Last Ingredient » Salads » Baked Falafel Salad

May 9, 2022

• Salads

Baked Falafel Salad

Perfectly golden brown baked falafel top this salad with carrots, cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes. It's finished with lemon tahini dressing.

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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.

What Is Falafel?

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.

Ingredients including chickpeas, romaine, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes radishes and spices.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This is what you need:

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are the main ingredient in falafel. The recipe calls for one 15-ounce can. Make sure to drain the can and rinse off the chickpeas before using them.
Onions: Chopped red onions add a pop. They are one of my favorite salad onions. You can substitute with white or yellow if that’s what you have in your kitchen.
Garlic: With falafel, it’s all about blending fresh flavors with dried spices and herbs. That includes a couple minced garlic cloves.
Fresh herbs: I like using a mix of fresh parsley and cilantro leaves, but you can include one or the other. Parsley is the more typical choice.
Spices: For seasonings, I include a mix of cumin, cayenne (just a pinch), salt and black pepper.
Flour helps to bind everything together. If you want the recipe to be gluten-free, try oat flour or almond flour.
Baking powder gives the falafel a touch of lift and lightness.
Lemon tahini dressing: It is made from a combination of lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, salt and pepper.
Romaine is my choice for lettuce. You can substitute with another leafy green, but make sure it isn’t too delicate to handle the weight of the falafel.
Carrots: I go for the ultimate shortcut and buy a bag of shredded carrots rather than doing it myself.
Cabbage is the unsung hero of salads. It adds so much crunch and color.
Radishes: Sliced thinly, I adore the peppery bite of this vegetable.
Tomatoes can be grape or cherry because they are both small. Just slice them in half.
Cucumbers: English cucumbers are my preference because their skin is thin and they have very few seeds.
Feta is that final salty finishing touch. If you want to keep it vegan, leave out the cheese or find a plant-based version at the grocery.

Ingredients for falafel in food processor bowl before and after pureeing.

Falafel on sheet pan before and after baking.

How To Make A Baked Falafel Salad

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Do not use parchment paper. You want the falafel to make direct contact with the metal pan to encourage it to brown.
Make the falafel. Combine the canned chickpeas, onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, salt, black pepper, oil, flour and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse everything together. Don’t just let the motor run because it will turn completely into a mash. You should be able to see partial chickpeas.
Shape the falafel into patties. They should be about 2 inches in diameter.
Bake the falafel. Place the patties on the pan. It will take about 25-30 minutes to bake them. Flip them over halfway through cooking, so they turn golden brown on both sides.
Make the dressing. Whisk together the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
Combine the salad ingredients in a big bowl including the lettuce, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and feta cheese. Toss everything to combine.
Serve the salad arranging it on a single serving platter or on individual plates. Place the falafel on top and drizzle with the dressing. You can also serve pita bread on the side.

Serving & Leftovers

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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