These fried and crispy Spinach and Chickpea Falafel feature a more Greek-inspired profile with briny feta, spinach, and warm nutmeg. We're completing it all with a sweet yet cool yogurt sauce.

Growing up in NY, whenever I heard the term 'street food' I would think dirty water hot dogs or takeaway pizza. Now if you were to ask me, what comes to mind when I hear that term, I couldn't quite give you a simple answer.

The truth is street food is a universal term. Every culture and country has their own form or variation of such. You can learn a lot about a place and its people by what they have to offer at a vendor. Even here in the states, street food varies state-to-state.

Over the years I've come to appreciate a wide variety of 'street foods', from Liu Sha Bao (egg custard buns) to Aloo Tikki (potato patties). I've learned also that each leaves you feeling a different way. Some street food really feels like an indulgence, while others are hearty and feel homemade, leaving you with that, 'just how grandma used to make it' satisfaction.

We bring these experiences back with us to the kitchen, where we try to evoke those feelings again in order to share them with others.

Falafel has long been a favorite of mine. For me, it's the kind of street food you can enjoy everyday without feeling guilty or getting tired of because of its versatility.

I've made a lot of falafel here on Living the Gourmet over the years, each quite different from the other. Today's is no exception. It's a more Mediterranean interpretation with spinach, feta, and nutmeg. Rather than a traditional tzatziki, I made a different kind of yogurt dip to balance out the saltiness of the dish with a cool, slightly sweet sauce.

The final result is a light warm-weather dish that can be served as an appetizer alongside a cheese board for easy noshing, or a meal if served with a hearty green leaf salad and maybe fresh flatbreads. I even had some leftover the next day for breakfast with a fried egg. Serving suggestions are really limitless here, and I hope you give it a try soon.

More Chickpea Recipes to Love

Name: Spinach and Chickpea Falafel
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup of vanilla yogurt; Dash of fresh ground nutmeg; 1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper; Zest and juice of 1 small lemon; 1 tablespoon of honey; 12 oz. bag of frozen spinach – thawed and squeezed of excess water; 4 oz. of feta; 6 garlic cloves – crushed; 1 tbs. olive oil; 2 – 15.5 oz. cans of chickpeas – drained; 3 eggs; ½ cup of oats; ½ tsp. salt; Gratings of fresh nutmeg; Dash of cinnamon; 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs; 1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper or more; Vegetable oil for frying

Mediterranean Falafel- Again, inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, mostly Sicily though, these chickpea falafel are made of basil, capers, and Parmesan.

Chickpea Burgers- One of my favorite meatless meals to date, these chickpea burgers have been a hit with friends and family. They're easy to make and so, so satisfying.

Sundried Tomato Falafel- I've put on full display here how falafel can be served 'food board-style' with herring, warm bread, a fresh sauce, and avocado.

Spinach and Chickpea Falafel

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5 from 4 reviews

Author: Living the Gourmet
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Dipping Sauce:

1 cup of vanilla yogurt
Dash of fresh ground nutmeg
1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1 tablespoon of honey

For the Falafel:

12 oz. bag of frozen spinach - thawed and squeezed of excess water
4 oz. of feta
6 garlic cloves - crushed
1 tbs. olive oil
2 - 15.5 oz. cans of chickpeas - drained
3 eggs
1/2 cup of oats
1/2 tsp. salt
Gratings of fresh nutmeg
Dash of cinnamon
1 cup of Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper or more
Vegetable oil for frying

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Instructions

For the Dipping Sauce:

Combine all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small bowl and mix.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Falafel:

Be sure the spinach is squeezed to release excess water.
Place the spinach in a large bowl along with the oats, eggs, Panko, chickpeas and seasonings.
Heat a small cast iron frying pan with the olive oil and add the crushed garlic. Let the garlic get a slight golden. Let cool and then add to the chickpea mixture.
Using a potato masher, mash the mixture.
Let the mixture sit for 5 – 10 minutes before forming into desired sized balls.
Heat a large cast iron frying pan with about ¼ inch of cooking oil.
Form the mixture into desired sized balls and carefully place the balls into the heated oil.
When one side is a beautiful golden color, turn over and finish on the other sides.
Prepare a platter with paper towels to place the cooked balls to drain any excess oil.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 648
Sugar: 12.6 g
Sodium: 1478.7 mg
Fat: 23.9 g
Saturated Fat: 10.2 g
Carbohydrates: 81.4 g
Protein: 29.1 g
Cholesterol: 213.1 mg

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And that’s our Spinach and Chickpea Falafel. If you enjoyed today’s recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you.