Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Printer-friendly)

Crispy baked falafel with fluffy quinoa, fresh vegetables, and creamy garlic tahini sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Baked Falafel

01 - 1.5 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 0.5 cup fresh parsley leaves
03 - 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves
04 - 2 green onions, roughly chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
10 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Quinoa

14 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
15 - 2 cups water
16 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ Salad Components

17 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
18 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
19 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Garlic Tahini Sauce

20 - 0.33 cup tahini
21 - 1 clove garlic, minced
22 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
23 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water
24 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a food processor, combine chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, green onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and chickpea flour. Pulse until the mixture reaches a mostly smooth consistency with slight coarseness, scraping sides as needed.
03 - Using damp hands, form the falafel mixture into 12 balls or patties. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil.
04 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
05 - While falafel bakes, combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
06 - Whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
07 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and 3 baked falafel patties. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It is packed with plant-based protein and fiber from chickpeas and quinoa.
  • Baking the falafel makes them a lighter, healthier alternative to traditional frying.
  • The recipe is naturally vegetarian and can be easily kept gluten-free by using chickpea flour.
02 -
  • Keep your hands damp when forming the falafel balls to prevent the chickpea mixture from sticking.
  • When pulsing the falafel ingredients, aim for a coarse texture rather than a smooth paste for a better final bite.
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