Go Back
alt=""

Falafel Meatball Wraps with Tzatziki Sauce

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey (see note)
  • ¼ cup minced onion, or grated on a box grater
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup panko or regular bread crumbs
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Tzatziki Sauce:

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup grated cucumber, seedless variety
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Drizzle of olive oil

For the Wraps:

  • Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Naan or flatbread, optional, homemade, or storebought (see note)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
  • For the meatballs, combine the chickpeas, parsley, egg, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and puree. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the ground beef or turkey, grated onion, milk, panko or bread crumbs and lemon juice. Mix until combined (I find it's easiest to mix with my hands).
  • Shape the mixture into about 16-18 meatballs (a little smaller than golf ball size). Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
  • For the tzatziki sauce, in a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, feta cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until combined. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • To serve, place 2-3 meatballs on a lettuce leaf, dollop with tzatziki and top with chopped tomatoes. The lettuce wrap can also be served inside naan bread (or serve the naan on the side), if desired.

Notes

Nutrition Facts: the nutrition facts for this recipe were calculated based on the falafel meatballs and tzatziki (but do not include the optional toppings or wraps as those are added based on personal preference). 
Ground Turkey: not all ground turkey is created equal. I've found the kind in the tubes is pretty icky (super mushy - I know, gross), and the meatballs might have a tendency to fall apart. If using ground turkey, mix together all the ingredients EXCEPT milk and only add the milk if the mixture is really thick and stiff. I usually use the butterball brand (at Costco) or Jennie-O, but mostly I use lean ground beef because I like the flavor a bit better. 
Naan: here is my favorite homemade naan.