Healthy Falafel Wrap
My healthy falafel wrap is one of my favorite comfort food! Baked crispy falafel, fresh spinach, juicy tomatoes, and creamy hummus sauce all wrapped in a whole wheat pit. It’s completely vegan, easily adaptable to be gluten-free, and always a hit with my family. I could eat this any day of the week!
Servings: 5
Calories: 285kcal
Ingredients
Falafel
- 5 whole wheat pitas
- 15 oz chickpeas, rinsed & drained (1 15oz can)
- 1 red onion very finely chopped
- ¼ cup whole-wheat flour you could also try using panko breadcrumbs or whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp paprika or more to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- olive oil nonstick spray
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¾ cup diced tomatoes
Sauce
- 3-4 tbsp store bought hummus
- 2-3 tbsp water start with 1 tbsp and work your way up from there
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.
- Place all ingredients for falafel (except for the pitas, baking powder, and nonstick spray) in a food processor, and give them a good chop.
- Transfer the mixture into a 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.
- 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 the falafel in the oven for 15 minutes. 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, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool and set for at least 5 minutes.
- While the falafel are baking: chop your veggies and warm up your pita bread. In a mixing bowl, 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.
- Fill the whole wheat pitas with spinach, 3 falafel balls, diced tomato, and top with spinach and sauce. Wrap and enjoy!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for making my healthy falafel wrap is to mix the falafel ingredients just enough to combine, keeping the texture slightly chunky. I used to think blending the mixture until smooth would make better falafel, but they always turned out too dense. Once I started leaving some texture, the falafel became crispier on the outside, perfectly tender inside, and so much more satisfying, just like the kind you'd get at a great Mediterranean place.
- I always drain and rinse the chickpeas well before using them. Extra moisture can keep the falafel from browning properly.
- I love using a cookie scoop to portion the falafel mix. It makes the process faster and ensures all the falafel are the same size.
- Every oven is different, so I keep an eye on the falafel as they bake. Sometimes they take up to 25 minutes to brown, and I make sure the bottoms don’t burn.
- I like setting up a build-your-own falafel wrap station with pitas, toppings, and hummus. It’s perfect for picky eaters and anyone with dietary restrictions!
Nutrition
Serving: 1falafel wrap | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g