Falafel Quinoa Salad Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant bowl with crispy baked falafel, fluffy quinoa, fresh vegetables, and creamy garlic tahini sauce. A satisfying vegetarian meal in 55 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 fresh lemon juice
12 - 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing

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

# How-To Steps:

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, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and chickpea flour. Pulse until mostly smooth with slight coarseness, scraping sides as needed.
03 - Using damp hands, form mixture into 12 balls or patties. Place 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 boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
06 - Whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add additional water as needed for desired consistency.
07 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green onions, and 3 falafel pieces. Drizzle generously with garlic tahini sauce.
08 - Serve immediately with optional garnish of fresh herbs or lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like a restaurant-quality meal but comes together faster than you'd expect, with most components ready in under an hour.
  • The textures work against each other in the best way—crispy falafel, fluffy quinoa, juicy tomatoes, and that creamy tahini all in one forkful.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble last minute, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding friends without stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa—I learned this the hard way when my first batch tasted vaguely soapy and no one wanted seconds.
  • The falafel mixture should hold together when squeezed but shouldn't be wet; too much moisture means they'll fall apart in the oven, so add the flour gradually and don't oversoak.
03 -
  • If your tahini sauce seizes and becomes too thick, add warm water one teaspoon at a time while whisking; cold water can make it grainy.
  • Toast a handful of pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes and scatter them over the finished bowl for crunch that no one expects but everyone loves.
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