Have you ever had a falafel? You know, those little fried patties drizzled with tzatziki wrapped in a warm soft pita. No?! Well, you better get on that!
In the meantime, if you’re intimidated by the prospect of making falafels at home like I am, I have a fix for you. I made some Almond Chickpea Burgers tonight that remind me of falafels and just knock my socks off in general! Dinner tasted amazing and was super duper simple to make! And I can almost guarantee that you already have all the ingredients you need. Can it get any better than that?!
Ok, I’ll stop blabbering and get right to it…
Almond Chickpea Burgers
Adapted from this Women’s Health Magazine recipe
Yields 4 burgers
1/2 cup toasted almonds (slivered or sliced)
1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced (I just used these)
1 1/2 teaspoon dry parsley
1 1/2 ground cumin and coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
4 teaspoons olive oil
toasted whole wheat pitas (I used a toasted breakfast thin)
”Aioli””:
Mayonnaise
Few dashes of paprika
Lemon juice to taste
In a food processor (I used my Ninja), grind almonds into a fine, loose powder (don’t turn them into a paste). Transfer almonds to a bowl. In the same food processor, now blend the chickpeas and garlic until chunky and combined. Add chickpea mixture, parsley, cumin and coriander powder, and salt to almond mixture and mix until combined. Add the egg and mix well. Divide and shape the mixture into 4 patties. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add all 4 patties to the pan and cook on each side for about 5 minutes or until brown and crispy. Mix the mayo, paprika, and lemon juice until combined. Spread “aioli” on pita or bread of choosing. Top with burgers and toppings of choice (I topped my burger with tomatoes and onions today). And don’t forget to enjoy every bite!
An added bonus of making these burgers is that they are kid tested and mother (and father) approved. My aunt and I actually made these at her house back when I lived in Arizona, and my little cousin and uncle loved them!
Oh and another added bonus is that they are healthy and SO filling!
So let’s see…delicious, simple, loved by all, healthy, and filling. I rest my case! 
The only downside to all of this is that I have to go clean up the mess I made…bleh!
Have a great night, y’all!
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean says
May 24, 2011 at 8:28 pmlove this idea. i’ve made chickpea burgers but they’re always a little plain. almonds might do the trick!
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons says
May 24, 2011 at 8:55 pmAWESOME! I just made triple bean veggie burgers that my friend posted as a guest post and these patties might be my next endevor! yum!!!!I
and girl you need to make falafel at home! My baked recipe is yummy … annnnd the fried one is even better 😉 (shhh!)
xoxo
Laura @ S2theT says
May 24, 2011 at 8:56 pmI love chickpea burgers. Great idea to toast the almonds! Have you ever used a greek yogurt version on “aioli?” It’s really good too. 🙂
Ashley@BakerbyNature says
May 24, 2011 at 9:19 pmI am addicted to falafel!!! Luckily I live in NYC and can scratch the itch, but these look like a superb alternative, so creative!
Alexa @ SimpleEats says
May 24, 2011 at 10:01 pmThese look amazing! I bet the toasted almonds add such great flavor!
Alayna @ Thyme Bombe says
May 24, 2011 at 11:03 pmYum, this combination sounds great!
Shanna, like Banana says
May 24, 2011 at 11:28 pmThese are brilliant — love the twist on a falafel, but in burger form. I need to get my hubby to make these 😉
Stefanie @TheNewHealthy says
May 25, 2011 at 1:12 amMm, these sound (and look) absolutely delish! 🙂
Khushboo Thadani says
May 25, 2011 at 2:06 amThese sound wonderful! I’ve added them to my evergrowing list of recipes to try!
Colleen says
May 25, 2011 at 7:49 amI’ve never had falfel, so thanks for posting this recipe! And I just read your comment on my post from yesterday – it’s insane how much alike we are! I hope you have a GREAT day!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
May 25, 2011 at 8:21 amI love falafel but I’ve never tried to make my own before. These burgers look so good, especially with the toasted almonds!
Rach @ This Italian Family says
May 25, 2011 at 12:29 pmI still haven’t had falafel, but I hear great things! Love how healthy this meal is!
LauraJayne says
May 25, 2011 at 2:15 pmI sort of live for falafel. One week, I literally ate it every day. Sad, I know – but I’m always looking for new recipes to try – I haven’t met a falafel or falafel-like item I haven’t liked!
Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food says
May 25, 2011 at 6:42 pmohh I do love falafel and have been wanting to make them at home.
Looks delicious Parita! 🙂
Sweet Cheeks says
May 29, 2011 at 5:51 pmhello!
These look SO great and I am bookmarking this page to try them out soon. thanks!!