The best part of the falafel experience is biting into the crispy golden exterior to reveal a bright-green center. That’s right, green. A true Egyptian falafel is always green because it is made of fava beans, as opposed to the standard chickpea that most other cultures use. You’ll always see an Egyptian break a falafel in half to reveal the color, as if they were the falafel police monitoring authenticity. I make a shortcut version using frozen edamame and peas to save time and give the best color, with no loss of flavor or texture. Then I sear them to make the most crunchy surface and pair them with buttery brioche burger buns.
Ingredients
Falafels:
Tahini Mayo:
To serve:
Preparation
For the falafels:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set a large pot of salted boiling water over high heat, and prepare an ice bath. Blanch the edamame and peas in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, then immediately transfer to the ice bath. Drain and dry.
Step 2
Transfer the edamame and peas to the bowl of a food processor and add the flour, parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway seeds, chili flakes, baking powder, and salt. Pulse until smooth. The falafels should be the consistency of wet sand and keep their shape when you form some into a ball in your hand.
Step 3
Divide the falafel mix into 8 to 10 burgers, depending on your preferred size, then form into patties. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the burgers are keeping their shape—don’t worry about flipping them. This step can be done ahead of time.
To make the Tahini Mayo:
Step 4
Combine the garlic mayo and tahini in a bowl. If the mixture is really thick, add a little cold water to loosen it.
To serve:
Step 5
Heat the canola oil in a large pan over high heat. Fry the burgers for 1 to 2 minutes, until the surface is crispy, then flip and fry for another minute. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Step 6
Toast the brioche buns, making sure not to burn them, then spread Tahini Mayo on each side of the bun. Layer with a falafel burger, lettuce, tomatoes, turnips, and hot sauce to taste.
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Reviews (5)
Back to TopEdamame didn't appeal to me, so 2nd time I made them using traditional Garbanzos, and it turned out and tasted much better!
blips
NC
4/8/2024
This is a great recipe Seared Falafel Burgers , had fun making it over the weekend. Recreated the meal that I get from <a href="https://www.flexpromeals.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer ugc">https://www.flexpromeals.com/</a> delivered. Good quality and fresh.
Vadim
9/30/2023
This tasted great but I had problems with the recipe. First, edamame and peas don't need a spa day. No need to cook them in a pot and then give them an ice bath then drain and dry them. A quick defrost in the microwave (and patting them dry after) works just as well with fewer steps and fewer dishes to wash. Second, when I baked the patties in the oven, they stuck to the sheet pan. Next time I'll try it with parchment paper on the pan. Finally, the dressing broke! Totally separated! So unappealing! I ended up with thick tahini globs floating in a bowl of oil that had separated from the mayo! According to the internet, I may have combined them too quickly, causing the separation. Not sure why the author didn't warn us about sticking patties and breaking dressing, but that would have been nice to know beforehand. Somehow, even though the dressing was a gross texture and barely usable, the final product was really good! Will definitely make again now that I know more. Eager to try freazing the baked patties to fry them up for quick weekday dinners.
Barb
New York
8/17/2022
Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe to the letter although I served it a pita, rather than a bun. This will be a twice-a-month or more meal for sure.
amdleo
New Englad
7/14/2021
Excellent! Maybe more garlic?
tweezy
6/11/2021
Very good, similar to a falafel burger but packed with herbs. Don't go light on the garlic mayo/tahini sauce. I cooked these on the grill and they worked well, just put a little oiled tinfoil down first so they didn't break up. HIGHLY recommend using pickled red onions as well!
Tedspizzaoven
Dexter, MI
6/6/2021
I wrote a previous review, but it never posted. So this is shorter. FANTASTIC plant-based burger. Not pretending to be meat, but a riff on a high-protein staple that most people love. Easy to make completely vegan by using vegan mayo and a different bun. The burger made as is already is vegan!
jennifer39
New York, NY
6/3/2021