Homemade Falafel Burger Recipe With Creamy Tzatziki Sauce

When you picture falafel, you most likely envision crispy, fried patties breaking open to reveal a tender, aromatic interior that's packed with herbs and spices. Instead of imagining falafel in a pita, though, consider the possibility of enjoying it like a burger. That's exactly what recipe developer Christina Musgrave of Tasting with Tina decided to do when she concocted these delicious falafel burgers. And the mouthwatering results will certainly convince you to enjoy falafel burger-style, too.

Traditional falafel recipes often rely on dried chickpeas, which need to be soaked at least a day in advance before they can be used. Musgrave's recipe cuts down on prep time significantly by opting, instead, for canned chickpeas, which are ready to use as soon as they're drained. "This just saves time and makes it easier," she says. "Canned is perfectly fine in this recipe, so it eliminates having to soak chickpeas for a day before you make the recipe."

As a result, this burger takes just a half hour from start to finish — and that includes the topping! Musgrave pairs the pan-fried chickpea patties with a homemade tzatziki sauce, which affords a lovely creaminess and even more herby flavor. Served on burger buns, it's a wonderful option for Meatless Monday — or any day of the week, for that matter.

To prepare these homemade falafel burgers, you'll first make a homemade tzatziki. This yogurt sauce begins with Greek yogurt, into which you'll stir grated and drained cucumber. "The cucumber should be grated prior to starting the recipe," says Musgrave. "Draining can be done in a colander or in a cheesecloth, it should only take a few seconds." The sauce is seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper.

For the patties themselves, you'll need canned chickpeas and red onion, which you'll season with garlic, cilantro, dill, cumin, salt, and pepper. A touch of flour acts as a binder, and a drizzle of olive oil helps these patties cook up nice and golden brown. Be sure to gather burger buns, lettuce, and tomato for serving, and you're in business.

Before making the falafel burgers themselves, first stir together the easy tzatziki sauce. Doing this step first will give the flavors time to mix and meld.

Making the sauce couldn't be a more seamless process. Simply stir together the yogurt and drained cucumber, and season with garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Draining the cucumber in advance helps the sauce stay thick and creamy. Without this important step, it would likely become watery and not all that appetizing.

Once all of the ingredients have been well combined, chill the tzatziki until you're ready to use it.

To make the falafel patties, the easiest method is to use the food processor, which will blend everything quickly and easily. First, add the rinsed, drained chickpeas to the processor. Don't cut corners, here. You want to remove as much moisture as possible so that the batter will hold together. Then, add the onion, garlic, cilantro, dill, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse on high until everything is combined.

As for the last step? Add the flour. This will act as a binder to help the patties keep their shape while they fry.

Next, form the mixture into four even patties. You're going for a burger shape here, so larger and flatter than you would expect from a more traditional falafel patty.

Once the patties have been formed, it's time to cook them. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add the patties, cooking for three to four minutes per side, or until deeply golden brown.

Keep in mind that a non-stick pan is best for this recipe, according to Musgrave. "You can use a metal pan, but you'd have to make sure you don't move them around the pan or else you'll risk sticking," she says. "It's definitely easier to use a non-stick pan."

When the patties are cooked, place one on each bun, top with tzatziki, lettuce, and tomato slices, and serve.