Eggplant & Tahini Falafel With Tzatziki Sauce

Eggplant & Tahini Falafel With Tzatziki Sauce

Ever since our life took a wild turn for the dirt we've been busy cultivating a lot of vegetables that I didn't grow up eating. Eggplant is definitely something I hadn't eaten a lot of prior to becoming a farmer and to be honest, I was somewhat intimidated by it when I first began cooking. However, now that we grow hundreds of eggplants I've come to adore this vegetable and treasure each dish we prepare while it's in season. At this point in the game, it's hard to imagine my life without this wonderful vegetable and I'm so happy we've had an amazing crop this season. These falafel are a great dish to whip up for an eggplant skeptic. Taylor loved them because they were lightly fried and perfectly crisp. I was happy with the vibrant middle eastern flavors going on and couldn't get enough of the tzatziki sauce (it's spoon worthy!) Anyhow, I hope you all enjoy these as much as we do. They're easy to prepare and are a great side dish to bring to a potluck or dinner party.

Eggplant & Tahini Falafel With Tzatziki Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 16-18 falafels

Ingredients

Tzatziki Sauce
  • 1 cup full-fat yogurt (grass-fed preferred or substitute plant based-yogurt for vegan option)
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons minced dill
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • salt + pepper to taste
Eggplant Falafel 
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium-sized eggplant, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups worth)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 Tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (if from the can rinsed and drained)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chickpea flour (may substitute with all purpose flour if need be)
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or another high heat oil) for frying + additional oil as needed

Preparation

  1. Prepare the tzatziki sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and stirring until smooth. Taste test and adjust seasonings as necessary. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375F. Toss the eggplant with the olive oil and place on a prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven until lightly brown on all sides, about 20-25 minutes. Toss eggplant halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven and let the eggplant slightly cool.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor add the cooked eggplant, coriander, cumin, chickpeas, tahini, garlic, parsley, mint and chickpea flour. Process until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and cover with a dish towel and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  4. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Form the batter into 1/2 inch thick patties and fry for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Add more oil to the pan as necessary.
  5. Serve the falafel warm with the tzatziki sauce

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Cooking times will vary depending on ingredients and specific ovens *Have fun in the kitchen

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