Baked falafel is tucked into a fresh collard wrap with a lemony tahini coleslaw. It’s a vegan and vegetable-packed take on my favorite Israeli fast food!
The first time I had falafel in collard wraps was in New York City, from an awesome raw food restaurant. They had somehow dehydrated the falafel into deliciousness (I know, sounds impossible), wrapped it all up in a collard and I bought it for $15. It was at that moment when I was like “I could absolutely make this at home”. I love getting inspiration from restaurants and recreating the recipes to your liking in your own kitchen. There are some things that I get in a restaurant that I feel like I’ll never be able to make on my own - sushi, for one. But maybe I’ll just add that to the list of cooking resolutions for the next year! This recipe uses my falafel recipe from Tuesday’s post, which is super easy and I akin it to making cookies.
Falafel has definitely become synonymous with late night fried foods - when I studied abroad in Paris my junior year of college, we would hit up the kebab stands at 3am and they would give us pita pockets filled with falafel AND french fries. As if the fried food needed to be accompanied by more fried food. But the great thing about falafel is that baked falafel is pretty much just as good as it’s fried friend. You can still make it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And when you wrap it in a collard green with cucumbers and a coleslaw that consists of more crunchy greens and a lemony tahini sauce, it is vegan heaven. There’s something about a collard green that is an awesome substitute for a wrap. It’s chewy and pliable and has great texture. It also doesn’t fall apart in your hands, and simulates the whole eating a wrap experience really well.
The dressing for the coleslaw is the same recipe as my Mediterranean Salad, but I swapped the olive oil for warm water. And another time when we ate these wraps, I added avocado for some additional healthy fats and texture. I’ve been really excited to share this recipe with you all week. I even served this to Nate (plus lots of roasted vegetables) and I think he enjoyed this non-meat feast! This was easy enough to whip up on a weeknight, especially with the falafel already pre-made. Happy vegan dinnering, y’all!
- 16 baked falafel patties (my recipe linked above)
- 4 large collard leaves
- 3 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp warm water
- Juice of one lemon
- In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, warm water, and lemon juice until well combined. Add in the cabbage and toss
- Take your collard leaves and chop off the stem until it reaches the leaf, and then flip the collard over to trim the rib to make it more pliable. This is easy with a vegetable peeler, but you can easily use a knife. Peel away thin pieces of the rib without breaking the leaf
- On a leaf, place 4 falafel patties. Top with a couple of slices of cucumber and several spoonfuls of the slaw
- Roll the collard greens like a burrito, and then cut in half with a knife
- Serve, or poke a toothpick through and pack in a tupperware for lunch!
If you like this, you’ll love: Swiss Chard Tuna Wraps











um so: (A) falafel and sushi have been on my brain NON STOP all week… I’m getting sushi for lunch to curb that craving and then its a quest to curb the falafel craving, which leads me to (B) what was the restaurant in NYC??? I head back to the city tomorrow and my boyfriend and I go on date nights and I’m thinking maybe that’s an option! orrrrr I could just make your falafel 😉 (C) I studied abroad in Florence and we would always get drunken “kebabs” as they called them there with FRENCH FRIES and some of that weird meat that is on a stick that they cut down that I can NEVER tell what it is (pork, chicken, some other animal??) and some hot sauce and onions and it was GLORIOUS… my boyfriend would FOR SURE marry me if I could recreate that… finally (D) I’m so sorry about the aggressive ALL CAPS in this comment… its early, I’m excited..sigh.
Ashley | the Pike Place Kitchen recently posted…Thirsty Thursday: Brownie Batter Shots
hahah guess you had your coffee this morning! this raw falafel place was on the upper east side..you could totally check it out now that you live in NYC.
Wow Dani! You nailed this! Looks soooo yummy! I just had some $15 falafel at a raw restaurant too 🙂
Yours looks even better!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…Healthy Summer Squash Casserole
It’s so good though from those places!! But fun to try and make it at home.
DId you ever go to L’As Du Fallafel in Paris? My friend (who also studied abroad in Paris) made sure I went with her when I visited earlier this year. SO GOOD!
Lauren | Just a Pinch recently posted…Roadtrip plans (Washington, DC â Seattle, Washington)
L’as was our absolute favorite!! We would line up around the block for it. Any time of day.
This is about as natural as you can get with a wrap! Using collards as wraps is a great idea. The falafel is superb and the coleslaw is a nice addition of flavor. Well done, Dani!
Thank you! I love that the collard green gives you more veggies and is a great substitute to hold it all together.
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
This looks so wonderful, that I don’t know here to start 😉 I think I’ll start by saying, this looks AMAZING! I LOVE the addition of tahini to the coleslaw. Coleslaw really speaks to me. I mean, it’s my last name 😉 Have a great day!
Kennedy Cole@KCole’s Creative Corner recently posted…Dill and Blue Cheese Tzatziki Sauce
I love coleslaw too! even the mayo ones 🙂
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
This does look like vegan heaven! I’m in love with that slaw. Adding cucumber sounds so refreshing!
And how cool that you got to study abroad in Paris?! I’ve been twice but it wasn’t for nearly long enough.
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted…Chilled Avocado Pepita Soup
Even a semester wasn’t long enough for me!
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
You know whats crazy? I’ve actually never had falafel! BUT, I have been wanting too!
I recently discovered tahini, and now I want it on everything. So these are totally happening!
I think you’d love falafel -especially a baked healthy version!
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
Oh what a flavorful dish! I love that you used faafel, Dani! Sounds delish!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Blueberry Lemonade
Thanks!! It was super flavorful!
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
Oh these look great! Can’t wait to try the falafel recipe!!
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen recently posted…Chocolate Chip Zucchini Protein Muffins
Let me know if you do! 🙂
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
We actually had something very similar for dinner last night, although in lettuce wraps. You can’t beat homemade falafel.
Loving the sound of that coleslaw too.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Greek Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes, Feta and Olives by Dannii
Lettuce wraps are the best! I never feel like I’m missing out on carbs.
Dani recently posted…Falafel Collard Wraps with Tahini Coleslaw
I have to try a collard wrap, I love the greens and I usually sauté them, but never had them raw. Looks delicious.
Katalina@ Peas and Peonies recently posted…Feta Salad with Roasted Peppers, Avocado and Blackberries
it really has a very mild flavor raw - try it out!
What a fun, healthy meal! I love how you wrap the falafel in collard leaves too!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat recently posted…Panzanella
it was a fun and healthy meal - great description!
I love falafel! Definitely need to try it in a collard wrap 🙂
Megan @ Straight From The Jar recently posted…Key Lime Pie In A Jar (Raw and Vegan!)
give it a try and let me know what you think!
These look FANTASTIC Dani! And such a healthy feel good eat. I also love the variety of textures you put together. I’m kind of a texture nut, lol, so I always appreciate layers of textures like you did here. Yum friend!
Meg @ Noming thru Life recently posted…Chocolate Coated Pineapple Pops
agreed! sometimes I’m ALL about texture!
Yummy! These falafel wraps look so appetizing and delicious Dani! I will sure give it a try! 🙂
let me know if you do!
How cool, I’d never think to wrap the falafels in a collard leaf! Looks delicious without all that deep-fried stuff!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron recently posted…Creamy Coconut and Limoncello Popsicles
they were delicious! and the collard leaf is a great swap.
I’ve never had collard wraps! And I LOVE falafel. So tasty.
Jess @hellotofit recently posted…Vietnamese style beef stir fry
I do too! I’m so glad I can make them at home now and they are healthier.
I love using big leafy greens as wraps! And they’re even better when stuffed with delicious falafel 😉
Sarah | Well and Full recently posted…Summer Garlic Scape Pesto
I don’t know why I don’t do more lettuce wraps more often!