Crispy Falafel Grain Bowl (Printable)
Crispy falafel over quinoa with fresh veggies and creamy tahini dressing for a wholesome vegetarian meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Falafel
01 - 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (canned, drained and rinsed work well)
02 - ½ small onion, roughly chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic
04 - ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
05 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
08 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
09 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour (use chickpea flour for gluten-free)
10 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 3 tablespoons olive oil, for pan-frying
→ Grains
13 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice, uncooked
14 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
15 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
→ Vegetables & Toppings
16 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
18 - 2 cups mixed greens (arugula, spinach, or lettuce)
19 - 1 medium carrot, shredded
20 - ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
21 - ¼ cup pickled turnips or radishes (optional)
→ Tahini Dressing
22 - 3 tablespoons tahini
23 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
24 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
25 - 1 tablespoon water
26 - 1 clove garlic, minced
27 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Rinse quinoa or brown rice under cold water. Combine grains, water or broth, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until tender — 15 minutes for quinoa or about 35 minutes for brown rice. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, baking powder, flour, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely blended and holds together but is not a smooth paste. Form into small balls or patties, using about 2 tablespoons of mixture each.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the falafel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Add additional water in small increments if a thinner consistency is desired.
05 - Divide the cooked grains evenly among four bowls. Arrange mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrot, red onion, and pickled vegetables over the grains. Place the crispy falafel on top of each bowl.
06 - Drizzle the tahini dressing generously over each assembled bowl. Serve immediately while the falafel is still warm and crisp.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything comes together in under an hour, and most ingredients live in your pantry already
- You get that crispy, golden falafel texture without deep frying a single thing
02 -
- Overprocessing the chickpeas turns them into a paste that will not crisp up, so watch carefully and stop while you still see texture
- The falafel mixture should hold its shape when squeezed but still look crumbly, not smooth like dough
03 -
- Let the falafel mixture rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before forming if it feels too sticky or falls apart
- A splash of ice water in the tahini dressing helps it emulsify faster and turn creamier