Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Printable View)

Crispy baked falafel meets fluffy quinoa in this vibrant Middle Eastern bowl with fresh vegetables and creamy garlic tahini.

# 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 Base

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

→ Fresh Vegetables

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, pepper, lemon juice, and chickpea flour. Pulse until mixture reaches mostly smooth consistency with slight coarseness, scraping down sides as needed.
03 - Using damp hands, form falafel mixture into 12 balls or patties. Arrange on 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 - 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 to reach desired consistency.
07 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and 3 falafel patties. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately with optional garnish of fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you just organized your time smartly.
  • The baked falafel is crispy outside and tender inside, with no deep fryer guilt.
  • One bowl contains protein, whole grains, fresh vegetables, and creamy sauce without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing your quinoa or you'll taste a bitter coating that lingers; it takes 30 seconds and changes everything.
  • If your falafel mixture seems too wet to hold together, add another tablespoon of chickpea flour rather than more liquid.
  • The tahini sauce thickens slightly as it cools, so make it a bit looser than you think you want it.
03 -
  • Toast your cumin and coriander in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to the processor; the heat wakes up their oils and deepens their flavor significantly.
  • If tahini seizes up when you add lemon juice, whisk in water gradually and it will smooth back out; acid and sesame need patience to get along.
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