Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Printable)

Crisp baked falafel with fluffy quinoa, fresh vegetables, and creamy garlic tahini sauce. A vibrant, wholesome vegetarian meal ready in under an hour.

# What You 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and 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 mostly smooth with slightly coarse texture, 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 rinsed 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 a fork.
06 - Whisk together tahini, minced 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 bowls. Top each bowl with diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and 3 baked falafel. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately with optional garnish of fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The falafel gets baked instead of fried, so you get all the crunch without the oil splatter guilt.
  • Quinoa does most of the work while you're handling the falafel, so everything comes together almost at once.
  • That tahini sauce is somehow both creamy and light, and it makes everything taste like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't over-process the falafel mixture or it'll turn into a paste and your falafel will be dense and gummy instead of light and fluffy.
  • Lemon juice is in both the falafel and the sauce for a reason—it brightens everything and ties all the flavors together, so don't reduce it.
03 -
  • If your tahini seems separated with oil on top when you open the jar, stir it thoroughly before measuring—this is totally normal and not a sign of anything wrong.
  • Toast some pumpkin seeds or almonds on the side and sprinkle them on just before eating for extra crunch and nutty depth that takes the bowl from good to unforgettable.
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