Fun Falafel Waffle

“Falafel waffle”...it's such a fun phrase to say, it just rolls off the tongue almost like this falafel will roll into your mouth! So this holiday season my friend gifted me a waffle maker and I have been obsessed with it. You guys dont understand how much I love waffles. They have those little groves and pockets which I think are the perfect vessel to bring all that good syrup or toppings into your mouth. Wasn’t it only a few years ago when the chicken and waffles trend took off? People loved the sweet and savory components of chicken and waffles. So I thought what if we just make it savory? 

So every year for Christmas my friend will get me some sort of kitchen gadget. One year she got a coffee grinder and the next year a french press after the one we had conveniently broke right before the holidays. And this year she got me a waffle maker. It is nothing fancy, I think it's a Black & Decker that was probably under 30 dollars. Anyway, when it comes to breakfast food I typically side to the sweeter stuff. I love pancakes, french toast, cereal and of course waffles. But when I do want waffles I want them to have a nice crunch on the outside but remain pillowy soft on the inside. So this got me thinking what if I put falafel batter in the waffle maker? If the waffle maker can make my waffles crunchy I dont see why it couldnt make my falafel crunchy. And boy was I right! 

I dont remember where I had my first falafel but what I do remember is that when I first had it I immediately fell in love. You have that crunchy exterior with that soft, savory and very flavorful interior. Now, I've traveled all over North America and Europe tasting falafel along the way and I have had my share of bad ones but there has also been my share of good ones. What I love about falafel is that you can pair it with so many good fresh toppings that contrast nicely with that crunchy ball of goodness. I love cucumbers, olives, tzaziki, hummus or the lemon tahini sauce. It's been a minute since I've had Mediterranean food but I had a craving. As part of the new year, as many people do they set goals to get in shape, eat better, sleep better, blah blah blah but we most of the time dont stick to those goals but in the hopes of it actually happening I'm still going to try. The best part about using the waffle maker to make falafel is that not only did I not have to fry my falafel in oil and add all those extra calories I didnt have to wait like 30 minutes for them to bake in the oven. This is definitely a game changer. 

To make these little pockets of yum you need some simple ingredients and spices. These falafel waffles are so easy to make practically anyone can do it! You basically throw all your ingredients in a food processor, slam them in the waffle maker and voila! Sounds easy right? Well let's get started. 

Bring out your handy food processor. Start by draining one can of chickpeas, if you'd like you can reserve the liquid also known as "aquafaba" which we can use in another recipe at a later time otherwise you can just drain it down the sink. Rough chop about 1/2 cup of parsley and 1/2 an onion, add to food processor. Peel and smash two cloves of garlic and throw those bad boys in too. Squeeze in your lemon and add your panko.

Next comes the spices. Spices are what gives food flavor, sure some foods are so good by themselves you dont need to over season them but come on! Wars were fought for these things so we might as well use them. I love the earthy tones from the cumin and that slight citrusy hint from the coriander and of course the bold smoky flavor from the paprika. Lastly, we add about a tablespoon of tahini and a tablespoon of olive oil. This will help it bind together and also give it just enough oil to allow it to crisp up nicely in the waffle maker. 

Then either using a cookie scooper, a spoon or hands roll out small balls of the batter. Try to squeeze them together a little to remove some of that air and allow it to stick together. In any other scenario I'd be all for having those air pockets to give it some lightness but if we were to do that we'd just end up with a crumbly mess. 

Using your handy waffle maker place the little balls and gently press them. Let them cook for 3-5 minutes. Depending on how crunchy you want them and also your waffle maker they may take a little more time. Just keep an eye on them. And you’re done! Admire how cute they are get ready to feast. For this dish I decided to go all fancy on my plating but you dont have to do that. You can easily just serve it with your favorite toppings and some warm pita or even in a wrap with your favorite toppings. I like to use feta, tzaziki sauce, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and sprouts but go crazy and enjoy!

Fun Falafel Waffle

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can of chickpeas

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/3 cup panko

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1tbsp tahini 

1 tbsp olive oil

optional toppings: tzaziki sauce, hummus, feta, kalamata olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, pita

Drain can of chickpeas and set aside.

Roughly chop parsley and onions.

In a food processor combine all ingredients, chickpeas, parsley, onion, garlic, panko breadcrumbs, lemon juice, spices, tahini and olive oil.

Pulse until all ingredients come together into fine mixture.

Using a cookie scooper, spoon or hands roll out about 2 tbsp balls of mixture. Squeeze slightly to make sure mixture adheres together.

Place falafel batter balls onto a hot waffle iron and gently press. Allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until desired browning and crunchiness.

Serve on a plate with optional ingredients or serve in a pita pocket.

Enjoy!