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    Home » Recipes » Entreés

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    May 29, 2015 by keepinitkind 30 Comments

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    As I mentioned on Tuesday, life got carried away recently and this incredible recipe has been sitting in the drafts for weeks, just waiting to be published. Now the time has come and I'm so excited to finally be sharing these Buffalo Falafel with you!

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    Falafel are kind of my jam. Being from San Jose, CA, one of my favorite restaurants, back in the day, was Falafel Drive-In. I went through a phase where I think I went there for dinner every Friday, for at least a couple of months (Sundays were for burritos from Iguana's Taqueria). When they opened a Pita Pit in downtown, close to where I lived, amidst all of the bars and clubs I would frequent (I was in college, so that's what we did), that just so happened to be open until like, 2am or some ridiculous hour, you can bet I stumbled in there for drunken eats many a night. I think I even left half of one of their delicious falafel wraps in the backseat of a very generous designated driver and he didn't find it until the next day, making his car smell like, to put it mildly, a trashcan (Sorry, Binh!).

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    In my travels, the one vegetarian meal I could always find, wherever I went, was a falafel. From a back alley in the old Jewish Quarter of Grenada to Hummus Bar in Budapest to that one shop just down the road from my favorite gelateria in Florence- the falafel has always been there for me. In fact, that one in Grenada was so dang good, I had to go back for seconds. It was the best meal I had on that whole trip.

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    For as much as I love falafel, though, I don't make them nearly enough. It's stupid because they're so ridiculously easy. I can count on one hand the number of times I've made falafel in the last year and every time, it was my Falafel Taco recipe (also in my book), that I made. I love that recipe. That srircaha tahini sauce... But I digress.

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    During all of my gluten-free flatbread trials, one thing I thought about was what I was going to use them for once I perfected the recipe. Briefly, I considered folding my buffalo cauliflower inside them, and though I may actually do that in the future (because daaaaaaaaaamn, that would be hella good), what my heart kept calling out for was falafel. Naturally, several minutes later, the idea of buffalo falafel came to me and that was that. Buffalo falafel became my driving force behind perfecting my gluten-free flatbread.

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    So this is how simple this is- you make the falafel dough, roll it into balls and bake them. While they're baking, make your buffalo sauce and your tzatziki ranch sauce. When they're done baking, toss them in some of the buffalo sauce and bake for 5 more minutes. Throw them in your flatbread (gluten-free or full of gluten) or whatever bready vehicle you choose to use to transport these wondrous falafel balls to your mouth along with some falafel wrap fillings (I chose red cabbage and yellow bell pepper, but cucumber slices, or tomato, would also be good. As an afterthought, I wish I'd remembered that I had celery because I would've thrown some of that in there too), and drizzle with more buffalo sauce and some of that tzatziki ranch. Heck, you could throw them in a bowl with some salad fixings and be just as happy. Then you eat. Easy as that.

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    Print
    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    Yield: 18 falafel

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    Ingredients

      falafel
    • one 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
    • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 1/4 red onion, choped
    • 2 to 3 garlic cloves
    • 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
    • 3 tablespoons almond flour
    • juice of 1/2 a lemon
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • a couple dashes of cayenne pepper
    • black pepper to taste
    • buffalo sauce
    • 1 cup hot sauce of choice
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • tzatziki ranch
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened, plain vegan yogurt
    • 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 1 hour
    • 5 tablespoons reserved soaking water
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • juice of 1/2 a lemon
    • 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
    • 2 tablespoons fresh dill
    • the wrap
    • wrap fixings like cabbage or lettuce, bell pepper, celery, cucumber, jicama, tomato, and/or avocado
    • Yeast-Free, Gluten-Free Flatbread, Yeast-Free Flatbread, pita bread, tortilla, or wrap of your choice

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. Combine the falafel ingredients in a food processor and process until fully combined and will hold together when squeezed. Use a tablespoon to scoop out slightly heaping spoonfuls and use your hands to roll the dough into balls. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all the dough has been used and you have about 18 falafel. Bake the falafel for about 15 minutes, flip them and bake for another 10 minutes.
    3. While the falafel are baking, make your buffalo sauce. Combine the buffalo sauce ingredients in a cup and use a small whisk or fork to stir until combined. Set aside.
    4. Also while the falafel are baking, make your tzatziki ranch sauce. Combine all of the ranch sauce ingredients, EXCEPT the cucumber and dill, in a food processor and process until smooth, pausing to scrape the sides as necessary. Once smooth, add the cucumber and dill and process until you have a slightly chunky sauce. Set aside.
    5. Once the falafel are done baking, push them all to the center of the pan. Pour two-thirds of the buffalo sauce over the falafel and toss until fully coated. Return to the oven and let bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
    6. To assemble, place your fillings on your flatbread or whatever bread you're using, top with falafel, and drizzle with a little more buffalo sauce (totally optional) and the tzatziki ranch sauce. Fold/wrap and eat. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Instead of serving as a wrap, create a salad with lettuce and veggies. Top each bowl with falafel balls and drizzle with the sauces. Now you have a falafel salad. Enjoy.

    3.1

    Buffalo Falafel with Vegan Tzatziki Ranch Sauce

    Are you a falafel fan? How do you like to prepare your falafel?

    Photography by Chris Miller

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Caitlin

      May 29, 2015 at 9:46 am

      damn, girl.

      Reply
    2. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan

      May 29, 2015 at 9:48 am

      Oh MY goodness! You are killing it with these girl. Falafel are a favorite in our house, but buffalo falafel? Done and done.

      Reply
    3. Sharon Gjertsen

      May 30, 2015 at 5:30 am

      I like to make falafel as a patty, like a veggie burger, easier to eat.

      Reply
    4. Lorinda

      May 30, 2015 at 8:38 am

      I've never considered Buffalo flavoured falafel; they sound very tasty. I do have a couple of questions:

      1) do they freeze well? I can't eat that many in a sitting!
      2) the tzatziki sauce calls for unsweetened vegan yogurt, which isn't available locally. Can you suggest a substitution?

      Thanks

      Reply
      • keepinitkind

        June 03, 2015 at 12:16 pm

        They should freeze well. As for the yogurt, I would just use a plain vegan yogurt and leave out the maple syrup from the sauce. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Lorinda

          June 03, 2015 at 1:46 pm

          Plain, even sweetened, vegan yogurt is not an option. The only vegan yogurt I can buy locally is sweetened soy blueberry and strawberry (I'm allergic to strawberries) yogurt, sold in a multipack, so I don't buy it. Can I use a soft tofu with maybe some lemon juice? Or do you have any other suggestions for substitutes for yogurt?

          Reply
          • keepinitkind

            June 06, 2015 at 2:37 pm

            I think silken tofu would be a good option. Let me know how it goes!

            Reply
    5. Emma

      May 30, 2015 at 12:31 pm

      Oh my! This looks killer. I adore falafel and totally agree that it's great to be able to fall back on when travelling and options are looking slim. I'm pretty new to the whole Buffalo/Ranch thing since it doesn't really exist in the UK but love the sound of the spiced up falafel and cool, creamy sauce.

      Reply
    6. jane

      May 30, 2015 at 4:08 pm

      Being UK/Australian i don't know what you mean by 'hot sauce'? I rarely buy commercial condiments as they are so full of cr**. Is it something i could make? We can get Tabasco condiments here - is it something like that you mean? I'd be grateful for your suggestions!

      Reply
      • keepinitkind

        June 03, 2015 at 12:15 pm

        Hot sauce is similar to Tabasco. You could use tabasco or another brand of hot sauce (you may be able to find a more natural brand that doesn't contain so many preservatives. You could also use a sauce like sriracha. Good luck!

        Reply
    7. Kristine

      May 30, 2015 at 8:16 pm

      This looks/sounds awesome! I do not have either types of flours listed, can I use regular flour?

      Reply
      • keepinitkind

        June 03, 2015 at 12:13 pm

        Thanks, Kristine! I'm not sure that regular flour will work the same way. Both the chickpea and the almond flours work as binders and also add to the flavor. If you don't have either of the flours, you can make them yourself with a high-speed blender, by blending dried chickpeas into flour and/or raw almonds into flour. Or you could pick some up- they're both pretty easy to find in stores. Good luck!

        Reply
    8. Johanna

      May 31, 2015 at 7:42 pm

      This looks amazing. I can't wait to make it! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    9. Mel@avirtualvegan.com

      June 01, 2015 at 8:40 pm

      You have made my mouth literally water!
      Buffalo falafel sound amazing and your pictures just make me want to run to the kitchen and make some right now...but it's nearly 9pm and I've had dinner so I need to abstain for now.
      I look forward tot dying them soon!

      Reply
    10. Mel@avirtualvegan.com

      June 01, 2015 at 8:44 pm

      I have just noticed my typos! It's your falafel's fault for distracting me!
      It should say "I look forward to trying them soon!"

      Reply
    11. Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth

      June 02, 2015 at 6:24 am

      Falafels are one of my favorites and these look amazing! I'd be in serious trouble if there was a falafel drive-through in my neighborhood -- I'd probably stop cooking and live in their parking lot!

      Reply
    12. Jennifer Harmon {Peppers and Peaches}

      June 04, 2015 at 8:37 am

      YESSSS! Buffalo? Check! Falafel? Double check! I have been craving buffalo sauce out of nowhere and have been pouring it on everything in sight! I like the tomato paste in your recipe to balance the heat a little bit too. And obviously, pouring it on falafel is genius...keep at it girl!

      Reply
    13. Carolyn

      June 05, 2015 at 5:03 pm

      i made these for dinner tonight, but they got mushy after i poured the buffalo sauce on and never crisped back up. Disappointing!

      Reply
      • keepinitkind

        June 06, 2015 at 2:36 pm

        I'm very sorry to hear that. I've made them a few times without any trouble. If you give me some more info, I may be able to help you troubleshoot the situation.

        Reply
    14. Kelly F

      June 06, 2015 at 12:49 pm

      This looks delicious! Since you are using one cup hot sauce, is it spicy? :/

      Reply
      • keepinitkind

        June 06, 2015 at 2:35 pm

        Thank you. Yes, buffalo sauce tends to be on the hot/spicy side.

        Reply
    15. Jessica

      June 09, 2015 at 4:01 pm

      Wow, these look amazing!! I've never made falafel before -- can they be made with dried herbs, or do I have to use fresh?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • keepinitkind

        June 09, 2015 at 4:35 pm

        Thanks, Jessica! I highly recommend using the fresh because the flavor will be stronger and they also help form the bulk of the dough. If you didn't want to use fresh, you could try dried herbs but I can't guarantee the results. Good luck!

        Reply
    16. Melissa

      June 10, 2015 at 12:08 am

      In the Mediterranean (Turkey and the Levant), a vegan equivalent of tzatziki is "tarator" (also "tarrator"). With tarator, you can use whole foods instead of non-dairy yogurts with a lot of thickeners.
      Whip tahini with cold water, crushed garlic, and lemon juice to the consistency you want - thick for dip or thin for condiment. Add salt, pepper, and fresh herbs to taste (e.g. dill, mint, parsley, cilantro).

      Reply
    17. Gretchen

      June 10, 2015 at 1:21 pm

      Those look delicious! I'll definitely be making them soon. I'm also a Bay Area girl who LOVES Falafel Drive In 🙂

      Reply
    18. Hypnotherapy Adelaide

      February 04, 2016 at 9:43 pm

      Yum! Great wrap recipe. That is really nice tzatziki ranch sauce 🙂 Thank you

      Reply
    19. Hypnotherapy Adelaide

      February 20, 2016 at 7:47 pm

      Wow, two amazing sauces on this one. I love buffalo and tzatziki. Really nice vegan variations.

      Reply
    20. Anne

      November 07, 2016 at 4:58 am

      Really excited to try these this week. Look amAzing. No vegan yogurt here so am just gonna delete that ingredient. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    21. Anne

      November 12, 2016 at 8:02 pm

      Made these last night. So delicious. Thanks for a great recipe. Definitely going in my rotation.

      Reply
    22. KDD

      April 05, 2017 at 6:23 pm

      This recipe for baked buffalo falafel is great! I can't eat cucumber, so I substituted a homemade blue cheese horseradish sauce and served the falafel with a traditional quick pickle of thin sliced onions, beet chips and (believe it or not) very thin slices of raw turnip. It was delicious, and I'm so happy that you shared this wonderful recipe.

      Reply

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