Falafel Hot Sauce

A popular fast-food dish in the Middle East and a favorite among vegetarians, falafels are deep-fried balls or patties that are made from chickpeas or fava beans and spices. As a main dish, they are served as a sandwich stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. As an appetizer, they are served on a salad or with hummus and tahini. It's common for hot sauce to be served alongside falafel, either for drizzling on a falafel pita sandwich or for dipping. Our easy sauce recipe is perfect for adding beautiful, bright flavor.

The spices in the sauce are important and should be personalized to taste. One of the main ingredients in this hot sauce recipe is harissa, which is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. You can find harissa in specialty stores, online, and in some upscale grocery stores, but your best bet would be Middle Eastern markets.

In the Middle East, falafel is sold everywhere by street vendors in Israel, Egypt, and Syria. It is actually the national dish of Israel, but its fame has spread globally because, besides being delicious, it makes a wonderful vegetarian option for a growing population of non-meat eaters. Now that there are plenty of falafel mixes to be found, making this dish at home has become very easy. With this tasty sauce on the side, it'd be, without a doubt, a wonderful dinner. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.