Incredibly delicious, easy falafel collard wraps filled with a flavourful, turmeric-spiked chickpea mix, creamy hummus, crunchy veggies, and tzatziki – these hearty bundles will satisfy even the most ravenous of appetites.
Super quick to make (25 minutes or less!) and we even get to skip the messy business of frying since the falafel mixture isn’t actually cooked at all! I guess you could say it’s a “faux-lafel” (oh yes, I’m funny too!).
Traditional falafel is made with dried chickpeas that require several hours of soaking – unfortunately, canned chickpeas won’t give you a successful result. And since these “faux-lafels” don’t require cooking of any kind, we get to skip the soaking time and get straight to the eating part much faster by relying on the canned version.
Even without the fried exterior of traditional falafel, this handheld parcel of YUM is layer upon layer of textures you’ll appreciate as you sink your teeth through the crisp resistance of the collard greens, then into the creamy interior of falafel and hummus, with even more crunchy veggies to offer some bite. The falafel mix of chickpeas is loaded with flavour thanks to shallots, garlic, and a fragrant blend of spices – including a touch of turmeric to achieve that beautiful, vibrant golden hue.
As if these collard wraps weren’t already packed with enough goodness from the chickpeas, carrots, and cabbage, a good measure of quinoa adds a one-two punch of the satiating duo that is protein and dietary fibre. Simply put, these wraps will keep your belly full and soul happy for notably longer than a burger and fries.
The quinoa is the only part of these wraps that requires cooking, and thankfully the remaining ingredients can be quickly prepped while the grains are simmering away. A food processor makes quick work of the falafel blend (seriously just 5 minutes for this) and I’m all for utilizing the convenience of prepared hummus (hello, protein and fibre again!) and tzatziki. Maybe even a bag of those julienned carrots hopped into your shopping basket too.
If collards are a new-to-you food item, you’re in for a treat! No need to skimp on the fillings here, friends – these aren’t your average wrapping medium. Forget dried and cracking pitas or wimpy lettuce. Load these puppies UP with confidence!
The wrap itself is a breeze to assemble. The trickiest part of the process is shaving down the thickness of the stem at the back of each collard leaf. Make sure your knife is sharp and you’ll do just fine, I promise. Once the thickness is reduced, the wrap will be much easier to roll.
Now, if you have the desire to make these falafel collard wraps completely from scratch – you virtuous angel, you – might I suggest whipping up a batch of my creamy roasted garlic cannellini bean dip in the same food processor bowl, right before you make the falafel mixture. You have to wash it anyway, so might as well use it twice! If the roasted garlic is one step too many (we all have our limits, even me), simply use three cloves of fresh garlic and never even mind with the parsley.
When I originally created these wraps, I used a punchy Seattle-made Lebanese garlic sauce (also known as toum) instead of tzatziki which made the meal 100% plant-based and really, really scrumptious. You could also stir up a quick garlicky yogurt sauce if you’re feeling it.
We all know I’m gonna tag the heck out of these because besides delicious, they are:
- satisfying
- nourishing
- easy to make
- full of flavourful
- vegetarian
- vegan-friendly
- gluten-free
- fibre and protein-rich
- make-ahead & meal prep-friendly
Even before I hit publish on this post, I decided to make up a few more wraps as and slice them into thin, bite-sized rolls secured with toothpicks for a gathering where plant-based options would be appreciated. I can’t wait to share these with family & friends this coming week, and I hope you enjoy them too!
Falafel Collard Wraps
Incredibly delicious, easy falafel collard wraps filled with a flavourful spiced chickpea mix, creamy hummus, crunchy veggies, and tzatziki – these hearty bundles will satisfy even the most ravenous of appetites.
For the Wraps
- 1 cup quinoa ((only 1 cup cooked quinoa is needed for these wraps))
- 3 large collard leaves ((see Note on size))
- 1-2 large carrots, julienned or shredded ((about 1 cup))
- ¼ small purple cabbage, thinly sliced ((about 1 cup))
- 1 cup prepared hummus ((or my Creamy Roasted Garlic Cannellini Bean Dip – see Notes))
- ⅓ cup prepared tzatziki ((or my Garlickly Yogurt Sauce – see Notes)))
Falafel Mixture
- 1 398 ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ((½ lemon))
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric ((optional – for colour))
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Optional add-ins
- cucumber, cut into thin sticks
- avocado slices
- fresh dill
- toasted pine nuts or walnuts
Cover the quinoa with plenty of cold water and use a whisk to vigorously agitate seeds. If the water looks soapy, drain and repeat the process until the water is fairly clear. Put the rinsed/drained quinoa in a pot and add 1-¼ cups fresh water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 12 minutes for al dente quinoa. Once cooked spread the quinoa out on a rimmed baking tray to cool quickly.
Meanwhile, prepare the carrots and cabbage. Wash the collard leaves and pat dry.
To make the falafel mixture, add all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until relatively smooth and scoopable in consistency. Scrape down the sides as needed until everything comes together.
If preparing the cannellini bean dip, use 3 cloves of fresh garlic instead of the roasted garlic and omit the parsley. Prepare the Garlicky Yogurt Sauce now too, if using.
Wrap Assembly
Cut the stem off the collard leaf and use a sharp knife to trim away the thick part of the stem that runs along the back of the leaf (see image). this will make the leaf easier to roll.
Spread about ⅓ cup of hummus down the centre of the leaf along the stem. Sprinkle with a third of the quinoa, then add the carrots and cabbage. Add ⅓ of the falafel mix to the wrap and finally the tzatziki.
Starting with the stem end of the leaf, roll up the wrap as tightly as possible, tucking the sides in as you roll.
Slice in half across the width and enjoy!
The total time for this recipe assumes you’ll need to cook the quinoa (which takes about 15 minutes) and allows for the time to prepare the Creamy Roasted Garlic Cannellini Bean Dip (with raw instead of roasted garlic for simplicity sake) and the Garlicky Yogurt Sauce, (nestled in my Greek-ish Turkey Meatball Recipe). These are two items I make often from memory and they work perfectly in these wraps. If you don’t have them handy or are short on time, store-bought prepared roasted garlic hummus and tzatziki are brilliant and effortless.
The measurements for the fillings are all approximate and somewhat dependant on the size of the collard leaves. The leaves I used were huge and I filled them generously, but you may end up with smaller wraps and more of them if the collards you find are modest in size.
If you have a “thing with texture” as my family does, you’ll want to add more of the crunchy things and avoid the avocado suggestion and go with cucumber strips and even a few nuts. The collard wrap itself along with the carrots and cabbage have a satisfyingly crisp bite, but too many soft fillings and you might hear complaints (speaking from experience here).
Inspired by a quick grab and go meal from @greenmoustachecafe.
Thanks for reading and if you make these easy & delicious falafel collard wraps let me know! Drop a comment below and share your creation on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag #myfamilyfoodlife!
xo
Gayle
My Family Food Life 
2 responses to “Falafel Collard Wraps”
Sounds and looks amazing. Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks so much, Jamie!
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