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Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads

Published: August 16, 2018 / Updated: January 23, 2023 / 44 Comments
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Naan is covered in garlicky tzatziki sauce, Middle Eastern-spiced chickpeas, tahini, fresh herbs and Sriracha in this street food/comfort food mashup.

It’s no secret that I love a good falafel. It’s hands-down one of the favorite meals in my house, but I don’t always feel like making them, especially during massive heat waves like we’ve been having here in New York lately.

3/4 view of a sheet pan with Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbread on top surrounded by garnishes.

Since posting this falafel-spiced chickpea flatbread recipe on Big Flavors back in 2015, it has consistently been one of the most popular recipes with my readers.

 So I’ve decided to give this post a bit of a facelift, which was the perfect excuse to make this delicious Middle Eastern recipe all over again.

Overhead view of the ingredients for Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads.

When I came up with this recipe, I was looking for a way to use up some leftover tzatziki. I had just made Grazin’ TriBeCa’s Lamb Burgers, and that recipe made a LOT of extra tzatziki.

I decided that it would be fun to do something less time consuming than making my standard falafel patties. So I left the chickpeas whole and sautéed them with all of the warm spices I love.

Overhead view of the ingredients for Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads.

But how to serve these falafel-spiced chickpeas? Pizza-fying pretty much anything makes it more fun to eat, so I picked up some naan from the grocery store, which made perfect little single servings of this dish.

A full can of chickpeas will make 2 generous servings worth, and you can even stretch it to 3 pieces of naan if you’d like. You could also arrange this on a larger pizza crust or piece of flatbread to serve more people.

Overhead view of a bowl of Falafel-Spiced Chickpeas with naan and herbs off to the side.

Or get itty bitty mini naan or naan chips and serve this up on an appetizer platter.

Oh, and did you catch the tip I showed over on Instagram for how to easily remove seeds from a cucumber? Head over to my Instagram page and check out the pinned “Tips!” story to check it out.

Overhead view of the ingredients and tools used to make tzatziki.

It may just blow your mind! I got several messages about it right after posting it… it’s something I realized a few years ago, and I couldn’t believe I had a tool to remove cucumber seeds perfectly sitting in my drawer all along.

The tzatziki can be made ahead of time, and the chickpeas come together really quickly. I chop up my garnishes while the chickpeas heat through, and it works out perfectly. It makes a great, easy weeknight meal.

Overhead view of a sheet pan with Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbread on top surrounded by garnishes.

These flatbreads would be great with Greek salad on the side, or even a feta and watermelon salad type of situation. Yum!

I like serving these with a healthy drizzle of tahini and sriracha sauce over top, followed by a scattering of fresh herbs and a good squeeze of lemon juice. My son skips the sriracha, but I know that once he’s older, he’ll be piling it on, too 😉

Any way you look at it, you need these beauties in your life. They’re crazy delicious!

Overhead view of a sheet pan with Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbread on top surrounded by garnishes.

If this falafel mashup has left you craving more, I have a few other falafel-inspired recipes that will be right up your alley! Check out my Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites or my Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette.

And if you’re looking for more ways to use cumin, check out this post that showcases 21 of our favorite cumin recipes. I’d also love to recommend this garlicky cilantro naan recipe if you’re looking for more ways to utilize naan or other types of flatbread.

I’m sure there will be more falafel-y recipes coming in the not too distant future. I actually fried up the few leftover chickpeas from this recipe earlier today, added 2 eggs and a tiny bit of mascarpone and made some pretty flavorful scrambled eggs for breakfast.

I’m thinking I’ll make a falafel frittata sometime soon and will most definitely share the recipe once I have perfected it.

3/4 view of a sheet pan with Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads on top surrounded by garnishes.

Looking for more pizza and flatbread favorites? Check out these 5-star recipes:

Recipe for Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads

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3/4 view of a sheet pan with Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbread on top surrounded by garnishes.

Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads

5 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 Servings 1x
  • Category: Flatbread
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
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Description

Naan is covered in garlicky tzatziki sauce, Middle Eastern-spiced chickpeas, tahini, fresh herbs and Sriracha in this street food/comfort food mashup.

Ingredients

Scale

For garnish:

  • Sliced tomato
  • Thinly sliced red onion
  • Tahini sauce
  • Sriracha sauce
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Chopped parsley
  • Lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (or temperature indicated on naan package).
  2. While oven preheats, heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add drained chickpeas, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
  3. Heat naan according to package directions (for me, this was 2-3 minutes at 400°F). Remove from oven and top with a layer of tzatziki, making sure to leave a border around 1/2 to 1 inches around the edge of the naan. Top with spiced chickpeas, sliced tomato, red onion, a healthy drizzle of tahini, Sriracha, and chopped herbs.
  4. Use a pizza cutter to cut into wedges. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Notes

A full can of chickpeas will make 2 generous servings worth, and you can even stretch it to 3 pieces of naan if you’d like.

You could also arrange this on a larger pizza crust or piece of flatbread to serve more people. Or get itty bitty mini naan or naan chips and serve this up on an appetizer platter.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 597
  • Sugar: 6.1 g
  • Sodium: 1223 mg
  • Fat: 20.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 80.4 g
  • Fiber: 12.4 g
  • Protein: 26.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 9.3 mg

Keywords: falafel, flatbread, chickpea

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Ashley Covelli is a food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in Ossining, New York. She loves helping people become enthusiastic and adventurous in the kitchen so that they can build skills and confidence to cook for themselves and their loved ones. She can almost always be found with at least 3 different beverages within arm's reach.

44 Comments

  • Food Done Light

    September 17, 2015 at 9:44 am Reply

    I love the flavors of this flatbread. What a great idea to put all the flavors of a falafel on top without actually having to make them.

  • Patricia Conte

    September 17, 2015 at 6:37 pm Reply

    Love this recipe! What a great idea to get the vibe of falafel without making them! I’m pinning this to remind me to serve this up asap! Yum!

  • Stella @ Stellicious Life

    September 18, 2015 at 7:55 am Reply

    This recipe sounds delightful! I just love chickpeas and tzatziki but never thought of combining them! Will have to try 🙂

  • Lokness @ The Missing Lokness

    September 18, 2015 at 1:38 pm Reply

    Looks DELISH! I would have these for lunch any time. And that homemade garlicky tzatziki sounds amazing. Must share!

  • Joanne (eats well with others)

    September 20, 2015 at 11:14 am Reply

    I crave falafel pretty much nonstop, and this is the perfect way to enjoy them without going through all the hassle of frying!

  • Sarah K

    October 2, 2015 at 10:34 am Reply

    Fantastic recipe! My super picky 6yo devoured his dinner, ate all the leftover chickpeas and requested that I make this every week. Definitely getting added into our regular rotation – especially since it was SO EASY!

  • Laura @MotherWouldKnow

    February 2, 2016 at 7:32 pm Reply

    Love how simple and flavorful these flatbreads are. I’ve been cooking with chick peas for a while and have never combined them with naan – great idea.

  • Kira

    April 30, 2018 at 4:42 am Reply

    I don’t normally post reviews, but this was so delicious and easy to make that I had to! As a college student, it was cheaper and less time consuming for me to purchase storebought Tzatziki sauce (Trader Joe’s). Also, my housemates and I share spices and we usually have cumin and paprika, but we had a very small amount the day I needed them! So I used some chili powder and whatever cumin we had left. My naan was also from trader joe’s and I got their sriracha as well. I do not recommend their sriracha sauce, it was sweeter and had a buffalo sauce type of taste. Despite that throwing my tastebuds a bit off, I still loved this overall and plan on eating it again for lunch tomorrow with actual sriracha. Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s healthy and tasty, I’m afraid that I’ll be addicted to this and won’t be able to stop eating it.



    • Ashley

      April 30, 2018 at 12:33 pm Reply

      I’m so glad to hear that this was such a hit, Kira – thanks so much for the lovely review. It’s one of our very favorite dishes! And thanks for the tip on TJ’s sriracha – very good to know!

  • Rachel

    August 17, 2018 at 9:24 am Reply

    Made this flavorful gem for dinner. Definitely tastes as good as it looks in the pics! Sad to say, there were no leftovers 🙁 so I’ll be making this again in the near future. Our taste buds thank you for sharing your recipes Ashley!



    • Ashley

      August 18, 2018 at 10:19 am Reply

      I am so, so glad your family loves this as much as ours does, Rachel! It would be easy to scale up for a group (or leftovers) – you could even wrap a stack of naan in foil and let it all warm in the oven while you’re cooking the chickpeas. Yum!!

    • Ashley

      November 16, 2018 at 10:59 pm Reply

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Rob! Thanks for joining me LIVE over on Facebook – glad it inspired you to make these beauties 🙂

  • Cami Awalt

    February 1, 2019 at 9:57 pm Reply

    Fantastic! After eating so much heavy food after the holidays this is exactly what I was craving! Easy, beautiful, and delicious! I will make this again for sure!



    • Ashley

      February 5, 2019 at 3:08 pm Reply

      I’m so glad it was a hit, Cami! It’s definitely one that fills you up without leaving you feeling like you indulged too much.

  • Jennifer

    February 20, 2019 at 2:00 pm Reply

    Loved this dish! It is a delicious and AFFORDABLE vegetarian recipe that is perfect for a busy work week. I am adding this to my regular rotation. Thank you for sharing!



    • Ashley

      February 22, 2019 at 1:53 pm Reply

      I’m glad it hit all the right notes for you, Jennifer! I love finding fun ways to use beans and legumes and make them exciting. They really are budget-friendly. I’ll add more affordable vegetarian meals to my list of recipes to work on developing this year. 🙂

  • Eva

    May 1, 2019 at 1:00 am Reply

    This was so delicious! My toddler gobbled down the spiced chickpeas as quickly as I put them in front of her. I couldn’t believe how quick and easy the recipe was. This will definitely be a new go-to in our house!



    • Ashley

      May 2, 2019 at 10:03 am Reply

      I am so, SO glad to hear that this was such a hit, Eva! And hooray for the highly coveted toddler stamp of approval! Thanks for the review and rating, and hope you enjoy it for years to come 🙂

    • Ashley

      July 10, 2019 at 7:59 pm Reply

      I’m so happy to hear that, Angel! This is one of my family’s favorites, too. I’m working on some more fun dishes like this for summer

  • Alondra

    November 11, 2019 at 10:24 pm Reply

    This was easy to make after making taziki. I thiught it was too garlicky but still delicious as i love everything garlic. Made this one night last week and my boyfriend loved it so much we are making it again this week.



    • Ashley

      November 12, 2019 at 7:54 am Reply

      I’m so glad to hear that this was such a hit! You can definitely use less garlic if it’s a bit much for you but we do love garlic in my house, too. Ha! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know that you enjoyed my recipe!

  • Nathan

    October 6, 2020 at 12:25 pm Reply

    You really can’t beat a good flatbread to soothe the soul! I love that this is fully flavored with falafel and it is perfect for this time of the year. Looking forward to trying it. thanks for sharing and keep on sharing.



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