Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Print Version)

Crispy baked falafel over fluffy quinoa with fresh vegetables and creamy garlic tahini dressing.

# 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, optional
09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
10 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - 3 tablespoons chickpea flour or all-purpose flour
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing

→ Quinoa Base

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

→ Fresh 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 lemon juice
23 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed
24 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# How-To:

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 if using, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and chickpea flour. Pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly coarse, 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 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, let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
06 - Whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add more water for thinner consistency if desired.
07 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green onion, and 3 falafel pieces. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Baked falafel means crispy exteriors without the oil-splatter drama of deep frying, and your kitchen smells incredible for hours.
  • The tahini sauce ties everything together with such creaminess that you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything else you cook.
  • One bowl easily becomes lunch for two people or a satisfying dinner that doesn't leave you feeling stuffed.
02 -
  • Damp hands are your secret weapon when forming falafel; it keeps them from sticking to your palms and breaking apart, and those slightly damp balls brown more evenly than completely dry ones.
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa before cooking, because unrinsed quinoa can taste bitter from its natural coating, and that bitterness lingers in every bite.
  • Tahini sauce thickens as it cools, so make it slightly thinner than you think you want it, and always taste before serving to balance lemon and garlic to your preference.
03 -
  • Form your falafel mixture the night before and refrigerate it; cold mixture holds together better during baking and browns more evenly than room-temperature dough.
  • Make a double batch of tahini sauce because once people taste it they'll want it on salads, roasted vegetables, and probably toast, and having extra on hand means you look like you knew exactly how good your cooking would be.
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