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It’s always a great time to make these falafel pita sandwiches brimming with your favorite Mediterranean flavors.
Mediterranean Falafel Pita Sandwich
When I lived in Berlin, many years ago (1994), I indulged in a lot of Turkish and Greek food. By far, my favorite of these delicious foods was these pita sandwiches stuffed with fresh veggies, falafels, and lots of tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce is a Greek yogurt and cucumber-based sauce that is good on everything. When I say everything, I mean, everything!
Now, as an adult, I make my own falafels at home. I love them by themselves and I usually use them to top a large green salad drizzled with tzatziki sauce on top or prep this Falafel Pita Sandwich that makes an amazing hand-held lunch to eat at the office, at home or on the go!
On busy weeknights, I cook enough falafel to enjoy as a side, and then leftovers build these incredible sandwiches in a flash. Cook once, eat twice (or more) is my motto!
Ingredients
These Falafel Pita Sandwichs are packed with nutrition and Mediterranean flavors thanks to a simple list of ingredients. You'll find the measurements in the recipe card below, but first, let’s check what you need:
- Pita breads: regular, whole-wheat, use your favorites.
- Falafels: storebought or homemade.
- Mixed salad greens: the base of the filling.
- Ripe tomatoes: more fresh veggies!
- Cucumber: pairs great with the Mediterranean Tzatziki sauce.
- Tzatziki sauce: make your own at home and you’ll want to use it over everything!
How to Make a Pita Sandwich with Falafel
Once you have all your ingredients, making this Falafel Pita Sandwich is a breeze. Now you know why I love leftovers! It's instant fast -and healthy- food. Make these falafels the night before and they become a healthy grab-and-go lunch option:
- Make the Tzatziki sauce
First, you’ll grate the cucumber and ring out the excess water so the sauce has no watery consistency. Then mix it with garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, dill, and salt. - Refrigerate
Refrigerate until ready to serve. You can keep it in the fridge covered for up to 2 days. - Warm up the pitas
You can warm them using the microwave, the oven or the toaster oven. This takes just a few minutes and will help you to fold the pitas easily -plus, they’ll taste better. - Add the sauce and veggies
Once you warmed up the pitas, you’ll spread tzatziki to help holding the ingredients. Then, you’ll place salad greens, tomatoes, and cucumber slices. - Add the falafels
Here’s when you place the falafels cold or warm (it’s your choice). Then, you add some extra tzatziki and fold the pitas. Time to enjoy your falafel pita sandwich!
Making the Falafels
While the original falafels I enjoyed long ago had a lot of parsley, I had to pick my battles when creating a version to make at home (you know, my kids are not fond of green speckles in their food). I easily make homemade falafel with canned chickpeas, and I cook them in the air fryer for 5 minutes. They turn out golden, crispy, and super delish!
If chickpeas are not your thing or you follow a grain-free diet, you can still enjoy falafel with my Veggie Grain-Free Paleo Falafel recipe. They also have a lot of nutrition, are lower in carbs, and have all the Mediterranean flavors we love. The food processor makes the dicing, and you can fry them or cook them in the oven for a healthier version.
No time to make these at home? You'll find ready-made falafels at many grocery stores, often in the frozen section.
Is a Falafel Pita Sandwich Healthy?
Falafel Pita Sandwich is made of good-for-you ingredients! Thanks to greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers, we have a good share of veggies.
Then… falafel! Whether you include homemade falafel or your favorite store-bought brand, we’re talking about chickpeas and herbs, which is also a yes for a balanced diet. I cook falafel in the air fryer to make them healthier than fried in oil.
Even if you don’t eat chickpeas and you prep grain-free falafels, you’ll be adding tons of veggies, meaning, nutrition!
Pita bread is also a good choice when it comes to bread. To add more fiber to this Falafel Pita Sandwich, you can make it with whole-wheat pita bread.
And the sauce. The dressings of the store may not be the healthier addition, but this homemade tzatziki is made of Greek yogurt (protein!), garlic, lemon, and cucumber, all wholesome ingredients you want to add to your meals.
How to Pack it for Lunch
To pack this falafel sandwich inside a lunch box, I recommend wrapping it with parchment paper to hold the ingredients inside the folded pita and storing it inside its own compartment or container.
Pack extra tzatziki sauce in a small lidded container on the side and drizzle it right before serving. Any lunch sides, like fruit or veggies, should be packed separately. Store in the fridge or in a lunch bag with an ice pack if necessary.
Falafel Pita Sandwich with Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 4 pita breads
- 12 falafels, storebought or homemade
- 2 cups mixed salad greens
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- ½ seedless cucumber, sliced thin
Tzatziki:
- 1 cucumber
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice, about ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Tzatziki:
- Grate the cucumber on top of a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Ring out the excess water over the sink, then transfer it inside a medium bowl.
- Grate the garlic into the cucumber bowl, add the yogurt, lemon juice, dill, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days or until ready to serve.
Make the pita sandwiches:
- Lightly warm up the pitas in the microwave for 30 seconds, in the oven at 300F for 6 minutes, or in a toaster oven. You want to lightly warm or toast them so they fold easily and taste better.
- Once warm, spread about a tablespoon of tzatziki on top of the pita in the middle. Place a layer of salad greens over the sauce, add sliced tomatoes, and a few cucumber slices.
- Arrange the falafels on top of the veggies, either cold or warmed, your preference. Drizzle additional tzatziki sauce over the falafels and fold the pitas, tucking one side under the other. Use a toothpick or wrap in wax or parchment paper to hold the pita sandwich closed.
Lisa Fisher says
I’v eaten falafel several times but never made it at home. It would be a fun thing to make on a theme night to encourage my 5 year old to try new foods. I’ve used flatbreads at home before, but for quick pizzas, not a wrap.
Sindee Hernandez says
We have never tired either, I’m curious to know if my kids would like falafels. I have read alot of Greek recipes, but I’m reluctant to try them, only because my kids tend to shy away from anything “different”.
Joyce Ward says
I LOVE falafel! My brother introduced it to me when he started working at this great little greek restaurant in college. He would bring my pregnant self some home every night. I still go there for my falafel fix. Never thought about making my own I figured it would be very complicated. Definitely going to have to give this recipe a try and the tzatziki sounds amazing. I have purchased tzatziki at the store but often the portions are too big and I wind up wasting over half. Knowing how to make it will definitely allow me to control portions and reduce waste.
summer says
I’ve never tried a falafel, but there is an amazing Greek Festival near our hometown that I’ve always wanted to go to- I bet they have awesome falafels and baklava! My son loves flatbread cheese sandwiches and pizza sandwiches for his school lunches. I’ve also put hummus and veggies in a flatbread sandwich.
Norma-Jean says
I love falafals, but have never tried to make them at home. This recipe looks very easy –
I’m into easy – and sounds delicious! I eat quite a few vegetarian meals during the week,
and this would be another to add to the rotation. The tzatziki sauce sounds great too!