Reply

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About me

Hello there, I am Madhavi, welcome to my blog! I share vegetarian, dairy and egg recipes from India and around the world. Hope you enjoy my recipes and Happy Browsing!

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