Category: cucumber

Ultimate Hummus Sandwich

A hummus sandwich is the best healthy easy lunch idea! This plant based recipe takes just a few minutes to make with colorful crunchy veggies. Looking for healthy and easy lunch ideas? Here’s a genius idea for busy days or even a lightening fast weeknight dinner. This Ultimate Hummus Sandwich! That’s right: hummus on a sandwich. You don’t have to reserve hummus just for carrots and pita triangles! It works as a sandwich spread that’s full of plant-based protein to keep you full for hours. Throw it on bread with all your favorite crunchy veggies and it’s a lunch or snack that couldn’t be easier to whip up. Here’s all you need to know about making the ultimate hummus sandwich of your dreams. Ingredients for the ultimate hummus sandwich This hummus sandwich make look like just a random assortment of vegetables with hummus, but it’s more than that! Here are some things to note about getting just the right combination of flavors and textures in a hummus sandwich: Hummus: Use your favorite hummus brand, or even better: make a batch of homemade! The flavor varies widely in store-bought brands, so choose wisely. Bread: We suggest using a crusty artisan bread. […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

A hummus sandwich is the best healthy easy lunch idea! This plant based recipe takes just a few minutes to make with colorful crunchy veggies.

Hummus Sandwich

Looking for healthy and easy lunch ideas? Here’s a genius idea for busy days or even a lightening fast weeknight dinner. This Ultimate Hummus Sandwich! That’s right: hummus on a sandwich. You don’t have to reserve hummus just for carrots and pita triangles! It works as a sandwich spread that’s full of plant-based protein to keep you full for hours. Throw it on bread with all your favorite crunchy veggies and it’s a lunch or snack that couldn’t be easier to whip up. Here’s all you need to know about making the ultimate hummus sandwich of your dreams.

Ingredients for the ultimate hummus sandwich

This hummus sandwich make look like just a random assortment of vegetables with hummus, but it’s more than that! Here are some things to note about getting just the right combination of flavors and textures in a hummus sandwich:

  • Hummus: Use your favorite hummus brand, or even better: make a batch of homemade! The flavor varies widely in store-bought brands, so choose wisely.
  • Bread: We suggest using a crusty artisan bread. If you’re an overachiever, you can make homemade! Try our Sandwich Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, or No Knead Bread.
  • Pickled Vegetables: This is the flavor maker! Using pickled vegetables brings in the best nuance of tangy, sweet, and salty flavor.
  • Raw Vegetables: You can use any combo you like. We used cucumber, red onion and tomato.
  • Cheese: Add cheese for a vegetarian sandwich, or keep it as a vegan sandwich and omit!
  • Sprouts or Microgreens: The finishing touch! It’s optional, but adds nice texture.
Hummus sandwich

The flavor maker: pickled vegetables!

Let’s talk about those pickled vegetables again! This is a trick we picked up from an Italian sandwich shop we visited in Traverse City this summer (Folgarelli’s: we highly recommend it!). One of their vegetable sandwiches had a garlic cheese spread, raw vegetables and the kicker: marinated vegetables from the Italian deli. They added such great tangy, nuanced flavor that it made the entire sandwich taste better!

You can use either mixed pickled vegetables or marinated vegetables. Try pickled cauliflower and carrots (or this recipe for homemade), or whatever you see that strikes your fancy. Or grab some marinated vegetables, jarred or from the antipasto bar if your grocery has one.

Tip: remove excess moisture!

The most important part of this hummus sandwich is this: make sure to remove all excess moisture from the vegetables before you start. Pickled vegetables have quite a bit of moisture (since they’re canned in brine), and so do veggies like tomatoes.

All you have to do is squeeze out the pickled veggies in a paper towel or clean dish towel before building your sandwich! You can also blot the tomatoes with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Hummus sandwich

Step it up with homemade hummus

Step up your hummus sandwich by using homemade hummus! It’s the best way to bring in big flavor. Or, use one of our hummus flavors below to mix it up. Here are some ideas:

Variations: more hummus sandwich toppings

It goes without saying that you can vary the toppings in this hummus sandwich to your liking! This is more of a concept than a recipe that has to be followed exactly. Here are some ideas on how to branch out and create thousands of hummus sandwich variations:

Hummus sandwich ingredients

Make-ahead info for a hummus sandwich

Last thing to note about this hummus sandwich. It is best made right before eating! Because hummus has moisture and the veggies have moisture, it gets a little too soggy in the fridge. If you want to bring it to an office or outside of the house, here’s what to do:

  • Slice the veggies in advance and place in a container. Assemble the sandwich right before eating.
  • Try making the sandwich as a wrap. A wrap can better hold up to storage than bread.

This hummus sandwich recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and plant-based.

Print
Hummus Sandwich

Ultimate Hummus Sandwich

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 sandwiches
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

A hummus sandwich is the best healthy easy lunch idea! This plant based recipe takes just a few minutes to make with colorful crunchy veggies.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 medium cucumber
  • 1 small tomato 
  • 1/4 small red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped jarred pickled vegetables (we used pickled cauliflower and carrots)
  • 1 cup hummus
  • 2 slices provolone cheese, optional (omit for vegan)
  • 4 slices bread
  • Microgreens or sprouts, optional
  • Other optional toppings: avocado slices, roasted red pepper, lettuce, feta or goat cheese crumbles, fresh herbs, etc.

Instructions

  1. Chop the veggies: Peel and slice the cucumber (or peel alternating strips as we did here). Thinly slice the tomato. Slice the red onion. Chop the pickled vegetables. 
  2. Toast the bread: If desired, toast the bread.
  3. Remove excess moisture: Meanwhile, place the chopped pickles in a paper towel or clean dish towel and squeeze out any extra water. Place the tomatoes on a paper towel or towel and blot them to remove excess moisture.
  4. Build the sandwich: Place the cucumber slices on the bottom of the sandwich to act as a moisture barrier. Top with a layer of hummus. Add the cheese (optional), pickled vegetables, red onion, tomato, and microgreens or sprouts (if using). Spread the remaining hummus on the top slice of bread and place it on top. Note: This sandwich is best made right before eating. If you’re bringing it outside the house like to work, we recommend chopping the components in advance, then building the sandwich right before you eat it. To make it in advance, you could make it as a wrap.
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Sandwich
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Hummus sandwich

More great sandwich recipes

The sandwich is one of the easiest ways to a healthy lunch or easy snack! Here are some of our favorite sandwich recipes:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

The Bagel Lunch Box

Here’s another quick lunch box idea (or meal prep breakfast idea) for you! While this one isn’t completely no-cook because it contains a hard boiled egg, it is still a super easy no-reheat lunch box that you can take to work, school, or on the road. This Bagel Lunch Box includes a mini bagel, some […]

The post The Bagel Lunch Box appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Here’s another quick lunch box idea (or meal prep breakfast idea) for you! While this one isn’t completely no-cook because it contains a hard boiled egg, it is still a super easy no-reheat lunch box that you can take to work, school, or on the road. This Bagel Lunch Box includes a mini bagel, some of my favorite Scallion Herb Cream Cheese, a handful of vegetables that go oh so well with the flavored cream cheese, and a simple hard boiled egg. It’s super simple to put together, but it makes life so much easier when your mornings are busy. Just grab a lunch box and go!

Three glass meal prep containers in a diagonal line filled with the bagel lunch box items

About that Cream Cheese…

I included my Scallion Herb Cream Cheese in this bagel lunch box because it has so much flavor and really adds a nice element of interest to the meal. If you don’t want to make this cream cheese you can use plain cream cheese or use a store-bought flavored cream cheese. Another nice option is to use plain cream cheese, but then bring some Everything Bagel Seasoning with you to add some extra flavor.

Other Lunch Box Add-In Ideas

If you want to substitute any of the ingredients or add to this lunch box, here are some good ideas of things that would also match well:

  • Smoked salmon
  • Carrot sticks
  • An orange, tangerine, or cutie
  • Grapes
  • Deli ham
  • Alfalfa sprouts

Where Did You Get Those Containers?

The divided glass meal prep containers and the small metal cups were both purchased on Amazon (links in the bottom of the recipe card below). 

Three bagel lunch boxes lined up in a row

 
Three bagel lunch boxes lined up in a row

The Bagel Lunch Box

This Bagel Lunch Box is an easy and affordable grab and go breakfast or lunch idea, perfect for work or school.
Total Cost $5.32 recipe / $1.33 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 307.18kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

Scallion Herb Cream Cheese

  • 4 oz. cream cheese $0.60
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley $0.06
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro $0.04
  • 1 green onion, sliced $0.11
  • 1/16 tsp garlic powder $0.01
  • 1/16 tsp salt $0.01
  • 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice $0.02

Lunch Box Ingredients

  • 4 mini bagels $1.52
  • 4 large eggs $0.92
  • 1 cucumber, sliced $1.29
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes $0.75

Instructions

  • To hard boil the eggs, place the eggs in a sauce pot and add water until the eggs are covered by one inch. Place the pot over high heat and allow the water to come up to a full boil. When it reaches a full boil, turn off the heat, place a lid on the pot, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool.
  • To make the scallion herb cream cheese, combine the cream cheese, parsley, cilantro, green onion, garlic powder, salt, and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir together until evenly combined.
  • Place one bagel in each lunch box along with ¼ of the cucumber slices, ¼ of the grape tomatoes, ¼ of the cream cheese (1 oz.), and one hard boiled egg. Refrigerate up to five days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1lunch box | Calories: 307.18kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.6g | Protein: 12.98g | Fat: 15.1g | Sodium: 420.95mg | Fiber: 420.95g

How to Make the Bagel Lunch Box – Step by Step Photos

Place Eggs in Ice Bath

To hard boil the eggs, add the eggs to a sauce pot and add enough water to cover them by one inch. Place the pot over high heat and allow the water to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to cool.

Scallion Herb Cream Cheese Spread mixed

To make the scallion herb cream cheese, combine 4 oz. cream cheese, 1 Tbsp chopped parsley, 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, one sliced green onion, 1/16 tsp (or one pinch) garlic powder, 1/16 tsp (one pinch) salt, and ½ Tbsp lemon juice in a bowl. Stir until everything is evenly combined.

One bagel lunch box in a glass meal prep container

Place one bagel, one hard boiled egg, ¼ of the sliced cucumbers, ¼ of the tomatoes, and ¼ of the cream cheese (1 oz.) in each lunch box. Refrigerate up to five days.

The post The Bagel Lunch Box appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Easy Tomato Salad

We have a surplus of tomatoes this summer, and it’s glorious. I dreamed up this simple tomato salad recipe to make use of the excess. I simply…

The post Easy Tomato Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

best tomato salad recipe

We have a surplus of tomatoes this summer, and it’s glorious. I dreamed up this simple tomato salad recipe to make use of the excess. I simply sliced ripe tomatoes into bite-sized pieces, then I added some crisp red onion, lots of fresh basil, and drizzled it all with olive oil and good balsamic vinegar.

The end result is so delicious! This salad really lets raw, peak-season tomatoes shine. The recipe is also quite versatile, so you’ll never tire of it. Try adding some cucumber, mozzarella, avocado, arugula or even peaches.

Serve this tomato salad as a fresh, healthy side salad to any summer meal. It’s best when it’s freshly made, so I recommend cutting the recipe in half if you’re not serving a crowd.

tomato salad ingredients

I grew heirloom tomatoes from seed for the first time this spring. It was a fun process that proved easier than expected. In fact, I underestimated how many of the seeds would sprout. I grew so many tomato plants that we filled our family’s three garden plots and passed along the extra to friends.

Strangely enough, our growing tomato plants have provided a sense of continuity and hope during a tumultuous year. I’ll do it all again next spring, but maybe leave some room for more peppers and cucumbers. Or maybe I need a bigger garden plot. I think I’m hooked!

Continue to the recipe...

The post Easy Tomato Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Raw Rainbow Veggie Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

With warmer weather comes lighter cravings, and this incredibly fresh Pad Thai-inspired salad has been one of our go-to meals this summer.
Vegetables like carrots, cucumber, and cabbage are thinly sliced or “noodled” and tossed in a bright, citrusy pe…

Raw Rainbow Veggie Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

With warmer weather comes lighter cravings, and this incredibly fresh Pad Thai-inspired salad has been one of our go-to meals this summer.

Vegetables like carrots, cucumber, and cabbage are thinly sliced or “noodled” and tossed in a bright, citrusy peanut dressing with a kick thanks to red pepper flake. It’s like summer in a bowl. Let us show you how it’s done!

This 30-minute noodle salad begins with making the sauce, which is inspired by Thai flavors.

Raw Rainbow Veggie Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing from Minimalist Baker →

Easy Homemade Pickles

What took me so long to make classic pickles? As it turns out, homemade dill pickles are simple, easy and delicious. They’re the perfect little summertime project,…

The post Easy Homemade Pickles appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

best cucumber pickles recipe

What took me so long to make classic pickles? As it turns out, homemade dill pickles are simple, easy and delicious. They’re the perfect little summertime project, if you even want to call it that. These pickles are ready after a short chill in the refrigerator (as little as one hour), and they keep for several weeks.

These pickles are tangy and refreshing, nice and crisp, and offer garden-fresh flavor. They remind me of Claussen or Grillo’s pickles—but they’re even better. In short, I’m in love with this refrigerator pickle recipe and I think you will be, too.

how to slice cucumbers

These pickles are made with simple ingredients, including vinegar (I prefer rice vinegar’s mild flavor), fresh dill (technically optional, but delicious), a couple cloves of garlic, and a few basic seasonings.

I added a touch of sweetener, too—just enough to cut the bite of vinegar. These pickles are decidedly tangy, and nowhere near “bread and butter” territory. However, the sweetness level is entirely up to you.

These pickles aren’t overwhelmingly salty, either, yet they’re fully seasoned. They are irresistibly just right—perfect for burgers, for snacking, and more.

Continue to the recipe...

The post Easy Homemade Pickles appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

The Hummus Lunch Box

Are y’all ready for the next installment in the no-cook lunch box series? The Hummus Lunch Box is a classic, one that I’m sure many of you have made before, but it definitely deserves its own mention in the series because it is flexible and always a pleaser. I’ve got a few different ways you […]

The post The Hummus Lunch Box appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Are y’all ready for the next installment in the no-cook lunch box series? The Hummus Lunch Box is a classic, one that I’m sure many of you have made before, but it definitely deserves its own mention in the series because it is flexible and always a pleaser. I’ve got a few different ways you can eat or serve this lunch box listed below, so even if you’ve made this before, make sure to go check out the alternate ideas!

Hummus Lunch Box packed in divided glass containers

What’s in the Hummus Lunch Box:

Hummus (of course), kalamata olives, cucumber, grape tomatoes, and pita bread. I love this lunch box because of its simplicity, it requires so little prep, and I just like “snacky” finger foods. The only prep work I had to do was slicing the cucumber and draining the jar of olives! For the sake of convenience, and because ALDI has very inexpensive hummus, I used store bought hummus this time. But if you want to make your own hummus or want to experiment with different hummus flavors, try my homemade hummus recipe (four flavors).

Serving Options

As I mentioned in intro, there are a few different ways you can eat this lunch box. The obvious way is to eat it in a “snacky” fashion, eating a little of this, a little of that, etc. But here are a couple other options:

  • Make it into a pita sandwich. Instead of cutting the pita bread into triangles like in my photos, leave your pita cut in half, then when you sit down for lunch smear the hummus inside, add some cucumber slices, olives, and tomatoes, and eat it like a sandwich!
  • Make it into a salad. Pack a separate bowl of mixed greens, then when you sit down to lunch, add the vegetables and hummus on top and eat it as a giant sandwich! You might also want to some dressing on the side (I suggest a vinaigrette, like Greek dressing, Italian, or Caesar dressing).

Alternate Ingredient Ideas

Just like all the no-cook lunch boxes in this series, this hummus lunch box is very flexible. If you don’t like some of the ingredients I included in mine, here are a few other ideas:

  • Pita chips or pretzel crackers in place of the pita bread
  • Feta cheese cubes
  • Marinated white beans
  • Celery or carrot sticks
  • Bell peppers
  • Sliced grilled chicken

How Long Does the Lunch Box Keep?

This lunch box holds up very well to refrigeration, so it will probably keep about 5 days in the refrigerator, depending on the freshness of your ingredients when the boxes are made and the conditions inside your refrigerator.

What Containers Do You Use?

I got these divided glass meal prep containers on Amazon. You can find a link to the product in the bottom of the recipe card below. (P.S. these containers came three to a set and this recipe makes FOUR lunch boxes, so I ate the fourth portion on a plate the day that I packed them. 😄)

Three glass containers filled with hummus lunch box ingredients

 
Three glass containers filled with hummus lunch box ingredients

The Hummus Lunch Box

This Hummus Lunch Box is a cold lunch classic. With almost zero prep work, this is the fastest, easiest no-cook lunch around.
Total Cost $8.04 recipe / $2.01 serving
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Calories 362.55kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cucumber $1.29
  • 2 pita breads $0.66
  • 1 cup hummus $1.95
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes $1.99
  • 1 6oz. jar kalamata olives $2.15

Instructions

  • Slice the cucumber and cut the pita bread into triangles.
  • Divide the hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and pita triangles between four containers. Refrigerate up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1box | Calories: 362.55kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.28g | Protein: 8.58g | Fat: 22.95g | Sodium: 1155.63mg | Fiber: 9.1g

More No-Cook Lunch Ideas:

Overhead view of one hummus lunch box.

The post The Hummus Lunch Box appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Avocado Chicken Summer Rolls with Coconut Peanut Dipping Sauce.

This is how you make delish avocado summer rolls that everyone will flip over! Because: crunchy, cooling, satisfying, delicious. These check all the summer meal boxes. I’m ridiculously excited about these little bites of love. They are the perfect meal when you need something DIFFERENT, you know? These aren’t the first summer rolls that I’ve […]

The post Avocado Chicken Summer Rolls with Coconut Peanut Dipping Sauce. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

This is how you make delish avocado summer rolls that everyone will flip over!

avocado summer rolls with peanut coconut dipping sauce

Because: crunchy, cooling, satisfying, delicious. These check all the summer meal boxes.

peanut sauce ingredients

I’m ridiculously excited about these little bites of love. They are the perfect meal when you need something DIFFERENT, you know?

These aren’t the first summer rolls that I’ve shared here on the blog – I love these crispy chicken ones with blood orange dipping sauce.

I’ve made a sweeter version, with strawberry kiwi and a honey dipping sauce.

Oh and P.S. I also have a super fun summer roll recipe coming in my new book!

cucumbers, cilantro, chicken, avocado and lime

There is something about summer rolls that is just.so.satisfying. They are ridiculously fresh but also have a good bit of crunch. They usually come with a delicious sauce for dipping (or drowning? ha.) and it’s often the best part.

Summer rolls are SO so so versatile. Basically throw whatever crunchy veg or even leftovers you have in the fridge into the rice paper wrappers and you’re good! It’s a lovely light little summer meal.

creamy peanut dipping sauce

Plus, they are kind of cute right?!

avocado summer rolls

Also, the peanut dipping sauce.

OMG.

avocado chicken summer rolls

This is based on the peanut sauce I’ve made here on the blog for years and years. I’ve used it on salads and noodles and basically everything. This version has a little bit of coconut milk too. It has just the slightest hint of coconut flavor which is incredible. Much like my favorite hummus, you whisk in some warm water to thin it out and make the sauce dippable. It is DIVINE. It’s easy.

Leftovers are fab.

I mean, I could probably drink this stuff. 

avocado summer rolls with peanut coconut dipping sauce

We adore these for lunch or dinner – or even a quick snack. The kids love making them too!

And of course we allll love eating them.

avocado summer rolls with peanut coconut dipping sauce

Avocado Summer Rolls

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Avocado Chicken Summer Rolls w Coconut Peanut Sauce

These avocado summer rolls are stuffed with avocado, chicken, cucumbers and cilantro then dipped in a delicious peanut sauce!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 rolls
Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

rolls

  • 1 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 4 baby seedless cucumbers, cut into matchsticks
  • 2 avocados, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 12 rice paper wrappers
  • 1 lime, for spritzing
  • salt and pepper

coconut peanut dipping sauce

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup hot water, or a little more if needed
  • pinch salt and pepper, if needed

Instructions

rolls

  • Set up an assembly line with your shredded chicken, cucumber sticks, avocados and cilantro.
  • To assemble the rolls, fill a round cake pan or skillet with warm water. Dip rice paper wrapped in and submerge it completely for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove it and place the rice paper on a cutting board. Top it with a few pieces of shredded chicken, a few cucumber sticks, a few pieces of avocado and a pinch of cilantro. Spritz with lime juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Start rolling from one end and fold in the sides as you go. The paper will stick together and your roll will hold! Repeat with the remaining rice paper wrappers. Serve with the peanut sauce!

coconut peanut dipping sauce

  • Whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice and garlic until combined. Whisk in the hot water until the dip thins out and is smooth. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. If the dip thickens up again, you can always add in a drop of hot water and stir! This stays great in the fridge for a few days.

avocado summer rolls with peanut coconut dipping sauce

Enjoy eating green this way!

The post Avocado Chicken Summer Rolls with Coconut Peanut Dipping Sauce. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Summer Caprese Salad

Summer Caprese Salad made with tomatoes, peaches, cucumber, fresh mozzarella cheese, red onion, basil, and a simple balsamic glaze. This unexpected easy summer Caprese salad is the BEST!  It isn’t summer until you’ve enjoyed a Caprese …

How to make Caprese Salad

Summer Caprese Salad made with tomatoes, peaches, cucumber, fresh mozzarella cheese, red onion, basil, and a simple balsamic glaze. This unexpected easy summer Caprese salad is the BEST!  It isn’t summer until you’ve enjoyed a Caprese Salad. Who’s with me? Caprese Salad is a summer MUST! Traditionally, Caprese Salad is a simple Italian salad made with sliced…

The post Summer Caprese Salad appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Falafel Burger

This insanely good falafel burger is easy to make and bursting with Mediterranean flavor! Smother in sauce for an epic vegetarian or vegan dinner. Oh hello. Meet our favorite vegetarian and vegan dinner recipe: the Falafel Burger! We don’t always have the energy to fry up a batch of authentic falafel. So eating it in burger form is the next best thing! These are easy to make with canned chickpeas. The combination of a cumin and coriander-scented chickpea patty with cool cucumber sauce and all the fixin’s is pretty darn epic. It’s a healthy vegetarian and vegan dinner recipe that everyone loves. Why make falafel burgers? These falafel burgers are much easier to whip up than our classic falafel sandwich. That sandwich is full of beautiful, authentic flavor: but it does require some thinking ahead. This one is a little easier! Here’s why to make falafel in burger form: You can use canned chickpeas! No need to soak dried chickpeas overnight. This means you can make it with little to no advanced planning (a big plus in our book). Easy to shape. The patties are much easier to shape than the balls with traditional falafel: and you only have to […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This insanely good falafel burger is easy to make and bursting with Mediterranean flavor! Smother in sauce for an epic vegetarian or vegan dinner.

Falafel burger

Oh hello. Meet our favorite vegetarian and vegan dinner recipe: the Falafel Burger! We don’t always have the energy to fry up a batch of authentic falafel. So eating it in burger form is the next best thing! These are easy to make with canned chickpeas. The combination of a cumin and coriander-scented chickpea patty with cool cucumber sauce and all the fixin’s is pretty darn epic. It’s a healthy vegetarian and vegan dinner recipe that everyone loves.

Why make falafel burgers?

These falafel burgers are much easier to whip up than our classic falafel sandwich. That sandwich is full of beautiful, authentic flavor: but it does require some thinking ahead. This one is a little easier! Here’s why to make falafel in burger form:

  • You can use canned chickpeas! No need to soak dried chickpeas overnight. This means you can make it with little to no advanced planning (a big plus in our book).
  • Easy to shape. The patties are much easier to shape than the balls with traditional falafel: and you only have to make four!
  • No messy frying! Authentic falafel requires frying, which can be a little tricky. These falafel burgers need just a quick and easy fry with a drizzle of oil, then they’re finished in the oven.
Best falafel burger

Ingredients in falafel burgers

This falafel burger is a great healthy dinner idea when you’re cooking for many diets! It’s vegetarian and vegan, and you can make it gluten-free by using gluten-free flour. Here’s what you need to make a killer falafel burger:

  • Canned chickpeas: you can also use cooked chickpeas (try our stovetop or Instant Pot methods)
  • Carrot
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Cilantro or parsley, if you have a cilantro aversion!
  • Flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • Spices: Cumin, coriander, salt and pepper
  • Neutral oil
Cucumber sauce

Use a food processor or make them by hand

The main idea behind these falafel burgers: puree the ingredients to make a “dough”, form into patties, lightly pan fry them, then bake. There are two options for making the dough:

  • Food processor: This is our preferred method because it’s quick and easy. We have a large-sized food processor, which works great for a single or double batch (more about doubling it below).
  • By hand: You can also make the falafel burgers by hand if you don’t have a food processor. It takes a little longer, but you’ll mash the chickpeas with a fork, then grate all the vegetables.

Falafel sauce: 3 options!

There are several falafel sauce options that are authentic for serving with falafel. There are options for both vegetarian and vegan diets! Here’s a little breakdown:

  • Yogurt sauce: This yogurt-based Cucumber Sauce or Dill Sauce are quick and easy to whip up, and traditionally served on a falafel sandwich.
  • Tahini sauce: This Lemon Tahini Sauce is vegan and plant-based, and also traditional for serving with falafel. You could also add some chopped fresh dill for an herby punch.
  • Cilantro sauce: A green Cilantro Sauce is also traditional! This one is made with cashews and is another vegan option. Zhoug is another green sauce made with olive oil and herbs that’s served with falafel in Israel.
Tahini sauce
Lemon Tahini Sauce is a great vegan falafel sauce

Make a double batch: they refrigerate and freeze well!

The great thing about these falafel burgers is that they store very well! Consider making a double batch and saving them for easy meals. Since they take about 45 minutes start to finish, we like to double it so we have leftovers. Here’s storage info for falafel burgers:

  • Refrigerate for up to 1 week. You can reheat in a 350 degree oven if you’d like, or eat them cold or room temperature.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. The freeze well! Just thaw in the refrigerator or reheat in a 350 degree oven.
How to make a falafel burger

What to serve with falafel burgers?

Making a meal to impress a crowd and need some sides for these falafel burgers? Here’s what we’d recommend:

This falafel burger recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour and serve without a bun or with a GF bun.

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Falafel burger

Epic Falafel Burger

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  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This insanely good falafel burger is easy to make and bursting with Mediterranean flavor! Smother in sauce for an epic vegetarian or vegan dinner.

Ingredients

For the falafel burgers (double to make leftovers*)

  • 15-ounce can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups cooked)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 large carrot
  • ½ red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed (or parsley)
  • 6 tablespoons flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons coriander
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil (for frying)

For serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Dab the chickpeas with a paper towel to remove extra moisture, then place them in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sesame seeds, then process until a paste-like consistency is formed. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a potato masher or fork to mash them in a bowl until they’re mostly mashed.) Scrape the mixture into a bowl.
  3. Add the carrot, red onion, garlic, and cilantro to the bowl of the food processor; pulse until finely ground. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a large size grater to grate the onion and carrot, then finely grate the garlic and finely chop the cilantro.) Scrape the vegetables into the bowl with the chickpeas.
  4. Stir in the flour, cumin, coriander, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix with a spoon until combined, then form 4 round patties and place them on a baking sheet.
  5. In a medium frying pan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Carefully add the patties to the pan. If you have one, top with a splatter screen. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown, turning down the heat as necessary.
  6. Transfer the patties to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and baked through. Remove the patties from the oven and let them cool for at least 15 minutes to firm up.
  7. Meanwhile, make the falafel sauce. To serve, place on a bun with tomato, cucumber, red onion, and lettuce, and top with sauce. The burgers save well in the refrigerator for 1 week, so they’re great to make ahead and eat throughout the week. They also freeze well!

Notes

*It’s easy to make 8 and freeze the rest for eating later: they also save well refrigerated for up to 1 week. Just double everything!

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keywords: Falafel burger

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