Vegan Falafel Wrap

A flavor-packed, healthy, customizable, easy-to-make vegan falafel wrap recipe with baked falafel, crispy fresh vegetables, creamy sauce, wrapped in a soft tortilla.

What is a Falafel?

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish traditionally made from ground chickpeas or fava beans mixed with herbs, spices, and onions. The mixture is then shaped into balls or patties and traditionally deep-fried, resulting in a crunchy exterior and a flavorful, tender interior. It is a staple food in many vegetarian and vegan diets due to its high protein content.

Ingredients

Here is everything you'll need to make these delicious vegan falafel wraps. See the recipe card for details on quantities.

Ingredients for Falafel

Ingredients for the Wrap.

• While fava beans are readily available in many grocery stores, I couldn't find any nearby. Fortunately, I managed to get mine from Amazon. If fava beans aren't accessible in your area, you can easily substitute them with chickpeas.
• Dried chickpeas can be found at most major grocery stores. Alternatively, you can use all chickpeas or all fava beans for this recipe, but I like the combination of beans for the flavor, texture, and binding properties I get in the falafel.

Variations

• Experiment with different vegetables. Add shredded beets, scallions, vegan feta, arugula, and even cranberries for a different variation of this delicious plant-based package.
• Feel free to experiment with different herbs and spices like mint and cayenne pepper. Add it to the falafel mixture or in the wrap. You can also top the falafel with some sesame seeds before baking.

How to Make Vegan Falafel

Here are the visuals of what you'll be doing. See the recipe card for details on the recipe.

Step 1: Drain the beans well and add them to a food processor.

Step 2: Blend until they become a coarse mixture. Remove from food processor and set aside.

Step 3: Process the remaining falafel ingredients. Add the onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Mix until combined.

Step 4: Then add the blended beans back in and mix until all combined. The mixture should be well combined but not smooth. Place the mixture in a large bowl and mix in the baking powder (optional).

Step 5: The mixture should be moist but still able to hold its shape. The moisture content is important to ensure the patties are soft and tender on the inside while developing a crispy exterior when fried.

Air Frying the Falafel

This is my preferred way of making falafel. Air-fried falafel is perfect for an easy, quick meal without heating a large oven for just one or two servings. It bakes the falafel to a perfect golden-brown, crispy exterior, and a moist, flavorful interior, all without a drop of oil.

Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). If your air fryer requires preheating, make sure you do this step. Air fry for 8-10 minutes or until the falafel is golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Halfway through the cooking time, shake the basket to ensure even cooking and avoid sticking. Check them often, as air fryer cooking times may vary.

Alternative Cooking Directions

Oven directions: For cooking larger batches, I recommend using the oven preheated to 375°F (190°C). Place falafel on a tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and lightly brush with olive oil, if desired. Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping each ball halfway through cooking. Broil at the end for about 4 minutes on the top rack to get them to a nice golden color. Let them cool to firm up.

After cooking, falafel will have a crispy, medium-brown exterior while maintaining a fluffy and light green interior.

Intructions for Vegan Falafel Wraps

Whole wheat or whole grain tortillas are my personal choice for falafel wraps as they complement the hearty flavors of falafel. You can also opt for pita bread, naan bread, gluten-free tortillas, or standard flour tortillas as well.

Assembling the wrap

Step 1: Spread hummus on the tortilla evenly. Place a row of red onions, shredded carrots, avocados, spinach, olives, and crumbled falafel across the tortilla.

Step 2: Be careful not to overfill it, as this can make wrapping difficult and may make the wrap too large for a regular-sized bite. Drizzle with vegan tzatziki or tahini dressing.

How to wrap a tortilla

Fold in the sides of the tortilla over the filling. Start rolling the tortilla from the edge closest to you (the rows of filling should be horizontal to you; see pic), tucking in the sides as you go.

Continue rolling until the tortilla is fully wrapped around the filling.

Place the tortilla seam-side on the plate or pin it with a toothpick before cutting or eating to help it hold its shape. The hummus on the edge helps seal the wrap closed.

Top Tips

• The ideal consistency is a slightly sticky and cohesive mixture that can be easily shaped into patties without falling apart.
• This batter makes about 32 falafel weighing between 30-35 grams (the size of ping pong balls).
• Before adding in the processed bean mixture, you should process the parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, and spices in the food processor.
• This step guarantees a uniform breakdown of herbs (particularly the stems - I leave them on) and vegetables. If you try to do everything simultaneously, you might get chunks of unprocessed beans and veggies while simultaneously getting over-processed parts of the falafel mixture. It's not worth the headache to save a step.
• I've often played with the ratio of cilantro to parsley in falafel recipes. The ratio can be adjusted to suit your taste, balancing the most enjoyable flavors. Play with the ratios to find your preference. If you do not like cilantro, leave it out and just use parsley or add another herb like mint for variety. 

Vegan Falafel Wrap FAQS