The Ultimate Falafel Pita Sandwich

By
Saad Fayed
Saad Fayed
A restaurateur and food writer, Saad Fayed has published hundreds of recipes and articles about Middle Eastern cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/5/24
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 24 mins
Total: 39 mins
Servings: 6 servings

One of the most quintessential and beloved of Middle Eastern foods is the falafel sandwich, a warm pita bread stuffed with crispy hot falafel balls, surrounded by cool and crunchy diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, and drenched with nutty tahini sauce. All ingredients for this wonderful dish are easily found in standard supermarkets, and although it has many components, its simplicity makes it a wonderful weekday lunch or dinner, or a meal-prep staple that you can cook and freeze.

Falafel has gained notoriety in the U.S. thanks to halal street carts and food trucks that proudly make and serve this Middle Eastern treat. But falafel is also found on the menus of most Mediterranean restaurants, and as a vegan and vegetarian meal, it has gained popularity as it is filling and delicious.

Falafel is traditionally made from chickpeas. It can be fried or baked for a lighter version. Restaurants sometimes serve falafel as a platter, over a bed of rice, but stuffed into pita bread is the more popular, easy, and on-the-go version. In the Middle East, it shares popularity with the sabich sandwich, a pita stuffed with eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, Israeli salad, hummus, and amba sauce.

For our recipe, you'll need to have ready falafel balls, from scratch or from a mix.

Pita halves stuffed with falafel and raw vegetables

The Spruce Eats
What You'll Need to Make This Falafel Pita Sandwich Recipe
A Great Griddle Pan
A Sharp Chef's Knife
A Handy Dandy Mandoline

"This satisfying falafel sandwich makes a quick and delicious lunch or weeknight dinner. Save even more time by putting the ingredients in separate bowls and having the diners assemble their own sandwiches." —Diana Andrews

Falafel pita sandwich tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 6 pita bread loaves

  • 18 cooked falafel balls, from homemade or store-bought falafel mix

  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced

  • 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and diced

  • 1 medium white or red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

  • 3 sandwich pickles, sliced, optional

  • Tahini sauce, homemade or store-bought, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for falafel pita sandwich recipe gathered

    ​The Spruce Eats

  2. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Coat with olive oil and heat a pita round for 2 minutes on each side. The pita may begin to brown a little. Repeat with the remaining pita rounds, making sure to cut the top part to reveal the pocket after heating.

    Lightly browned pita flatbread in a skillet

    The Spruce Eats

  3. Stuff each pita round with 3 falafel balls and a spoonful each of diced tomatoes and cucumber. Top each with sliced onion, chopped parsley, the optional pickles, and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce.

    Pita half stuffed with raw vegetables and drizzled with tahini sauce

    The Spruce Eats

Recipe Variations

Falafel, as they are typically made, are vegan, but check the label if you're using store-bought mix as some use egg as a binder. Here are some suggestions to spice up your falafel sandwich or to add different flavors and sauces:

  • Use a dill tzatziki sauce instead of the tahini sauce for a creamy and refreshing addition. For dairy allergies, try a soy-based tzatziki sauce.
  • Add some crumbled feta to add some tang and creaminess into the sandwich.
  • Add a spoonful of tabouleh salad to the pita for flavor and texture.
  • Make pitas with baba ganoush, roasted vegetables, and hummus.
  • Make a dressing with 1/2 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of olive oil, the juice of a lime, 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup of parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend all of the ingredients and use this herby sauce for the sandwich.

How to Bake Falafel?

Falafel is typically fried, which makes it really crunchy and decadent. If you're trying to keep your added-oil intake on the lower side, baking your falafel is a great alternative. To successfully bake the balls, you'll need to:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil, grease it with vegetable oil, or line it with parchment paper.
  • Place the falafel balls with at least 3 inches of space between.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for an extra 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
434 Calories
19g Fat
56g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 434
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 461mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 20%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 12mg 60%
Calcium 118mg 9%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 400mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)