Falafel Salad with Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing

I love salads, but I will admit, sometimes I’m left wanting more substance to my meal. Which is why I am head-over-heels for this hearty Falafel Salad! This salad combines the best of both worlds: heaps of vegetables, piles of Mediterranean flavours, and perfectly cooked crunchy falafels that are so satisfying!

As a busy mom, I don’t always have the time to make a complicated meal when I get home. I will therefore often use a pre-packaged falafel mix as it is SO easy and takes one less step out of this recipe. Of course I’ve given you the option to make your own! I love that the Casbah brand you can find at Nature’s Fare Markets; it is made with wholesome ingredients and is BC made, which makes me feel good about using this as a shortcut when I need it.

Falafels are traditionally made with dried chickpeas, but it is a bit of a process that I’m not always up for. I’ve created a version that uses canned chickpeas and makes putting this salad together super quick! Either way, you’ll be a hero when you make this.

Warning: this is NOT a first date type of recipe. Unless you both LOVE garlic, in which case disregard my warning!

Directions

Salad

Prepare the Quick Falafels, using either the recipe below or a mix. I like Casbah brand.
Prepare the Dill Tzatziki and the Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing (recipes below).
Prepare the Quick Falafels (recipe below) or using a falafel mix according to the manufacturer’s directions and set aside (they typically need to sit for at least 10 minutes before cooking).
In a large bowl or platter, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and red onion.
If you wish to add pita chips, preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and brush the pitas with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake the pitas for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
To assemble the salad, place the cooked falafels on top of the prepared salad and drizzle with the Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing and a dollop of the Dill Tzatziki on each serving. Serve with the pita chips if you desire. You may drizzle a bit of extra olive oil on top of the salad which is a nice touch!

Quick Falafels

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture is uniform and crumbly and starts to stick together. You may need to add 1 tbsp of water if your mixture is too dry.
Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Shape the mixture into small 1 tbsp balls or patties.
Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium high heat.
Working in small batches, brown the falafels on each side. Add more oil to the pan between each batch of falafels. Set aside.

Dill Tzatziki

Place the grated cucumber in a fine sieve, mix in the salt, and let sit for approximately 45 minutes, pressing down on the cucumber and turning it over periodically to remove as much moisture as possible.
Combine all of the ingredients, including the drained cucumber in a small bowl. Set aside.

Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing

Place all of the ingredients in a blender or a small food processor and blend until smooth.
Set aside.

Tori is a Registered Dietitian and self-proclaimed foodie. Her nutrition philosophy embraces moderation and quality without deprivation. She started up Fraîche Living on a whim in August 2014, inspired to help share her love of food and educate others on simple healthy eating at the same time. Tori believes that food and nutrition has become overly complicated, and hopes to help others live healthier lives one wholesome recipe at a time.

Falafel Salad with Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing