Easy Vegan Falafel Burgers With Tahini Sauce

a male hand holding a vegan falafel burger with tahini dripping from it

5 from 2 votes

Easy Vegan Falafel Burgers With Tahini Sauce

When the worlds of two beloved street foods, falafel and burgers, collide, the outcome is a delightful fusion of flavors and textures. This vegan falafel burger with tahini sauce, showcases the authentic falafel recipe passed down through generations in my family.

Prep Time50

Total Time50

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Diet: Vegan

Servings: burgers

Calories: 501kcal

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

Falafel Patties

½ cup Dried chickpeas
¼ cup Dried broad beans
½ small Potato about 1 oz / 21½ g
¼ medium Onion
1 cloves Garlic
1¼ tablespoons Falafel spices and herbs or to taste

Tahini Sauce

10 tablespoon Tahini
2 small Lemons juiced
1 pinch Salt to taste
6 tablespoons Water adjust the consistency as needed

Add Ons

Tomato thinly sliced
Lettuce either flat leaf or shredded
Red onion thinly sliced
Middle Eastern pickles or your preferred pickles, thinly sliced
4 Burger buns

Instructions

Pre-Soak the Chickpeas and Broad Beans

Soak the dried chickpeas and broad beans overnight in triple the amount of water. This will rehydrate them, they will double in size.
½ cup Dried chickpeas, ¼ cup Dried broad beans

Make the Tahini Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, salt, water, lemon juice, finely chopped parsley and mint leaves. Adjust the consistency by adding small amounts of water, do a taste test to adjust the amount of salt.
10 tablespoon Tahini, 2 small Lemons, 1 pinch Salt, 6 tablespoons Water

Make the Falafel Patties

The following day, drain and rinse the soaked beans. While peeling the broad beans, let them sit in a colander. The skins come off easily and can be discarded.
Add the soaked chickpeas and peeled broad beans to the bowl of your food processor, and chop the beans for about a minute. Add remaining ingredients and process in one-minute intervals, scraping the sides of the bowl for even consistency. Repeat 5 to 6 times until the mixture becomes a fine, moist, grainy texture.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and knead by hand for a minute, ensuring even mixing and checking for large pieces. If needed, blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Use your hands to scoop out a portion of the mixture and shape it into a round burger-sized patty, see note #1.
Oven-baked method - place the patties onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, either brushed with or without oil and bake in a preheated 375F (190C) for 20 minutes or until golden.
Air fryer method - place patties into the air fryer tray (optional brush with oil) and air fry for 13-15 on high until golden. See note #2.
½ small Potato, ¼ medium Onion, 1 cloves Garlic, 1¼ tablespoons Falafel spices and herbs

Assemble the Burgers

Cut the burger buns in half and toast the cut side on a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat (with or without oil / dairy-free butter) See note #3.
Once the buns are caramelized, place a very generous amount of tahini sauce on both cut sides sides, see note #4.
Then layer the thinly sliced onions, tomatoes, lettuce, thinly sliced pickles, and falafel patty.
Tomato, Lettuce, Red onion, Middle Eastern pickles, 4 Burger buns

Video

Notes

Soaking time has not been factored in.

Note #1 - make the patties uniform in size, avoid a thick center to ensure they cook properly throughout.

Note #2 - air fryers differ in make and model, I use an air fryer with a tray and simple settings of low - high. You just need to make sure the patties are golden and slightly brown, do not overcook them, as they can dry out. Check in on them every few minutes.

Note #3 - I generally toast my burger buns in a non-stick pan without any oil or dairy free butter, if you are adding these ingredients, brush it onto the cut side and toast until golden.

Note #4 - The sauce is what helps the burger be moist if you are making the falafel patties without oil as I generally do, be very generous with it.

If you prefer, you can deep fry the patties until golden brown.

Left over falafel mixture can be covered placed in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Here's a guide for freezing falafel.

Nutrition