Spicy Falafel Stuffed Pitas
Spicy Falafel Stuffed Pitas
Crispy on the outside, flavorful on the inside, these spicy falafel stuffed pitas are a uniquely delicious main dish that can be whipped up for lunch or dinner!
Crispy on the outside, flavorful on the inside, these spicy falafel stuffed pitas are a uniquely delicious main dish that can be whipped up for lunch or dinner!
This recipe is naturally vegan, and swapping traditional pita for gluten free pita makes it a tasty treat for our gluten free friends, too! Aren’t we lucky to live in a time where there’s so many gluten free options are available now? I’ve linked my favorite brand of gluten free pita below so you can check them out.
As a vegetarian, I love all of the flavors of falafel and I especially love digging into a falafel plate when eating out at Middle Eastern restaurants. This simple stuffed pita recipe takes all the wonderful ingredients of falafel and stuffs them inside of pitas that are then crisped up on the stove.
YUMMM, right?
To add extra flavor to these stuffed pitas, I use harissa paste to create a bit of spice to each bite. Keep reading to learn all the details about these great spicy falafel stuffed pitas!
What Is Harissa?
Harissa is a North African hot chili paste that mainly consists of red peppers, chili, spices, and herbs. It is used as a delicious ingredient in lots of North African cooking. You can commonly find harissa in the spice aisle of many grocery stores.
Although this falafel pita recipe is certainly not North African, I love the flavor that harissa provides in this recipe. It’s a spicy ingredient, but you can add more or less depending on your spice tolerance.
Or, if you hate spice altogether you can certainly just omit the harissa!
I used harissa paste for this spicy falafel pita recipe. I got it from Trader Joe’s, but you can use any harissa paste that’s available in the grocery store.
How To Make These Spicy Falafel Stuffed Pitas
This vegan lunch or dinner recipe is super easy to make. The first step is to blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor until it forms a paste, and then stuff each pita with the mixture. You’re going to fry the stuffed pitas on all sides on the stove until crispy before finishing them off by baking in the oven for about 10 minutes to ensure our falafel pitas are cooked through.
Spicy Falafel Ingredients
chickpeas
onion
garlic
spices
cilantro
parsley
What To serve The Falafel Pitas With
Be sure to top each crispy pita with tzatziki and tahini dressing before serving! I also like to sprinkle them with extra chopped cilantro and parsley.
These hearty falafel pitas make a great main dish for lunch or dinner. Here are a few ideas on what to serve on the side:
olives
cucumbers
cherry tomatoes
feta cheese
How Long Do These STuffed Pitas Take TO Make?
There are four main steps to making this recipe:
Blend the ingredients in a food processor
Stuff each pita with the falafel mixture
Fry the stuffed pitas
Finish baking them in the oven
Start to finish, you can whip up these stuffed falafel pitas in about 35 minutes.
In This Recipe Vegan And Gluten Free?
This recipe is naturally vegan and can easily be made gluten free. There is no wheat nor animal products used for the falafel mixture.
Pitas are also generally a vegan bread (be sure to check the ingredients on your store bought pitas though, to be safe). If you are gluten free, there are a few gluten free pita options on the market. I like the brand Bfree.
How Do You Store THEse Stuffed Pitas?
Cool the stuffed pitas completely before placing in an airtight container in the fridge. These will stay fresh for about 3 days. You can reheat the pitas first in the microwave and then re-crisp the outsides on stove or in an air fryer.
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Spicy Falafel Stuffed Pitas
Ingredients
- 2 cans of chickpeas
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 bunch EACH cilantro and parsley, plus extra for garnish
- 1-2 tbsp harissa paste (depending on your spice tolerance)
- 1 tsp EACH coriander and cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1/2 c olive oil, divided
- 4 large pitas, sliced in half*
- Tzatziki and tahini, for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a large food processor, pulse together the chickpeas, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, harissa, spices, and 1/4 c of olive oil until it forms a paste.
- Scoop the chickpea mixture into the the pitas.
- Pour the remaining 1/4 c of olive oil into a pan or cast iron skillet, and heat over a medium flame. Working in batches, place the pitas face down in the skillet, and cook for about 3 minutes or until the chickpea mixture browns.
- Flip the pitas onto their sides and cook on both sides for about 3 minutes, until the pita bread gets crispy.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Lay the pitas on the baking pan and bake for about 10 minutes, flipping them over once.
- Serve each pita drizzled with tzatziki, tahini, and a sprinkle of cilantro and parsley.
Notes
*I used gluten free pitas from Bfree for this recipe.
I started salt n sprinkles to show that making good food is both fun and easy to do. My recipes are mostly plant-based, and always delicious. I know you'll find just what you're looking for!