Baked Falafel with Greek Yogurt Cucumber Raita: A Delightful Fusion of Mediterranean Flavors
Embark on a culinary journey to the sun-kissed shores of the Mediterranean with this tantalizing recipe for baked falafel paired with a refreshing Greek yogurt cucumber raita. This vegetarian dish bursts with vibrant flavors and textures, offering a delightful symphony of savory, tangy, and cooling elements. Dive into the crispy exterior and tender interior of the falafel, made from a blend of chickpeas, herbs, and spices, all baked to perfection. Complementing the falafel is the luscious Greek yogurt cucumber raita, a cooling yogurt-based sauce infused with cucumber, mint, and dill, adding a touch of freshness and acidity. Together, these components create a harmonious balance of flavors and textures that will transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of the Mediterranean.
EASY BAKED FALAFEL WITH CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE
Try this Middle Eastern sandwich of chickpea and spice 'meatballs,' which are actually falafel that are oven-fried to keep their calorie count down. Serve with grilled pita wedges or pita pockets, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and cucumber slices.
Provided by Wyome
Categories Main Dish Recipes Sandwich Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Coat a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray and 1 tablespoon olive oil and place inside the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). C
- Combine chickpeas, onion, cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse until minced but not yet pasty. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour and egg until fully incorporated.
- Remove baking pan from the oven. Drop golfball-sized portions of chickpea mixture onto the hot pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes. Brush falafel with remaining olive oil and flip over. Continue baking until golden on both sides, 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Serve falafel with yogurt sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 249.8 calories, Carbohydrate 29.4 g, Cholesterol 46.5 mg, Fat 11.5 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 8.2 g, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, Sodium 586.6 mg, Sugar 2.4 g
CUCUMBER RAITA
Serve this cool, refreshing salad with my Lamb Tagine and Moroccan Couscous on this site. Make the salad early in the day and keep in the refrigerator to let the flavors blend and intensify. Add more mint to taste, but do not substitute dried mint; the flavor is just not the same.
Provided by BenevolentEmpress
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 3h15m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Stir together the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 49.7 calories, Carbohydrate 2.8 g, Cholesterol 7.5 mg, Fat 3.3 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 1.7 g, Sodium 61.7 mg, Sugar 2.1 g
COOL CUCUMBER RAITA
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories condiment
Time 40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Put the yogurt, cilantro, cumin, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste, into a blender and puree until the mixture is smooth and green. Pour it into a bowl and fold in the cucumber and mint. Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving and drizzle with a little olive oil.
FALAFEL IN PITA WITH YOGURT SAUCE
Steps:
- In medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and sweat onion and peppers 2 to 3 minutes then garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- In a food processor, pulse together chick peas, red chili flakes, ground cumin, the egg, salt and black pepper to form a coarse consistency. Then add flour, parsley, and cilantro. Pulse until mixture starts pulling from the sides of the food processor.
- Remove mixture to a large bowl and mix in the onion mixture. Chill falafel until ready to cook.
- Roll falafel dough into 1-inch rounds. Then form rounds into an oblong quenelle shape, like a football.
- In a thick-bottomed skillet heat 1/2 inch of canola oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Cook falafel balls a few at a time, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be sure to turn them so they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while still hot.
- Open the pita bread to make pockets. Place 3 to 4 falafels inside. Stuff with lettuce tomato and cucumbers and drizzle sauce generously on the inside. Serve immediately.
- Mix the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley and cumin together in a small bowl. Add salt to taste. Chill until ready to use.
CUCUMBER RAITA
Steps:
- Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse 3 times to just chop up the cucumber. The raita should be nice and creamy from the yogurt but still have texture from the cucumber.
SEAN'S FALAFEL AND CUCUMBER SAUCE
This is a great recipe for falafel. Everyone that I have made it for loves it. Yum!
Provided by Sean
Categories Main Dish Recipes Sandwich Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper and mayonnaise and mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
- In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides. Serve two falafels in each pita half topped with chopped tomatoes and cucumber sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 586 calories, Carbohydrate 59.5 g, Cholesterol 50.3 mg, Fat 33.1 g, Fiber 6.7 g, Protein 14.7 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 1580.1 mg, Sugar 8.1 g
Tips:
- For the best flavor, use fresh herbs and vegetables.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the chickpeas and vegetables by hand.
- Be sure to drain the chickpeas well before adding them to the food processor.
- If the falafel mixture is too wet, add more flour or bread crumbs.
- If the falafel mixture is too dry, add more tahini or water.
- Form the falafel into balls about the size of a golf ball.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before baking the falafel.
- Bake the falafel for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Serve the falafel with Greek yogurt cucumber raita, pita bread, and your favorite toppings.
Conclusion:
Baked falafel with Greek yogurt cucumber raita is a delicious and healthy meal that is perfect for any occasion. The falafel are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the Greek yogurt cucumber raita is a refreshing and flavorful accompaniment. This dish is also easy to make, and it can easily be customized to your liking. So next time you are looking for a healthy and delicious meal, give baked falafel with Greek yogurt cucumber raita a try.
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