Easy Vegan Falafel Platter

A falafel mezze board is such a fun and tasty way to enjoy food. This vegan falafel platter is colorful, fresh, tangy, briny, and fulfilling thanks to the creamy rich hummus and Turkish babagannus. It’s ideal for parties, get-togethers, picnics, weeknight dinners, and Sunday lunches. 

Mezze or meze is the Turkish, Greek, Balkans, Levant, Caucasus, and Iranian equivalent of tapas in Spain. It’s an array of small dishes served as part of a multi-course meal or as a fun meal to share at the table. 

Why We Love This Easy Vegan Falafel Platter

Mezze boards have a multitude of dishes so that everyone can choose what they like and ignore what they don’t. It’s ideal for picky eaters or kids, and those with special dietary needs because everyone will find something they can enjoy.

This vegan falafel platter is full of amazing flavors and textures. You’ve got everything possible to satisfy the palate – crisp fresh vegetables, creamy rich dips and sauces, warm soft pita, satiating falafels, tangy and briny pickled goods, and savory olives.

It’s super easy and quick to put a mezze vegan platter together. You just have to chop some veggies, make a few dips and get your falafels ready. We’ll be using several homemade recipes to make this vegan falafel platter, but check the notes for some time-saving tips.

What I Need For This Falafel Mezze Board

I’ll leave some more ideas below, but for this vegan meze board, you’ll need:

• 1 recipe of hummus
• 1 recipe Turkish Babagannus
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Za’atar or your seasoning of choice 
• 12 store-bought falafels, 1 vegan falafel mix, or homemade falafels (check below)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers, sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• ½ cup Kalamata olives (or your favorite olives)
• ¼ cup pickled red onions
• ½ cup pickled vegetables of choice (beets, radishes, cucumbers, peppers, etc.)
• 12 oz. warmed pita bread (or gluten-free option)
• Tahini dressing: 3 Tbsp. tahini, 2-3 Tbsp. ice water, 2-3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, pinch of salt

Homemade vegan falafels recipe:

• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry)
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro, or a mix of both)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced (about ¾ cup)
• 1 ½ tsp. cumin (or more to taste)
• ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper
• Optional: a pinch of cardamom
• 3-4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
• 3-4 Tbsp. vegetable oil for cooking

How To Make Quick & Easy Vegan Falafels From Scratch

1. Add chickpeas, parsley, garlic, shallots, cumin, salt, pepper, and optional cardamom to a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Scrape down the sides as you go until roughly combined (about 30 seconds in total). You want the dough to be crumbly. 
2. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse to combine until the dough is no longer wet and you can easily form a ball without it sticking to your hands. 
3. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Falafel should have a bold aromatic flavor, so don’t hesitate to add more pepper, cardamom, cumin, and salt if needed.
4. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or in the freezer for 45 minutes. This helps firm the dough and makes it easier to work with.
5. Once chilled, use a small ice-cream scooper to form balls and flatten them slightly to form patties. I got 12 falafels.
6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and pour enough oil to generously coat the pan. Once it’s hot, add the first batch of falafels. You want them to fit comfortably and not bump into each other. I made this recipe in 2 batches of 6.
7. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until deep golden brown. 

These falafels are best fresh, but you can freeze them for up to 1 month stacked in a container between parchment paper. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. 

How To Make The Falafel Platter

Step 1: Make the falafels

Follow the instructions above to make homemade vegan falafels or use a vegan falafel mix, or buy them ready. Heat them in the oven at 400°F for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Step 2: Prepare the dips

Follow this recipe to make the best hummus. Place it in a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil and a dash of za’atar.

Make this amazing Turkish Babagannus and serve it with more olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

You can also use your favorite store-bought hummus, baba ghanoush, or other vegan dips. 

Step 3: Make the tahini dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk the tahini paste with cold water and fresh lemon juice with a fork until it forms a smooth creamy sauce. Add a pinch of salt to taste and optional za’atar (or another spice of choice).

Step 4: Arrange the platter

Get a large charcuterie board ready and place the following on it: the bowl of hummus, the bowl of Turkish babagannus, warmed falafel, cherry tomatoes, the tahini dressing, carrot sticks, sliced cucumbers, olives, pickled red onion, and other pickled vegetables. 

Surround with warm slices of pita bread.

More Vegan Mezze Board Ideas

To level up the pita bread, brush some olive oil and sprinkle some za’atar on it, then bake it in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes. 

For another gluten-free option, serve some tortilla chips (make sure they’re vegan) and this delicious vegan Potato Milk Queso. It’ll be a twist on the Middle Eastern falafel platter, but a welcomed one.

Step it up a notch and add vegan feta cheese to the board. I love violife, it tastes like the real deal! But if you have another favorite brand, go ahead and use that.

You can add any fresh veggies you wish, some other tasty dippers are cauliflower, bell peppers, radishes, and celery. The more colors, the better!

Add lots of pickled vegetables too, they’re healthy and delicious. Learn how to pickle at home or buy pickled veggies at the store. If you want to go a step further and up the nutrients of your produce, learn how to ferment foods. 

If you’re making this falafel mezze board during the cooler season, how about adding some roasted vegetables to make it warmer and cozier? Or add more fried foods for extra fun. These Greek Tomato Balls can easily be made with vegan feta. Yum! 

To keep that Mediterranean palate, add some vegan fried shrimp. We love Sophie’s Kitchen because it tastes super close to real battered fried shrimp. You can also add fried olives, or even fried yuca fries to impress your guests.

Recipe Notes

• If you plan on transporting this falafel platter, make it on a large tray and then cover it with plastic wrap. The edges of the tray help keep everything in place. Now you’re ready to get the party started!
• Any leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator in separate, airtight containers. The hummus, falafel, and babagannus will last for about 4 days.
• Reheat the falafels in the oven before serving the meze platter and get even crispier falafels. Set the temperature at 400°F and bake for 5-10 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Olives are super healthy, but maybe you don’t want to invest in a whole jar. I suggest buying by weight from the ready-made food counter at your grocery store. 

Can Falafel Be Made Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can! You can prep a lot of the ingredients in this recipe ahead of time, such as the falafels and the dips. Or buy your favorite brands to save time. Trader Joe’s has a delicious array of hummus and a bomb vegan tzatziki. I love their gluten-free falafel mix as well. 

You can even chop the fresh veggies and store them covered in the fridge the day before. If you take some shortcuts, this easy vegan falafel platter can come together in less than 20 minutes. 

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