Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Printer-Friendly)

Crisp falafel with quinoa, fresh vegetables, and garlic tahini

# What You’ll Need:

→ Baked Falafel

01 - 1 1/2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
03 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
04 - 2 green onions, roughly chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 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 - 1/4 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 - 1/3 cup tahini
21 - 1 clove garlic, minced
22 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
23 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water
24 - 1/4 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, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and chickpea flour. Pulse until mixture is mostly smooth with slight coarseness, scraping sides as needed.
03 - Using damp hands, form mixture into 12 balls or patties. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil.
04 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
05 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
06 - Whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add additional water as needed for desired consistency.
07 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each portion with diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and 3 falafel pieces. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately with optional garnish of fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Nutritious and Filling: Packed with protein from chickpeas and quinoa.
  • Naturally Dietary-Friendly: A vegetarian and gluten-free dish that satisfies.
  • Easy Prep: The falafel is baked, not fried, making it lighter and simpler to prepare.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of rinsing the quinoa to remove any bitterness.
  • If the tahini sauce is too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired drizzling consistency.
  • Ensure the food processor mixture stays slightly coarse; over-processing can result in a mushy falafel.
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