Falafel Salad

I am not sure how I had not had it before, but I was recently introduced to falafel, and absolutely loved it! It was so tasty that I knew I had to give it a try on my own. It is surprisingly super easy to make and can really be customized based on what you have on hand. The main ingredient in any falafel dish is going to be chickpeas, but you can add in different herbs and spices to give it a unique flavor. I opted for fresh parsley, cumin and cayenne pepper but I have seen recipes that use dill, cilantro and coriander. If you don’t have one of the ingredients I listed you can definitely swap it for something else or leave it out all together. I don’t think it will make or break your falafel. You can serve the falafel on its own with a dip or pair it with a salad like I did! 

Makes 2 Large Portions or 3 Normal Portions

Falafel Ingredients:

1 15 ounce Can of Chickpeas

4 sprigs of fresh Parsley

1 Shallot, an onion would also work 

1 tsp of Minced Garlic

2 dashes of Cumin

1 dash of Cayenne Pepper

2 tbsp of Flour, all-purpose or your favorite flour substitute

1 tbsp of Sesame Seeds 

Salt and Pepper 

Panko 

Salad Ingredients:

Spring Mix

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes 

½ Red Onion, diced

1 Avocado 

½ large Cucumber

Favorite Mediterranean Salad Dressing - I made a tahini lemon dill dressing but didn’t record the measurements. Any dressing will work!

1. Finely dice the shallot, parsley, and garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Add chickpeas, shallot, garlic, parsley, cumin, cayenne, a pinch of salt and pepper, sesame seeds and flour to a food processor.

2. Pulse 10 to 15 times until the mixture starts to bind but is still relatively crumbly. You are looking for a course, not super smooth texture. 

3. Remove mixture from the food processor and shape into 8 or 9 round discs depending on how many you want. Roll each disc in panko bread crumbs - this will help the falafel crisp in the pan. 

4. Place falafel discs into the refrigerator and let them chill for 30 minutes before cooking to help them firm up and keep their shape. 

5. While falafel is in the fridge prep your salad ingredients. I used spring mix, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and avocado. You could add cabbage, carrots, radishes, feta cheese or whatever you have on hand. 

6. Heat a large pan over medium to high heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter. I like to use a combination of the two because I think the butter helps the falafel to turn golden brown, but you can definitely use just oil. You want to make sure the bottom of the pan is thinly coated. Once the butter starts to foam you can add the falafel. Cook on each side for 3 minutes or until a golden brown crust starts to form. Transfer the falafel from the pan to a plate with a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

7. Let the falafel cool for a few minutes and then add to your salad and top with dressing! Enjoy!