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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
You can also serve these sandwiches as Buddha Bowl
Frequently Asked Questions
Hot sauce or Sambal Olek
You may, just thin it out with water.
Trader Joes and Target.
For 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
I have tried with masala vada (Indian snack) and frozen black bean burger.
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Falafel Pita Sandwich ( with Creamy Tahini Sauce & Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce)
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.
Kundana
U always come up with so different dishes…this is so good👌👌
Madhavi
Thank you!
Rajashri Ramesh
Yummy sandwich. We loved it! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Madhavi
So glad you enjoyed them Rajashri. Thank you for sharing your feedback!