*These Easy Vegan Falafel are a simple and filling homemade dinner. Hearty chickpeas are combined with fresh parsley, nutty sesame seeds, and plenty of flavorful spices!*

Today’s recipe is inspired by one of the most memorable dishes I’ve ever eaten in my life. Yes, bold statement, I know! But it’s true. If you’ve ever been to Paris, I’m sure that friends recommended you visit the Marais (the city’s Jewish district) to take in the wonderful architecture, variety of unique boutiques, and amazing food. And I’m also certain they told you to pick up a falafel wrap from L’As du Fallafel, an iconic little shop churning out the most delicious Middle Eastern food in the city.

I first visited this spot with my mom when we took a girls’ trip to Paris when I was thirteen or so. During my study abroad semester I eagerly returned with a pack of friends, and it became a regular little routine: hit the library on Sunday morning for a study session, then take a lunch break in the middle of the afternoon and pick up the monstrous sandwiches. We would stroll over to the Place des Vosges, settle on a park bench, and enjoy our food, the fresh air, and the people watching. When my brother came for a visit, we made the requisite visit to L’As du Fallafel as well – I knew he’d love this dish as much as I did, because it’s hard not to 🙂

The warm, fresh pita bread is stuffed with all sorts of incredible flavors: roasted eggplant, fresh, crunchy cabbage, sweet tomatoes, hummus, and a creamy, rich yogurt sauce. The star of the show, of course, are the flavorful falafel: little balls of ground chickpeas flavored with all sorts of herbs and spices, freshly fried to crispy, crunchy perfection. The handheld dish is simply overflowing with all of this goodness – hard to manage, yes, while standing in the street or sitting on a park bench, but so worth it, too.

When my parents visited Paris earlier this spring, they told me about their stop in the Marais for falafel. And immediately, my mouth started to water. So, it was either book a plane ticket immediately to the City of Love, or learn how to make falafel myself. While said trip is definitely still in the forefront of my mind, I also started to research techniques for making this dish at home. I ended up combining a bunch of different ideas and suggestions, landing on a simple recipe that utilizes canned chickpeas, does all of the tough mixing in the food processor, and pan fries the balls in just a bit of canola oil. To my surprise, they turned out fantastic on the first try! Each falafel is moist and flavorful – filled with sesame seeds, garlic, shallots, cumin, and fresh parsley – and perfectly golden brown. Because the whole process is super low maintenance, I was able to focus most of my efforts on putting together some epic accompaniments. I decided to serve my falafel with marinated feta, cherry tomatoes, fresh cucumber, roasted red peppers, and freshly made pita chips. But feel free to stuff them in a pita wrap – street-food style – if that’s more your jam. Next up, I’m trying my hand at some authentic French croissants! Or maybe just booking that plane ticket after all… 😉