Falafel Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki
This delightful vegetarian sandwich boasts tons of flavor from the yogurt sauce and quick-pickled veggies, and it's only 400 calories! You can make the pickled vegetables, falafel mixture and tzatziki sauce ahead of time for easy meal-prep lunches or dinner later in the week.
Ingredients
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1 cup thinly sliced carrot
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½ cup thinly sliced red onion
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½ cup white-wine vinegar
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2 tablespoons sugar
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⅛ teaspoon salt
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2 ½ cups canned no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
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¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
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2 scallions, trimmed and sliced
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1 large egg
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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¼ teaspoon salt
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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⅓ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
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¼ cup chopped cucumber
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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⅛ teaspoon salt
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2 (6 1/2 inch) whole-wheat pitas, halved
Description
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To prepare pickled vegetables: Combine carrot, onion, vinegar, sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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To prepare falafel: Place chickpeas, parsley, scallions, egg, flour, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a coarse mixture that holds together when pressed forms. (The mixture will be moist.) Using a generous 1/4 cup each, form the chickpea mixture into 8 patties.
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Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until the bottoms are golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.
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Meanwhile, to prepare tzatziki sauce and serve: Combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl. Warm pitas, if desired. Divide the pickled vegetables and patties among the pita halves and serve with the sauce.