Creative Cooks

Easy Vegan Falafel Burger
Prep time 10 mins Cook time 30 mins Total time 40 mins Serves: 5

Ingredients

Falafel Patties:
2 15 oz can chickpeas, washed well and drained. or about 3 cups cooked
¾ cup loosely chopped red onion
4 cloves of garlic (preferably roasted or lightly cooked to golden)
½ to ¾ cup parsley
½ cup cilantro
1.5 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp or more ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ to ½ tsp black pepper
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne
½ to 1 tsp salt (depends on whether the chickpeas are salted)
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp or more lemon juice
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
½ cup more breadcrumbs (use gluten-free crumbs, coarsely blended oats or gf flour to make gluten-free)

Tahini dressing:
¼ cup tahini
1 clove of garlic
a handful of fresh parsley
2 to 3 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup or more water
¼ tsp salt

Other Toppings:
Sliced tomato
Sliced onions
Sliced pickles (dill cucumber pickle)
lettuce or greens

Instructions

Make the falafel Burgers:
Drain the chickpeas, wash and drain well and keep ready.
In a processor, add onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro and pulse to mince.
Add the rest of the ingredients through oil and the chickpeas and pulse to make a coarse mixture.
Transfer to a bowl and add sesame seeds and breadcrumbs and mix in. Add enough crumbs to make a soft doughy mixture. The dough will become less sticky as it chills.
Chill the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, tang and heat and mix in.
Shape into patties and pan fry on a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes per side.

Make the dressing:
Blend everything under tahini dressing. Taste and adjust salt and tang. Add more tahini for thicker dressing and more water for thinner.

Assemble:
Toast the burger buns. Assemble the burger with sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce or greens, falafel patties and a generous amount of tahini dressing, pickles. Add some hot sauce if you wish. Serve! I also often add a layer of hummus. Serve as burgers or in a pita bread.