Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Print View)

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 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

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 lemon juice
23 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water
24 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, green onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and chickpea flour in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is mostly smooth with a slightly coarse texture.
03 - Using damp hands, form falafel 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 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 reach desired consistency.
07 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green onion slices, and 3 falafel pieces. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like something you'd order out, but costs a fraction of the price and takes less than an hour.
  • The falafel stays crispy on the outside and tender within, especially when you nail that halfway flip.
  • Quinoa gives you complete protein, so this bowl actually keeps you full and satisfied for hours.
  • You can prep components separately and assemble different combinations depending on what you have in the fridge.
02 -
  • Drain your canned chickpeas really well and don't add extra water to the mixture or your falafel will fall apart during baking.
  • Chickpea flour is your secret weapon for baked falafel; all-purpose flour works but chickpea flour creates a sturdier, more authentic texture.
  • The tahini sauce will thicken as it sits, so make it last and add water gradually until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream.
03 -
  • Use damp hands when forming falafel and wet your hands between each ball so the mixture doesn't stick and tear.
  • Tahini separates and settles at the bottom of the jar; stir it thoroughly before measuring or your sauce will be too thick.
  • If your falafel spreads instead of holding its shape, your mixture probably needed more chickpea flour or was too wet.
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