Healthy Falafel Wrap

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This delicious falafel wrap recipe is healthy comfort food at its best! Crispy falafel patties are baked instead of fried, wrapped in a whole wheat pita, and topped with spinach, tomato, and a creamy hummus sauce. Vegan, easy to make gluten-free, and totally family-friendly!

I honestly love all types of Mediterranean food: pita, hummus, feta, olives, veggies, and other delicious dips. Traditional falafels are deep-fried chickpea patties with a pretty heavy sauce and served in a white pita, they’re not exactly the healthiest meal. 

Since I’d rather have a Greek falafel wrap more regularly than just once in a while, I realized that this was my opportunity to makeover the traditional falafel, by baking them instead of frying, and they turned out GREAT. This recipe combines so many of my favorite ingredients and uses a light and easy-to-make hummus falafel wrap sauce.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Baked, Not Fried: Even though falafel is often deep-fried, baking still gives you that amazing texture without the added fat. 
• Vegan: Falafel is made with plant-based ingredients so it’s naturally vegan and easy to make gluten-free using oat flour.
• Simple Recipe: This falafel pita wrap is made in just a few simple steps. Falafel blends together quickly in a food processor and you’ll love the fresh taste and customizable flavor of homemade falafel. Tastes just like an authentic falafel wrap recipe, and is way better than store-bought falafels!
• Great for Lunch or Dinner: This easy vegan falafel wrap recipe is a lightened-up version that makes a delicious meal any time of day. This is also a great recipe for healthy meal prep too!
• Packed with Fresh Vegetables: Falafel compliments so many vegetables so it’s easy to fill your pita with multiple servings of vegetables for a refreshing and flavorful meal.

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🥘 Ingredients

This falafel and hummus wrap requires simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store! Here’s what goes in a falafel wrap:

• Whole Wheat Pita: Use whole wheat pita pockets for added fiber and whole grains. Make sure to get the larger-sized pita so that it holds all of the toppings in this veggie falafel wrap. Use a gluten-free pita or vegan pita for gluten-free or vegan wraps.
• Canned Chickpeas: Garbanzo beans are the base of this homemade vegan falafel and hummus wrap recipe! 
• Red Onion: For texture and flavor in this falafel burrito.
• Whole Wheat Flour or Oat Flour: Acts as a binder and helps the falafel balls stay together. For a gluten-free falafel, use oat flour.
• Spices: Parsley, garlic cloves, cilantro, cumin, salt, lemon juice, paprika, and black pepper to give these falafel patties a great flavor. 
• Baking Powder: To help the falafel bake without getting too dense.
• Olive Oil Spray: Used to spray the falafel so that they get a nice crispy texture on the outside while baking, to mimic traditional fried falafel while using less oil.
• Hummus: Traditional hummus or variations like garlic hummus, Greek hummus, or beetroot hummus.

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Panko or Wheat Breadcrumbs: You can use panko breadcrumbs or whole wheat breadcrumbs in place of whole wheat flour.
• Dried Chickpeas: Soaked and cooked dried chickpeas can be substituted for canned.
• Avocado Oil: Use avocado oil spray if you prefer.

🔪 How To Make Healthy Falafel Wraps

This falafel roll recipe is super easy! Here’s how to make baked falafel with hummus sauce:

Prep Ingredients: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine chickpeas and all ingredients for falafel (except for the pitas, spinach, tomatoes, baking powder, and nonstick spray) in a food processor, and give them a good chop.

Finish Falafel Mixture: Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the baking powder, and stir together. Using a potato masher, mash any big chunks that remain. The mixture should remain slightly chunky, not smooth.

Make Falafel Patties: Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray thoroughly with olive oil nonstick spray. One at a time, take spoonfuls of mixture in your hands and form 15 balls, each about the size of a ping pong ball, and gently place them on the baking sheet. Spray the top of each ball with olive oil nonstick spray, for a total of about a 2-second spray.

Bake: Bake the falafel in the oven for 15 minutes or until the bottoms become golden brown.

Turn the Falafel and Continue Baking: Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and carefully turn each ball over, gently reshaping if the bottoms have flattened. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes (or longer, depending on your oven), until golden brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool and set for at least 5 minutes.

Make Hummus Sauce: Meanwhile, combine 2 parts hummus to 1 part water, and stir until blended (add more water to taste depending on how watery you like your sauce). Season to taste with salt / black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Prepare Toppings and Warm Pita: While your falafel patties are baking, chop the veggies of your choice, gather additional toppings, and warm up your pita bread.

Assemble Falafel Hummus Wrap: Fill the whole wheat pitas with spinach, 3 falafel balls, diced tomato, and top with spinach and sauce or other toppings of your choice. Wrap and enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips

• Drain and Rinse Chickpeas: Before adding chickpeas to the food processor, drain and rinse them well. Extra moisture would prevent the falafel from browning.
• Mix Falafel Until Just Combined: For the best falafel, process until slightly chunky and not smooth.
• Use a Cookie Scoop: For easy portioning of the falafel mix, use a cookie scoop to make equally-sized falafel balls.
• Watch for Falafel to Brown: Depending on your oven, baking time may vary. Falafel may take up to 20-25 minutes to brown before turning. For best results, watch carefully to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn!
• Let Guests Build Their Own: Provide pita, falafel, and a variety of toppings for guests or picky-eaters to assemble their perfect personalized wrap. Guests will love piling their pitas high with spinach or drizzling on extra hummus sauce for their falafel sandwich! Serving a build-your-own pita station is also ideal for guests who are vegan, gluten-free, or have other allergies or food sensitivities.

🥙 Falafel Wrap Toppings

What you put in a falafel wrap is customizable and based on your personal tastes! My favorite combination is baby spinach, diced tomatoes, and hummus sauce! Here are some of my other favorite fillings to add to this vegan falafel wraps recipe:

• Tzatziki Sauce: Creamy tzatziki or vegan sauce varieties. You could also just use a dollop of Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt mixed with a little lemon zest or fresh dill in this Lebanese falafel wrap recipe
• Fresh Greens: Try spinach, romaine lettuce, or arugula.
• Diced Or Sliced Vegetables: Fresh veggies like tomatoes, red or yellow onions, chopped romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, or pickles.
• Sauteed Vegetables: Green or red cabbage, or your favorite leafy green.
• Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley, mint leaves, or cilantro.
• Cheese: Crumbled feta cheese or vegan feta for a vegan hummus wrap.
• Tabbouleh Salad: A delicious combination of toppings in one salad. Parsley, tomatoes, bulgur wheat, and green onions.
• Tahini Sauce Or Sesame Seeds: One of the most classic falafel toppings! Add creamy tahini sauce or sesame seeds for earthy and nutty flavors. You can also mix a spoonful of hummus with a little bit of cold water to create a homemade tahini-like sauce (if you don’t have tahini!)

📖 Variations

• Spicy Falafel: Add cayenne pepper, chili powder, or crushed red pepper flakes into your spice mixture for more heat in these homemade falafels.
• Pita Bowls: The flavors of this recipe are family-friendly and pita bowls are perfect for kids who may have a hard time holding a falafel wrap. Serve vegetables and falafel in a bowl with sauce and pita triangles on the side for easy dipping.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Many Mediterranean dishes go well with falafel. Serve falafel and hummus wraps with:

• Tabouli salad made with parsley, tomatoes, and bulgar wheat.
• A side of Hummus Without Garlic or Butterbean Hummus for dipping. 
• Fattoush salad with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a light vinaigrette.

🙌 Dietary Adaptions

• Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free pita or wrap and oat flour or panko instead of whole wheat flour.
• Vegan: While most pita bread brands are vegan, it’s always good to check the package label to ensure the one you’ve selected does not contain any animal or animal-derived ingredients.

🫙 Storage Directions

• To Store: Allow leftover falafels to cool before storing. Sore falafel and toppings individually in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This recipe does not freeze well.
• To Reheat: Reheat the dish in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through or air fry falafel for 3-5 minutes in a preheated 350-degree air fryer.

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🌯 More Delicious Wraps And Veggie Sandwiches!

• Sourdough Grilled Cheese
• Tempeh Gyros
• Vegan Avocado Hummus Wrap
• Gourmet Banana Peanut Butter Sandwich
• Greek Pita Sandwich
• Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese

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