Falafel Deviled Eggs

Hi friends – yes, it’s me – the girl that brings Deviled Eggs to the party just so she can eat them all. (Wait… remember parties?)

As we’re slowly, very slowly, starting to merge together once again, maybe you’ll see fit to make approximately too many Deviled Eggs to eat most of and share with a few fine folks.  They should be special. Everything we do in close proximity to one another should be special these days. 

Deviled Eggs are at the top of my list of perfect foods.  Oreos are also on this list, alongside Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and my grandmother’s Tuna Salad.  You can trust me, you can trust the list.  Truly – any way you devil your eggs is the right way to do it.  Just let there be mayonnaise and salt and a sprinkle of something red. Those are the conditions and we can fancy from there. It’s always perfect. 

Please  see exhibits A-C: Extra- Special Deviled Eggs, Muffuletta Deviled Eggs and somehow the most delicious and laziest deviled eggs inspired by Jacques Pépin’s. 

With our cautiously optimistic days ahead – let’s do this egg thing, k? 

Traditionally you likely know falafel as a fried ball of spiced ground chickpeas.  For this interpretation we’re pureeing soft, canned chickpeas for the filling and crisp roasted chickpeas for the topping.  Fresh herbs are encouraged along with earthy spices like cumin and za’atar.  It’s a bigtime play on traditional Mediterranean flavors so feel free to experiment as you’d like. 

Here’s what you’ll need for these deviled eggs: 

• A lot of hard boiled eggs.  Twelve is a lot. Twelve eggs would be great.

•  Two cans  of garbanzo beans. We’ll roast one can with olive oil and spices, the other can we’ll puree with herbs and whatnot for the deviled filling. 

•  Lemon, garlic, spices, salt and pepper for the filling.

•  Mayonnaise and dijon mustard for their binding creaminess.

•  Cilantro and parsley – fresh – we’ll want their bright flavor. 

• Diced tomatoes and cucumber for topping. These little bites are a meal in themselves.  I sprinkled a a dash of crumbled feta over the eggs because I’m one of those people who thinks everything is better with salty feta. 

You know how you like to hard boil your eggs. Get after it. Allow the eggs to cool until your hot hands can handle them – peel, slice in half, remove the yolks to a bowl, and line the halves onto a baking sheet with the proper amount of ocd – not too much, just enough. 

In a food processor combine a can of the chickpeas with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, spices and herbs.  Blend until you reach a well-combined but still slightly chunky garbanzo picture.  

Mash the egg yolks as best you can with the tines of a fork.  

In a medium bowl, combine the smashed egg yolks, herby chickpea puree, mayonnaise and mustard.  

We’ll stir everything together until well combined though still a little rough and chunky.  

Taste the mixture and add more salt and pepper, maybe more lemon juice or mustard to your taste.  We want a lot of flavor here so don’t be shy. 

I use a large, round cake decorating tip and disposable pastry bag to get the filling back into the egg white cups. 

If you don’t have or don’t want to fuss with those, a thick freezer-safe bag with the tip cut off will do OR you can simply dollop the filling into the eggs with two small spoons. 

Fill generously – no matter what you’ll find you have extra filling leftover which is perfectly nice on crackers.  

Top the filled eggs with roasted chickpeas, tomato and cucumber slices. 

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and za’atar if you’d like. Red pepper flakes too. Feta if you’re feelin’ it.  More is more, always. 

Have as many as you’d like. To the maker goes the spoils when if comes to Deviled Eggs.

These images are made with my friend Jon Melendez. 

Falafel Deviled Eggs

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 24 deviled eggs 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, 1 can for roasting, 1 can for blending both drained and rinsed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon za’atar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced cucumbers
• crushed red pepper flakes
• crumbled feta cheese, optional

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Instructions

1. First roast the chickpeas for topping: Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other spice you think is nice. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
2. To make the eggs, fill a large pot with water about 6 inches high and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator just as the water boils. Use a large spoon to lower the eggs into the boiling water. After a few eggs, the water will cool and stop boiling. That’s ok. Once the last egg is in, set a timer for 11 or 12 minutes
3. While the eggs cook, prepare a cold water bath for the eggs by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice. Place the bowl in the sink.
4. When the timer goes off and the eggs have cooked, use the large spoon the spoon the eggs from the simmering water to the water bath. Let cool for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Peel the eggs. I find the easiest way to do this is to crack them against the side of the water bath and peel them in the water. Rinse off any shell bits and pat the eggs dry.
6. Slice the eggs in half the long way and carefully spoon the yolks into a medium bowl. Place the egg whites on a serving platter.
7. In the bowl of a food processor combine remaining can of drained chickpeas, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil, parsley, cilantro, spices, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Process until relatively smooth. Taste and add a bit more seasoning, salt and pepper and you’d like.
8. Mash the egg yolks until relatively smooth. Add the pureed chickpeas, mayonnaise and mustard. Mix everything well to combine.
9. Spoon yolk mixture into a piping bag and squeeze a generous amount into each egg whites (or just spoon the mixture into the egg whites). You’ll have extra filling leftover which is lovely with saltine crackers.
10. Top with crispy chickpeas, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, crushed red pepper flakes and feta if you’d like.
11. Chill until ready to serve.
12. Eggs can be covered and left to rest in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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