Crumbled Falafel Salad

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Falafel? but make it healthy!

Crispy baked falafel, crumbled over fresh greens, juicy tomatoes, and a creamy herby dressing that ties it all together.

All the flavors you love… just lighter, brighter, and perfect for everyday eating.

Would you go for crumbled or whole falafel?

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Crumbled Falafel Salad

Author: Fida Milki

Ingredients

For the falafel

• 2½ cups dried chickpeas
• 6 cups cold water
• 1½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 small yellow onions, cut into quarters
• 10 large cloves garlic
• 2 cups packed roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste (I used 2 tsp for this recipe)
• 3 teaspoons ground coriander

For the salad

• 1 to 2 hearts romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
• 6 small Persian cucumbers, finely chopped
• ¼ medium red onion, finely chopped ¼ cup chopped pickled turnips (optional)
• 1 large tomato, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Make the Falafel

1. Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with the cold water.
2. Stir in the baking soda and leave them to soak overnight; they will double in size. When ready to use, drain the chickpeas and pat them dry.
3. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a rack on the bottom.
4. Add the chopped onions and 10 garlic cloves to a large food processor and pulse for a few seconds until finely chopped.
5. Add the soaked chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, baking powder, 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and coriander.
6. Process for 5 to 7 minutes, until the ingredients are mashed together and the mixture has a dough-like consistency, pausing to scrape the bottom of the food processor and ensure all the ingredients are incorporated.
7. If the mixture is still crumbly, continue to pulse in the food processor until it holds together.
8. Drizzle the oil on a rimmed half sheet pan (18 x13 inches) lined with parchment paper.
9. Place the falafel mixture into the pan and flatten it using your hands, covering the surface of the sheet pan in an even layer.
10. Do not pack it down too much (you can also shape the dough into balls the size of a ping pong ball each if you like to have the traditional shape of falafel).
11. Bake on the bottom rack for 30 minutes, or until the edges start to turn slightly golden.
12. Remove the pan from the oven and, using a spatula, break up and flip pieces of the falafel over, working your way across the entire sheet pan.
13. The aim is to flip it over in sections; it is fine if some of the falafel pieces break up or crumble, since the result will be a combination of larger crispy chunks and smaller crumbles.
14. For a crunchier outcome, drizzle the falafel with more oil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
15. Remove from the oven and test a few pieces; there should be a mixture of dark, crunchy pieces and softer pieces

Build the salad

1. In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumbers, red onion, pickled turnips (if using) and tomato.
2. Drizzle with green tahini sauce(look out for the recipe), serve and enjoy!