Falafel Burgers with Avocado Hummus + Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

Falafel Burgers:

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, divided
• ½ red onion or 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, quartered
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
• ½ cup packed fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup garbanzo flour (or other flour of choice)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 mini buns or 4 regular buns (we use prezel buns), toasted with a little olive oil under the broiler for 2-3 minutes

Avocado Hummus:

• ¼ cup chickpeas, reserved from sliders
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/3 cup packed fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Tahini Sauce:

• ¼ cup tahini
• ¼ cup water
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

To make the Falafel Burgers:

1. Reserve ¼ cup chickpeas for the Avocado Hummus. Place remaining chickpeas, onions, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, cumin, coriander, salt, and flour in a food processor and pulse until combined, stopping frequently to scrape down sides.
2. Place in a bowl in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour (makes it easier to form the patties).
3. Using the palms of your hands, form mixture into 2-inch by ½-inch patties.
4. In a large nonstick skillet or cast iron pan, heat oil over medium heat and pan-fry patties in batches, letting cook about 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Do not crowd the pan. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

To make the Avocado Hummus:

1. Combine ¼ cup chickpeas, avocado, parsley, oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne in food processor and puree.
2. Adjust seasoning to taste.

To make the Tahini Sauce:

1. Puree tahini, water, garlic, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.

To serve:

Layer the Falafel Burgers, Avocado Hummus, Tahini Sauce on the buns.

Variations & Notes:

This recipe is adapted from Chloe Coscarelli’s “Chloe’s Kitchen” cookbook recipe.  This cookbook is filled with incredible tasting healthy recipes.

Make-Ahead Tip: The burgers and sauces can be prepped in advance and kept refrigerated for 1 day.