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Street Food Tuesday, Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce. Homemade, veggie filled falafel, combined with turmeric infused golden rice, all stuffed inside fresh naan. The naan is then topped with lettuce, cucumber, and the most addicting “special” sauce…that just so happens to be way healthier than the original. This loaded street food style wrap is SO GOOD, and makes for a fun, delicious, and different weeknight dinner!

overhead close up photo of Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce

You guys remember a couple of weeks ago when I shared this herbed garlic naan? Well, as you can guess, I’m very obsessed with that recipe. Naan is one of the few recipes that I make over and over again, at least once a week. No exaggeration.

Here’s the thing. I only made the herbed garlic naan to use for these wraps. I needed a sturdy, but delicious flatbread that would hold rice, falafel, and toppings. Normally, I might just pick something up from the store, but our grocery store really does not have the best selection when it comes to bread. Since I can make naan so easily, I never buy it from the store…

Well…there was that one time last week…but I whole heartedly regretted it.

Anyway, as I was making the naan, I decided I’d also share the new naan recipe with you guys. So first came the herbed garlic naan, then the naan grilled cheese, and now, finally, the falafel naan wraps. All spaced a week apart, very purposely, so as to not overwhelm you with naan recipes. Not that, that would be a bad thing, but you know, balance is always good!

chickpeas in food processor

Falafel dough in food processor

Falafel balls before frying

I’m going to start out by saying that this is not one of my crazy simple recipes. BUT it’s also not hard. It’s just has some steps, some layers of flavor, and yeah, it will take more than 30 minutes. I know this is not ideal for every night of the week, but again, balance.

First up, the rice. GOLDEN RICE, I’m all about some golden rice. It’s simple. Just melt a little butter, add in some turmeric and crushed red pepper, add in the rice and water, and let it all slowly steam. And there you have it – golden rice!

side angled photo of Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce

Next, the falafel. I used my base recipe that I always use, but swapped carrots for cauliflower. You can honestly use whatever veggie you have on hand. Just use one that’s not made up of all water. I recommend carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli. The falafel is really easy to make, but you do need a food processor for best results.

Once the falafel is made, it’s time to fry. Now, before everyone asks, yes, you could bake these, but frying is much, much better. Every time I’ve baked falafel, they just turn out caked and dry, so I find the time in the oil is worth it.

For the “special” sauce, I like use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo. I’m just not really a big fan of mayo. I also love tangy greek yogurt and always find it makes for an extra delicious sauce.

Put this all together with some fresh naan (or pita, you can use whatever is most convenient for you), and you’ll have yourself a street style naan wrap. Not too hard, right? And trust me, all the effort that went into making these wraps is 120% worth it.

Every bite is so good, so full of flavor, and layered with texture. My kind of food.

close up photo of Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce

You know the funny thing about these wraps? They were inspired by my oldest brother, Creighton. He loves Middle Eastern street food and has been telling me to make something like this for so long, but with chicken, not falafel.

Creighton would never eat this wrap because it’s completely vegan (minus the yogurt sauce). Maybe my next recipe will be a chicken wrap?

Hmmm, ideas are spinning…

For now, it’s all falafel and I am loving it.

overhead photo of Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce

If you make this falafel naan wrap, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1273 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Golden Rice

Falafel

  • 1 cup chopped veggies, such as carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli
  • 1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas, drained + rinsed
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Use a gluten free flour, if needed
  • 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, parsley, or oregano
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • canola or vegetable oil, for frying
  • 6 fresh naan or pitas, warmed
  • shredded lettuce, cucumbers, and harissa sauce, for serving

Special Sauce

Instructions

  • 1. To make the rice. Melt the butter, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium pot over high heat. Add the rice and toss to coat. Stir in 2 cups water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit, covered, for another 15 minutes (don't take any peeks inside!). Fluff the rice with a fork. 
    2. To make the falafel. Add the veggies to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, flour, sesame seeds, garlic, cumin, cilantro, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is combined and mostly smooth. Roll the dough into rounded teaspoon size balls.
    3. Add a few inches of oil to the bottom of a heavy pot. Heat to 375 degrees F. Fry the balls for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain onto paper towels and then sprinkle lightly with salt.
    4. To make the special sauce. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, adding 1-2 tablespoons water if needed to thin the sauce. Taste and season with salt.
    5. To assemble, stuff the rice into the wraps and top with lettuce, falafels, and cucumber. Drizzle the special sauce and harissa over the falafels. Enjoy!
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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My family loved this recipe. For the special sauce we didn’t have parsley so we used cilantro. We will definitely make this again!

    1. Hi Andrea,
      Happy Friday!! I am thrilled that this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for trying it out! ☀️xxT

  2. Hi! I made the falafel mix like instructed and they were coming apart in the oil and the ones that did not were raw on the inside after they were browned and taken out. Not sure what I did wrong? The mix looked great but did not cook right.

    1. Hey Emily,
      So sorry to hear you had some issues! Is it possible the heat was too high? I would say pop them in the fridge next time for a bit to help them hold together better. I hope this helps!! xTieghan