Jamie drizzling honey on top of a fig tart

Share your review and contribute to our community!

Save and access your favourite recipes and products.

Enter the email address associated with your account, and we’ll email you a link to reset your password.

Password Strength

Must contain at least

*Enter your email to receive news and exclusive offers from Jamie Oliver Limited about Jamie's businesses, including books, TV shows, restaurants, products, commercial partners and campaigning activities. By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use . Learn how we collect, use and share your data in our Privacy Policy .

Cart item

Just Added

View bag
Homemade falafel on a board, alongside pitta breads
Save recipe

Quick falafel

Harissa, allspice & mint

Homemade falafel on a board, alongside pitta breads
Save recipe

15 mins
Not Too Tricky

serves 4

About the recipe

Traditional falafel is made from ground chickpeas or fava beans; herbs and spices. Here, I’ve taken a shortcut, using tinned pulses, as they’re often knocking around in our cupboard. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s full of flavour and texture – give it a go! I’ve also given you a whole load of topping ideas, so you can make it your own.


nutrition per serving

Calories

g

Fat

g

Saturates

g

Sugars

g

Salt

g

Protein

g

Carbs

g

Fibre

of an adult’s reference intake

Ingredients

2 x 400g tins of chickpeas

1 lemon

1 heaped tablespoon harissa

1 heaped teaspoon allspice

1 heaped tablespoon plain flour

1 bunch of fresh coriander (30g)

olive oil

4 pitta breads

2 sprigs of fresh mint

Method

  1. Drain the chickpeas and put them into a food processor.
  2. Finely grate in the lemon zest, then add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, the harissa, allspice, flour and coriander stalks (reserving the leaves for the Coriander & lemon yoghurt, or tasty cooking another day). Blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor if needed.
  3. Scrape out the mixture and use clean, wet hands to quickly divide and shape it into 16 patties.
  4. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Carefully lay in the falafels and cook for 6 minutes, or until golden and crisp, turning halfway.
  5. Warm the pittas in the oven or toast them directly over the flame of a gas hob, using tongs to turn them over.
  6. Load the falafels into warm pitta breads with your favourite toppings (see below), then pick over the mint leaves, to serve.

Delicious topping ideas:

Coriander & lemon yoghurt
Pick and finely chop 1 bunch of coriander leaves (30g) and place in a small bowl. Finely grate in ½ a clove of garlic, stir through 6 tablespoons of natural yoghurt and squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon. Stir and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Tahini sauce
Place 4 tablespoons of tahini into a bowl, squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon, and keep adding splashes of boiling water until you get a spoonable, smooth consistency. Season with a small pinch of sea salt and drizzle in a little chilli sauce, if you like.

Pickled cabbage
Finely slice or speed-peel ½ a small red cabbage into a bowl, then scrunch with a good pinch of sea salt and 4 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar. Leave to pickle for at least 10 minutes.

Pickled chillies
Finely slice 2 mixed-colour chilies (deseed, if you like) and place in a bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar with a pinch of sea salt, and toss together. Leave to pickle for at least 10 minutes.

Cucumber & mint salad
Scratch the outside of 1 cucumber with a fork to create grooves, then finely slice into rounds. Finely chop and add the leaves from 1 bunch of fresh mint (30g), sprinkle over a pinch of sea salt and add 1 tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Tags

Recipes you may like

Healthy lunch ideas

related features