Green Edamame & Pea Falafel with a Yoghurt, Cucumber & Mint Dip (vegan recipe)

Crispy green falfel made with edamame beans and peas in a blender (or food processor), served with a yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip.

You're just like me aren't you? You eat lots of falafel. 

They're a great go-to snack, but they are also good on a BBQ kebab skewer, in salads or in a wrap or sandwich with lots of salad and hummus.  In fact they are the perfect quick bite for both vegetarian and vegans.

Sometimes I add them to my yumbox, which is a bento box with lots of little compartments. I load my lunchbox with falafel, some hummus (dips don't leak in a yumbox), crunchy veg and pickled baby beets. It's one of my favourite lunches and my wee boy loves the same lunch.

Homemade falafel

I tend to buy ready-made falafel from the supermarket. I bet you do too. Falafel are just so quick and convenient to pick up when you're shopping aren't they?

Today that changes! I made my own crispy falafel. I pimped them and swapped the usual chickpeas for edamame beans and petit pois (you could use bog standard frozen peas).

Now don't get me wrong, let's be realistic here. When I go shopping next week I'll definitely pick up ready-made falafel to use in lunches during the week, but now and again I'm going to take them time to make fresh falafel.

Green Edamame & Pea Falafel

These green edamame and pea falafel have a crisp exterior and soft tasty filling.  They are so, so good!

Shop bought falafel never really have the same crisp bite as these homemade falafel.

You really must try them.

Blender falafel recipe

These falafel are quick to make if you have a power blender or food processor.

You just throw all the ingredients in.

Once you have a flavourful paste (you can whizz until really smooth or leave a bit of texture, which I like to do), you just roll into balls and then roll in panko breadcrumbs and fry until crisp.

Love falafel? Try this quick and easy hummus spaghetti with falafel and spinach.

Of course you could just go old school and mash with a fork, but they will be a much coarser finish.

These falafel are fried but you can bake falafel for a healthier snack. However if you want that really crisp coating of an authentic falafel you really have to fry them.

I'm personally not too worried as they are filled with a super healthy filling and will be served with a salad or on a wrap with salad, so a fried crispy coating isn't going to hurt. It's all about balance.

Five fascinating falafel facts

1. Falafel were created a thousand years ago in Egypt and made from fava beans (broad beans). The Christian Copts were forbidden to eat meat during Lent and instead created the falafel to add to their diet.
2. They were taken to Israel, where the base of the recipe was changed from fava beans to chickpeas and became a national dish served as street food in pitta (pita) bread with salad and a tehina (tahini) sauce.
3. Falafel can be formed into flat patties or balls and either baked or fried.
4. Falafel was so popular in Egypt that McDonalds used to serve a McFalafel on their breakfast menu there.
5. There is an unwritten rule in Israel, if you still have some of your pitta bread left you can go back to the falafel stand for more (free) salad, but if you want more falafel you need to buy another portion.

essential Waitrose

I raided Waitrose for my ingredients for these homemade falafel. Waitrose is thought to be quite a pricey place to shop, but the essential Waitrose range contains more than 1500 high quality products you use every day at low prices. Waitrose also have a range called Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients with things like spices, fresh herbs and stocks which compliment all your every day items from the essential range.

I also used frozen edamame beans which are available in store. They are already shelled so perfect for adding to dishes like these crispy falafel, but also good in soups and stews. A great way to add nutrients to a dish.

I served some of these falafel with a dip and some on flour tortilla wraps with salad. I know pitta bread is the more traditional pairing with falafel, but I love them in a tortilla wrap with lots of salad. 

Yoghurt, Cucumber and Mint Dip

I usually spread a falafel wrap with a really generous layer of hummus, but this time I made a simple yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip, which I drizzled across the filling. I used Alpro plain yoghurt to make this dressing dairy-free, but you can use your favourite plain or Greek yoghurt.

You could also add a drizzle of chilli sauce if you wanted to pep up the wraps with a bit of heat.

pin it for later

I've included my dressing recipe along with my falafel recipe below. The dressing is also tasty drizzled over a salad and makes a great dip for sweet potato fries, crunchy vegetable crudités or nacho chips.

I do hope you try both the falafel and the dip!

Try adding these green falafel to this Easy Falafel & Sweet Potato Tray Bake.

Yield: 12 falafel (depending on size)Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Green Edamame & Pea Falafel with a Yoghurt, Cucumber & Mint Dip

Crisp green falafel made with edamame beans, peas and coriander and served with a yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip. This recipe is easy to make at home and suitable for vegetarians or vegans.

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 12 MINStotal time: 27 mins

ingredients

Falafel

• 350g/2 1/3 cups frozen edamame beans
• 150g/ 1 cup frozen petit pois (or peas)
• ½ white onion. quartered
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 ½ tbsp plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp ground coriander (cilantro)
• 14 g (a handful) fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 14 g  (a handful) fresh flat leaf parsley 
• 1 tsp salt
• A good grinding of pepper
• 50g/ ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil for frying

Dip

• 250g/1 cup plain yogurt (I used Alpro)
• 3 cm piece cucumber chopped finely
• A few fresh mint leaves
• A good grinding of salt

instructions

1. Blanch the frozen peas and beans in boiling water for a
   minute, drain and pat dry.
2. Add all the ingredients apart from the breadcrumbs and oil to a blender or food processor and whizz until you have a textured batter.
3. Form the batter into balls and roll in the breadcrumbs.
4. Heat enough oil in a wok to cover the falafel. Once the oil is really hot, carefully lower a few of the falafel in at a time and cook for a few minutes until the coating is brown and crunchy.
5. Once cooked remove from the oil carefully (I used a metal slotted spoon) and place on kitchen paper to drain off the excess oil. Keep cooking in batches until they are all cooked.
6. To make the dip, chop the cucumber and mint and mix with the yogurt. Season with salt.
7. Serve the falafel with salad and dip or on a wrap with salad and hummus.
8. Enjoy!

Created using The Recipes Generator

If you like this recipe, why not try my red kidney bean falafel and follow my Pinterest board Falafel, Pakora and Savoury Bites.

Disclosure: This is a paid post for Waitrose. I created this recipe as part of their #essentialWaitrose promotion. I was not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.