Homemade Falafel Hot Sauce

Written by
Saad Fayed
A restaurateur and food writer, Saad Fayed has published hundreds of recipes and articles about Middle Eastern cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Saad Fayed
Updated 07/11/19
Falafel hot sauce in glass near falafels

The Spruce
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
23 Calories
0g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 23
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 13mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 1g
Calcium 21mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A popular dish in the Middle East and a favorite among vegetarians, falafels are deep-fried balls or patties that are made from chickpeas or fava beans and spices. 

As a main dish, they are served as a sandwich, stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. As an appetizer, they are served on a salad or with hummus and tahini. Most of the time served with hot sauce. 

That's where this homemade falafel hot sauce comes in. This hot sauce can be drizzled into a falafel pita sandwich or used for dipping. 

Plus, the hot sauce is great at room temperature and even cold!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon harissa (or hot sauce)
  • 2 cloves garlic (pressed)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (finely chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for falafel hot sauce
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  2. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients.

    Combine ingredients in a sauce pan
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  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir frequently.

    Bring ingredients to a boil in pot
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  4. Serve falafel hot sauce immediately as a dip for falafel or drizzle onto falafel pita sandwich. 

    Serve hot sauce with falafel
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  5. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

What Makes the Sauce Hot

One of the main ingredients in this hot sauce recipe is harissa, which is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. It is added to couscous, soups, pastas, and other recipes. It can also be purchased in Middle Eastern stores in a can.

For a very spicy harissa: use a blend of cayenne, chile de arbol, or cayenne with a milder chile like ancho chilies. For a medium spiciness: use a blend of New Mexico chilies with guajillo chilies.

More About Falafels

Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food. Vendors sell it on the street corners is most popular in countries like Israel, Egypt, and Syria. It is regarded as a "fast food" and sold like hot dogs by street vendors. Falafel is also the national dish of Israel.

Falafel is a favorite among vegetarians. The spices are important and should be personalized to taste. This recipe is a traditional method of cooking falafel. It can be time-consuming because of having to soak the beans overnight. (No time to make your own falafel? Check out our favorite falafel mixes.)