This weeknight falafel dinner brings the Middle Eastern platter home with a tangy, orange-spiked tahini sauce, bright quick-pickled red onions, and an easy green cabbage and tomato salad. Serve it with prepared hummus and pita for a more filling meal.
¼cupplus 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegardivided
2½teaspoonskosher saltdivided
215-ounce cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1garlic clovecrushed
1teaspoonground coriander
1teaspoonground cumin
1cupchopped parsleydivided
5tablespoonschickpea flour*
1teaspoonbaking powder
½cupvegetable oildivided, plus more for pan
4pita breads
½cuptahini
2cupsshredded green cabbage
1cupcherry tomatoesquartered
Home-made or store-bought hummusfor serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Thinly slice one-third of onion. Toss slices with ¼ cup orange juice, ¼ cup vinegar, and ½ tsp. salt in a small bowl; set aside.
Pulse chickpeas, garlic, coriander, cumin, ¾ cup parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and remaining onion in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add flour and baking powder and pulse a few more times to combine.
Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, portion out 12 ping pong-sized balls and place on sheet, spacing 1" apart. Gently press down on tops to flatten slightly. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp. oil. Bake falafel, turning balls halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, 20–25 minutes. Wrap pitas in foil and warm in oven during last 5 minutes of baking.
Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup oil and remaining ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon orange juice, 2 tsp. vinegar, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in tahini and ¼ cup water until a smooth sauce forms.
Whisk 2 Tbsp. pickling liquid from reserved onions with remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in another medium bowl. Add cabbage, tomatoes, and onions and toss to coat.
Cut each pita into 4 pieces. Drizzle falafel with 2 Tbsp. tahini sauce and top with remaining ¼ cup parsley. Serve with pita, hummus, salad, and remaining tahini sauce alongside.
Do Ahead
Falafel can be made 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 1 month.
Notes
*Cooks' Note
All-purpose flour can be substituted if chickpea flour is not available.