Baked Falafel Bowl with Tahini Drizzle

Name: Baked Falafel Bowl with Tahini Drizzle
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: ¾ cup Dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, then drained; ½ cup loosely packed Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn; ¼ cup loosely packed Fresh cilantro, roughly torn; 3 cloves Garlic cloves, peeled; ½ medium Yellow onion, roughly chopped; 1 tsp Ground cumin; ½ tsp Ground coriander; ¼ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp Whole wheat flour; ¼ tsp Baking powder; a light mist or ½ tsp Olive oil spray or ½ tsp olive oil; ½ cup Quinoa, rinsed under cold water; 1 cup Water; 3 tbsp Tahini; 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice; 3–4 tbsp Water; 1 small clove Garlic, finely grated or minced; ½ medium English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds; 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 cup shredded Purple cabbage; 2 large handfuls Mixed greens or arugula; 1 Lemon, cut into wedges for serving; a small handful Fresh parsley, leaves picked, for garnish

This bowl brings together crispy-edged baked falafel, fluffy grains, and fresh vegetables, all tied together with a creamy tahini drizzle. The falafel are made in a food processor from dried chickpeas, not canned, which gives them that light, almost crumbly interior that holds together without needing egg or any binder beyond a little flour. Baking them means far less oil than frying, and a quick blast under the broiler at the end gets the outside properly browned. The tahini sauce is thinned with lemon juice and water so it pours easily without being heavy. Build the bowl however you like, but a base of brown rice or quinoa, some cucumber and tomato, and a handful of greens turns this into a genuinely filling meal.

Ingredients

¾ cup Dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, then drained
½ cup loosely packed Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn
¼ cup loosely packed Fresh cilantro, roughly torn
3 cloves Garlic cloves, peeled
½ medium Yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp Ground cumin
½ tsp Ground coriander
¼ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp Whole wheat flour
¼ tsp Baking powder
a light mist or ½ tsp Olive oil spray or ½ tsp olive oil
½ cup Quinoa, rinsed under cold water
1 cup Water
3 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
3–4 tbsp Water
1 small clove Garlic, finely grated or minced
½ medium English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup shredded Purple cabbage
2 large handfuls Mixed greens or arugula
1 Lemon, cut into wedges for serving
a small handful Fresh parsley, leaves picked, for garnish

Instructions

The night before (or at least 8 hours ahead), place ¾ cup (135 g) dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches. The chickpeas will nearly double in size. When you're ready to cook, drain them completely and shake off as much water as you can.
Put your soaked, drained chickpeas into the food processor along with ½ cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, ¼ cup loosely packed cilantro, 3 peeled garlic cloves, ½ medium yellow onion (roughly chopped), 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Pulse 15 to 20 times, scraping down the sides as needed. You're aiming for a coarse, crumbly mixture that just holds together when you squeeze a pinch between your fingers. Stop before it turns into a smooth paste, that texture is too wet to bake well.
Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour and ¼ tsp baking powder to the food processor. Pulse 5 more times to combine. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate it for 20 minutes. This rest firms it up and makes shaping much easier.
While the falafel mixture chills, cook the quinoa. Rinse ½ cup (85 g) quinoa under cold running water for about 30 seconds. Put it in a medium saucepan with 1 cup (240 ml) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes. The water will be fully absorbed and the little white tails on the grains will have spiralled out. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). If you have a convection setting, use it, the falafel will brown more evenly. While the oven heats, lightly mist a parchment-lined baking sheet with olive oil spray (or rub with ½ tsp / 2.5 ml olive oil).
Take the falafel mixture from the fridge. Scoop about 2 tablespoons per falafel and press firmly into a small patty roughly ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick. You should get 8 to 10 patties. Set them on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each. Don't stress if a couple of edges look crumbly, they will hold once they hit the heat.
Slide the tray into the hot oven and bake for 13 minutes. Flip each falafel carefully with a spatula, then bake for another 12 minutes. At this point the undersides should be deep golden-brown and the tops dry. Switch the oven to broil on high and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the tops take on some real colour and the edges look almost crisp. Pull them out and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving, they firm up noticeably as they cool.
While the falafel is in the oven, make the tahini sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp (45 g) tahini, 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, and 1 small garlic clove (finely grated). The mixture will seize up and look lumpy at first. Add 3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml) water one tablespoon at a time, whisking between each addition, until the sauce is smooth and pourable. Taste it. A squeeze more lemon really lifts it if it seems flat.
Prep the bowl vegetables. Slice ½ medium English cucumber into thin rounds and halve 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes. Pull out 1 cup (90 g) shredded purple cabbage and 2 large handfuls (40 g) mixed greens. Cut 1 lemon into wedges.
Build the bowls. Divide the quinoa between two bowls as the base. Arrange the greens, cabbage, cucumber, and tomatoes alongside. Set 4 to 5 falafel on top of each bowl. Drizzle the tahini sauce generously over everything. Scatter a few fresh parsley leaves over the top and tuck a lemon wedge on the side.