Hey, guess what? It’s Meatless Monday again!

Okay, for all of you aren’t overly thrilled with this idea, hold on just a sec, pretty please! Really, just give these a chance and I think you’ll be surprised how good these gyros are. Plus, how can you go wrong when you stuff anything into a fresh and fluffy pita, come on? It’s almost a no-fail situation.

The flavors going on here were a total spur of the moment decision for me because I had actually been planning to make a more traditional Greek gyro recipe with tzatziki but somehow or other I got inspired by these very different flavors of Caribbean jerk spice and just went for it.

I’m so happy I did too, because now I wouldn’t change a thing (okay, maybe a few tiny little things if I think about it too long because I’m a stubborn perfectionist, but nothing major since they were great as is).

I love Jerk spices with pretty much anything, but in these falafels especially, they were delish. And obviously the pitas are always a going to be a hit no matter what. I couldn’t even make them fast enough to keep up with demand around here if I wanted to, but when I do get in the mood to crank some out they are well appreciated .

Spiced Caribbean Falafel Wraps

Get adventurous with you taste palate and try these homemade gyros that are anything but traditional!

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 - 5 servings

Ingredients

Falafels:
1 1/2 cups peeled cooked sweet potato
1 2/3 cup cooked garbanzo beans
-Caribbean Jerk Spices:
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon each of:
chili powder
paprika
curry
ginger
cinnamon
cloves
allspice
oregano
black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
oil for frying
Toppings:
Your favorite bbq sauce optional
1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium tomato diced
1 cup washed iceberg lettuce or napa cabbage I like the crunch from the cabbage
1 large carrot grated
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup pineapple diced
4 - 6 large pitas gluten free or vegan if needed (for homemade pitas you can use the ones from THIS RECIPE)

Instructions

Falafels:
Combine all of the ingredients for the falafel, except the frying oil, in a food processor (a blender will work also if that's all you have) and pulse until combined into a nearly smooth mixture. It should be a thick dough.
In a large skillet, heat about 1 inch of oil over medium low heat (You can use a deep-fryer for cooking them instead if you have one.) Using a large scoop, form balls and drop them carefully into the pan. Flatten them slightly with a spatula and cook them on each side for about 3 minutes until crispy.*
Gyros:
If desired, warm the pitas in a foil-packet in the oven or one by one on a lightly greased skillet. Fill each pita with the falafels, your desired veggies, and your favorite bbq sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Alternatively, the falafel can be baked on a greased baking pan for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 C) until browned. Also, if they seem a bit too soft after frying, baking them for about 10 minutes after they're fried should be enough to help make them more solid.

ALL CONTENT IS MINE AND ORIGINAL! All of these food photos were taken with my Nikon D750 and my favorite Lens, the Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. You can find out more in my INTRO POST.

Also, a huge shoutout to @rigaronib for designing my logo!

If you're looking for more recipes check out some of my other recent posts!

1. Simple & Quick Black Bean Lentil Chili
2. Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
3. Vanilla Bean Icing Topped Chai Donuts
4. Veggie Scramble & Sweet Potato Waffles
5. Mushroom Broccoli Creamy Gnocchi