Fun & Flavorful Falafel Waffle Sandwich (Vegan)

There’s something about a waffle maker that manages to make any food, no matter what it is, instantly playful and interesting.

This recipe is a play on that classic waffle shape, part waffle, part falafel—a falwaffle if you will. Loaded with fresh, crunchy veggies and a smooth tahini sauce, this falafel waffle sandwich is sure to bring a smile to your face and take you back to more nostalgic days of retrieving the waffle maker from the basement to press plateful upon plateful of bright and bouncy Belgium waffles from the pocked griddle.

A Quick Cooking Note: While most authentic falafel recipes prefer that you purchase dried chickpeas and soak them overnight, I opted not to do that and use canned chickpeas instead. I always want to keep recipes as accessible as possible, and try to stick with ingredients most people can find in their panty (besides authentic spices and ingredients needed to keep the flavors accurate). If you’d like to experiment with dried chickpeas you are welcome to do so, but know this recipe will work with canned chickpeas as well.

falafel waffle on a plate with silverware

Fun & Flavorful Falafel Waffle Sandwich (Vegan)

Recipe Type: Sandwiches

YIELDS 3 sandwiches

PREP TIME 01 hour 15 min

COOK TIME 10 min

TOTAL TIME 01 hour 25 min

For the Falafel
1 1/2 cans chickpeas
2 tbsp sesame
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
3 medium garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2/3 cup fresh parsley
2/3 cup fresh dill
1/3 cup flour
For the Sauce
1/4 cup tahini
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp water
For Frying
4 tbsp canola oil
For The Filling
1 mini cucumber
1 tomato
1 red onion (soaked in cold water)
1/2 cup lettuce

Directions

1. Thoroughly rinse and dry the cilantro, parsley, and dill, and remove excess stems. (This step is important to get excess dirt and sand off these herbs.)

2. Measure cilantro, parsley, and dill, and add to food processor along with rinsed chickpeas, sesame seeds, salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and flour.

3. Pulse until all ingredients are well-incorporated and the falafel mixture has a soft, but moldable texture.

4. Put in the freezer and chill for 1 hour.

5. While the falafel mixture is firming up, measure out ¼ cup tahini, ⅛ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp cumin, ⅛ cup lemon juice, 1 ½ tsp minced garlic, and 1 tbsp water. Stir until ingredients form a nice paste, just liquid enough for a sturdy sauce texture.

6. On a cutting board, slice the cucumber, tomato, and red onions into thin, sandwich-sized slices. (Note: For the red onions, I like to soak them in cold water before serving to take the bite out of the flavor.)

7. Take out the falafel mixture and heat up a waffle iron. Prior to putting your falafel mixture on the iron, make sure you brush the iron with canola oil each time. Other oils you can use include almond oil, sesame oil, and sunflower oil, as these all have high smoke points, but avoid using olive oil as this will not get your griddle up to the needed temperature.

8. Form a thin patty a little bigger than the size of your palm, and place it in the center of the waffle iron.

9. Each falafel waffle should take about 3–4 minutes, but may need more or less time depending on how crispy you’d like it.

10. Once you have two falafel waffles, add the sandwich ingredients, drizzle with the tahini sauce and enjoy!

Also by Dana: Sweet Potato Taco Boats with Cilantro Lime Sauce

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Photo: Dana Drosdick