This baked falafel recipe cooks the oven instead of the fryer. Then these perfectly golden brown bites top a salad with a mix of carrots, cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes that’s finished with lemon tahini dressing.
When it comes to salads, I say the bigger the better. And that doesn’t just mean having a giant pile of greens. What I want out of an entrée salad is a star. For some that might be grilled chicken and for others who are more veggie-minded, it ends up in a different form whether that’s roasted or grilled vegetables or something even more special like baked falafel.
This base of this salad is a version of my go-to garden salad with chopped romaine for lettuce along with shredded carrots and red cabbage, sliced radishes and cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes and crumbled feta. Where things start to get really exciting is the baked falafel and the creamy tahini dressing.
Shaped into balls or patties, falafel is street food found in the Middle East. It’s made from mashed chickpeas, spices, fresh herbs, onions and garlic. You will see it as an appetizer with hummus, topping a salad or tucked into a pita for a sandwich with lettuce and tomato.
Falafel is known to have a very crisp and crunchy exterior because it is deep-fried. The interior is soft. This recipe takes inspiration from the flavors of the traditional version, but skews healthier, baking the falafel in the oven rather than frying them in a vat of oil.
This is what you need:
If you are planning to eat the entire salad in a single meal, then go ahead and be generous with the dressing. Try to portion it out if you know you want to end up with leftovers to avoid soggy leaves later.
Store the falafel, salad and dressing in separate airtight containers in the fridge up to 4 days. This is a fantastic option for meal prep if you are looking for workweek lunches.
If you want to keep them up to a month, store the falafel in the freezer. Reheat in a 400-degree F oven for about 10 minutes.
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Perfectly golden brown baked falafel top a salad with a mix of carrots, cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes that’s finished with lemon tahini dressing.
Pita bread for serving, optional
Store leftover falafel, salad and dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
You can freeze the falafel up to 1 month. Rewarm them in a 400-degree F oven for 10 minutes.
Keywords: baked falafel recipe
yummy. delicious falafel. way better for you than the fried kind and no flavor is lost by baking it on the olive oil. thanks for the recipe