Edamame Falafel Tacos

Nathan and I love eating falafel at our local Mediterranean restaurant… it’s one of the few times he will voluntarily split a vegetarian dish with me! When planning our meals for the week, I generally plan at least one to two meatless dinners as a way to incorporate more good-for-you plant-based proteins and reduce our grocery bill. Eating more beans, lentils, soy products, nuts and seeds and a little less meat has helped us explore new foods (hello, crispy tofu, where have you been all my life?) and flavors (chana masala, anyone?).

For these falafel I wanted to incorporate edamame, honestly because I had some in the freezer and they’re delicious. Edamame is a quality protein source, providing 9 grams of protein per half-cup cooked serving, and it’s also a good source of Vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

I also included some fresh cilantro. I love cooking with fresh or dried herbs and spices because you get a big punch of fresh flavor without adding too much salt. Once the falafel mixture is blended and forms a ball, use a scoop to portion it into about 2-tablespoon balls, and shape into patties. You should get 16 patties, or 8 servings. One great thing about these patties is that they freeze great, so save the extras for fast future meals.

Simply cook the patties in a nonstick skillet until crisp and brown on each side. I served them up in whole wheat tortillas, topped with chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and a lemon yogurt sauce.

Give these falafel tacos a try for your next meatless meal and let me know what you think!

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Edamame Falafel Tacos

Servings 8

Author Jessica Ivey, RDN

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 1 (15-oz.) can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 whole-wheat tortillas
• 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber

Instructions

1. Cook edamame according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water to cool.

2. Combine edamame, chickpeas, cilantro, cumin, coriander, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and the salt in a food processor; cover and pulse until blended. Sprinkle in baking powder and flour, and pulse until mixture forms a ball. Wrap mixture in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop to portion out mixture (heaping scoops), and shape into patties (you should get 16 patties).

4. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties, and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.

5. Stir together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl.

6. Fill tortillas with two falafel patties each, tomato, cucumber, and yogurt sauce.

Recipe Notes

To freeze uncooked patties, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze in a zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator, and cook as described above.

These tacos also pack really well for a school or work lunch. I packed the patties and toppings in a container with the tortilla separate to assemble just before eating.