A flavorful and colorful falafel bowl recipe filled with fresh greens, Israeli chopped salad, homemade falafel and finished with a creamy tahini yogurt sauce.
Falafel Bowl Recipe
Doesn't everything taste better in a bowl? I am that person that loves to mix all the components together. The falafel with a bit of chopped salad and hummus. And the creamy tahini sauce over the chopped salad and feta cheese. Give me all the mediterranean bowl recipes, I'm here for it!
I kept this recipe more like a falafel salad bowl, simple and fresh.
- Salad greens
- Israeli chopped salad: chopped cucumbers and tomatoes tossed with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Homemade hummus
- Cubed feta cheese with oregano or dried mint
- Creamy tahini yogurt sauce
- Add spicy zhoug sauce for an extra fiery kick!
How to Make Homemade Falafel
I have a fantastic classic recipe for homemade falafel right here. But here is the gist of making falafel.
- Soak dried chickpeas for at least 8 hours and up to 36 hours in a large bowl of water.
- The chickpeas will double in size, then drain and pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
- Transfer to a bowl and in the same food processor, add fresh herbs, onion, garlic and spices and pulse until finely ground and add to the same bowl.
- Give everything a good mix and stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix everything until well combined.
- Form mixture into balls and fry in neutral oil (I like vegetable oil, grapeseed and/or avocado oil), until deeply golden brown on all sides.
- Remove falafel to a paper towel lined rack and finish with a sprinkle of salt.
- Use homemade falafel to make falafel bowls or make a falafel pita or in a falafel salad bowl.
What Sauce to Eat with Falafel?
Homemade tahini sauce is always my go to and sometimes I like to twist it up with a tahini yogurt sauce.
Tahini yogurt sauce couldn't be easier, especially if you have a small food processor. Just blend tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and garlic until smooth. If the sauce is thick, add some warm water until thin enough to drizzle over falafel.
What to Serve with Falafel for Dinner?
- Lemon Herb Couscous
- Wrapped in a warm homemade pita with Turkish Sumac Onions
- Falafel on top of Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad
- Alongside Heirloom Tomato Fattoush Salad or Honey Harissa Cauliflower
- With a dollop of my favorite Harissa Sauce
- Add falafel to a Mediterranean falafel platter with tahini sauce!
More mediterranean inspiration
Mediterranean Falafel Bowl with Tahini Yogurt Sauce
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
A flavorful and colorful falafel bowl filled with fresh greens, Israeli chopped salad, homemade falafel and finished with a creamy tahini yogurt sauce.
Equipment
Ingredients
Falafel
- 2 cups dried chickpeas
- 1 yellow onion cut in quarters
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley about 1 cup
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro about 1 cup
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt + more for finishing
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons flour all-purpose or chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Vegetable grapeseed or avocado oil for frying
Israeli Chopped Salad
- 2 Persian cucumbers chopped into ½ inch cubes
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes chopped into ½ inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon dried mint or oregano
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Olive oil dor drizzling
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup tahini paste
- ½ cup Yogurt
- 1 garlic clove grated or chopped finely
- ½ lemon juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼-1/2 cup water for thinning consistency
Falafel Bowl
- Salad greens Arugula or Spring mix
- Cubed feta
- Dried oregano
- Zaatar
- Homemade or store bought hummus
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Add dried chickpeas to a large bowl of water and soak for at least 8 hours or overnight until almost doubled in size.
- Drain chickpeas and add to a food processor and pulse until finely ground, then transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- In the same food processor, add the onion, garlic, herbs and spices and pulse until finely ground, then add the herbs mixture to the ground chickpeas and give a good stir.
- Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder and give everything a good mix until well incorporated.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with vegetable oil until it shimmers or to about 350 degrees. and form about a tablespoons worth of falafel mixture into a ball.
- Fry 4-6 falafel for for 3-5 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Once done, remove to a paper towel lined rack and immediately sprinkle with Kosher salt.
- For the chopped salad, mix all of the ingredients together and set aside until ready to serve.
- For the tahini yogurt sauce, add all ingredients to a small food processor and blend until smooth. You can also whisk by hand. Add more or less water for desired consistency.
- To serve falafel bowls, add arugula or greens to the bottom of a bowl and arrange cubed feta and top with dried mint or za'atar. Add a dollop of hummus, drizzled with olive oil along with the chopped salad, falafel and good drizzle of tahini yogurt sauce.
Notes
Falafel can be made a few days in advance but won't have that classic just fried crunch as fresh. To re-heat falafel, place on a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
Here is The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Shopping List.
If you're making the chopped salad ahead, season with everything except salt which will change the texture. Only add salt right before serving.
Tahini yogurt sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to a week (I like to make a big batch), it may thicken as it sits so just give it a good whisk and a bit more water if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 414kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 18gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 1190mgPotassium: 905mgFiber: 14gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 170mgIron: 6mg
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Gina Ruben says
I'd take a cooking class from you in a heartbeat. Aren't you in Los Angeles?????
Samantha Ferraro says
Hi Gina. That is so great to hear. Feedback like that is why I do what I do. We are only in LA on Occasion to visit. I do classes and I am Based out of Whatcom County Washington. Bellingham Washington is where I do classes quite often. Thank you. Samantha.
Charity says
can these be made in the oven and/or air fryer instead?
Samantha says
Hi Charity! I have not tried falafel in the air fryer but once tested out baking years ago. It was ok, not like traditional frying but did the job. I'd try at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 min and see how it does!
Victoria says
Can the falafel mixture be made ahead and fried later?
Samantha says
Hi Victoria! Yes but I wouldn't add salt or baking soda and baking powder until you're ready to fry. So make the filling (chickpeas, herbs, spices) and then before you're ready to fry, add the salt, baking powder/soda and flour.