Falafel Panini with Tahini and Pickled Red Cabbage
Crisp herby falafel made from soaked dried chickpeas, layered with lemony tahini sauce, cool cucumber and bright pickled red cabbage inside ciabatta, then pressed until the crust is golden and crunchy.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 10 hr 30 min
- Total
- 11 hr 40 min
- Makes
- 4 paninis (16 falafel total)
Steps
Before you start
- Soak the dried chickpeas the night before (8-12 hours). Canned chickpeas are too wet and the falafel will fall apart.
- Start the pickled cabbage and tahini sauce while the falafel mixture chills, so they are ready when you assemble.
- Dry the washed herbs very well. Wet herbs make a loose mixture that crumbles in the oil.
- Have a plate lined with paper towels and a thermometer ready before you heat the frying oil.
Soak the chickpeas
- Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches (8 cm), since they will roughly double in size.
- Leave on the counter for 8-12 hours or overnight, then drain well and shake off the excess water.
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Ready when: Chickpeas are doubled in size and a skinless cut piece is pale and evenly tender-firm all the way through
Tip: Do not boil them. Raw soaked chickpeas give crisp falafel that holds together; cooked ones turn mushy.
Pickle the cabbage
- Whisk the vinegar, warm water, sugar and salt in a medium bowl or jar until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
- Add the sliced red cabbage and press it down so it is mostly submerged.
- Toss and press again after 10 minutes.
- Leave it while you make the rest, at least 45 minutes in total.
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Ready when: Cabbage turns bright magenta and wilts slightly but still has a crunch
Tip: Slice the cabbage as thinly as you can so it softens and pickles quickly.
Whisk the tahini sauce
- In a small bowl, stir the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic and salt.
- It will seize up and look thick and pasty at first.
- Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each, until the sauce is smooth, pale and thick enough to drizzle like heavy cream.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon if needed.
- Refrigerate until assembly.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, creamy and falls from the whisk in a ribbon
Tip: Keep whisking through the seized stage; it smooths out once enough water goes in.
Process the falafel mix
- Add the onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro to a food processor and pulse 5-6 times until finely chopped.
- Add the drained chickpeas, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and baking powder.
- Pulse in 1-second bursts for 30-40 seconds total, scraping down the sides once, until the mixture looks like coarse, damp sand and holds together when squeezed.
- Sprinkle over the chickpea flour and pulse 2-3 times to combine.
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Ready when: Mixture is green-flecked, crumbly but sticks together when pressed in your palm, with no smooth paste
Tip: Do not run the machine continuously. A smooth paste makes dense, gummy falafel.
Chill the mixture
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Chilling lets the flour absorb moisture and the mixture firm up so the falafel keep their shape in the oil.
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Ready when: Mixture feels cold and noticeably firmer
Shape the falafel
- Using a heaping tablespoon of mixture (about 35 g) per piece, press firmly into 16 patties about 2 inches (5 cm) wide and ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick.
- Compress each one with your hands so there are no cracks.
- Place on a tray.
- Flat patties fit the sandwich better than balls.
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Ready when: Patties hold together without crumbling at the edges
Tip: If one falls apart, add 1 tablespoon more flour to the mixture and re-shape.
Fry the falafelOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the frying oil into a 10-inch (25 cm) heavy skillet (the oil should be about ½ inch / 1.5 cm deep) and heat over medium heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry 8 patties at a time, without crowding, for 3-4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat to hold 340-350°F (170-175°C).
- Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Let the oil come back to 350°F (175°C) before frying the second batch.
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Ready when: Falafel are deep golden-brown and crisp on both sides, and sound firm when tapped with the spoon
Tip: Too-cool oil makes greasy falafel that can break apart; too hot browns the outside before the center cooks.
Prepare the bread
- Split the ciabatta rolls and brush the outside of each half (the crust side) lightly with olive oil.
- Drain the pickled cabbage in a colander and pat it with paper towels so it will not make the bread soggy.
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Ready when: Cabbage is drained and no longer dripping
Tip: Oil the outside, not the cut sides, for even browning and a crisp crust.
Build the paninis
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of tahini sauce on each cut side.
- On the bottom halves, layer 4 falafel (gently crushing them with your palm so they sit flat), the cucumber rounds, a handful of drained cabbage and the mint leaves if using.
- Drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of tahini sauce and close the sandwiches.
- Save any leftover sauce for dipping.
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Tip: Keep the wet toppings in the middle so they do not touch the crust.
Press until crisp
- Heat a panini press or a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Cook 2 paninis at a time.
- In a press, close the lid and cook 4 minutes.
- In a skillet, set the paninis in, weigh down with a heavy pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if the bread browns too fast.
- Repeat with the remaining 2 paninis.
- Rest 1 minute, then cut each in half on the diagonal with a serrated knife.
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Ready when: Bread is deep golden with visible grill marks, crisp when tapped, and the sandwich is hot through
Tip: Press gently at first so you do not squeeze out the falafel and sauce.
Good to know
Tips
- Make sure the soaked chickpeas are well drained and the herbs are dry; excess water is the number one cause of falafel falling apart.
- Test-fry one falafel first. If it crumbles, add 1 tablespoon more flour to the mixture.
- A small amount of baking powder keeps the inside light, so don't skip it.
- Drain and pat the pickled cabbage dry so the panini crust stays crisp.
Make ahead
"Soak the chickpeas up to 24 hours ahead. The pickled cabbage and tahini sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The falafel mixture can be made and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead, though shaping is easiest on the same day. Assemble and press just before serving."
Storage & reheating
"Cooked falafel keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes until crisp. Pickled cabbage keeps in the fridge for 1 week. Tahini sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge (thin with a spoonful of water). Pressed paninis are best eaten right away and don't keep well at room temperature beyond 1 hour; assembled, unpressed sandwiches are not recommended for storage."
Substitutions
- ciabatta rolls (about 100 g each) → Pita breads (4 large). Stuff them and press 2-3 minutes per side. Pita gets crisp faster than ciabatta.
- apple cider vinegar → Red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar. Same amount. The flavor is slightly sharper but the cabbage will still be bright.
- chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour) → All-purpose flour. Same amount. Gluten-free cooks can use rice flour.
- fresh cilantro → Additional flat-leaf parsley. Use 15 g (½ cup packed) more parsley if you dislike cilantro.