Healthy baked falafel nestled in a bowl with crisp fresh veggies and crunchy pistachios. Drizzled with the most amazing tahini lemon dressing. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 30 minutes or less!
Hae you ever tried falafel? It is so good and actually pretty easy to make at home. That is if you bake it instead of frying it, like in this healthy baked falafel bowl recipe.
This falafel recipe is one you absolutely need to try! These falafel patties are baked, not fried, made from real ingredients and are so simple to make! Mixed in with fresh veggies and topped off with the most creamy tahini lemon dressing.
Plus this buddha bowl is also both vegan and gluten-free and is a recipe you will want to make for lunch or dinner any day of the week! You may also love this incredible Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl with Black Beans that is equally on the same level as this recipe.
What is falafel?
Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish that is composed of chickpeas blended with herbs, garlic, and other spices then formed into patties or balls and usually deep-fried.
Typically you will see falafel served in pita bread topped with diced veggies and paired with some sort of sauce.
To keep this falafel recipe on the lighter side, I omitted the deep-frying part and baked these in the oven. Then layered them into a bowl with veggies. I finished this recipe off with a slightly tangy, creamy tahini dressing that you will want to put on everything.
Why you will love this recipe
- Perfectly baked tasty falafel without all of the oil and frying
- Crisp veggies that are packed with nutrition and add a nice crunch to this dish
- Hearty and so satisfying
- Perfect for lunch or dinner any day of the week!
- Simple to make in 30 minutes!
- Vegan and gluten-free
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
How to make this Healthy Baked Falafel Bowl
Start with making the baked falafel. A keynote to this recipe is that you will need to use dried chickpeas that have been soaked in water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
I know, I know, but TRUST it is well worth it and will take you just a few minutes of advanced planning. You can find dried chickpeas in almost any grocery store or online.
- To soak the chickpeas: Place 1 cup of chickpeas into a bowl, fill the bowl with enough water to cover the chickpeas. Place a plate or something over the top to cover them and place them in the fridge for at least 6 hours. That’s it! Then drain them and follow the rest of the recipe.
This will help make the falafel nice and crunchy and crispy when baked. Canned chickpeas are cooked and hold more water which makes the falafel mixture too wet and will not yield the crispy result you want.
2. Once the chickpeas are ready, place them into the bowl of a food processor with the rest of the falafel ingredients.
3. Pulse for 15-20 seconds to combine everything into a delicious, wet, slightly crumbly batter.
4. Then form the mixture into patties that are about 2 ½ inches wide and ½ inch in thickness, and place them onto a baking sheet that has been brushed with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. A couple of tablespoons should do the trick
5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, carefully turning them over halfway through the cooking time.
While the falafel is baking, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients.
To make the creamy tahini dressing, simply add all dressing ingredients (tahini paste, lemon juice, maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper) to a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Add in some water to thin out, if the dressing is too thick.
Then start to build your bowl. Arrange the spinach in the bottom of the bowl, then layer in the diced peppers and onions, sliced cucumber, carrots ribbons, and a handful of pistachios.
Add in the baked falafel after it has cooled for a few minutes.
Finally, drizzle on the creamy tahini dressing. It’s soooo good!!!!
Recipe tips
- Use dried chickpeas that have been soaked for at least 6 hours, as noted in the post. TRUST ME this is so worth it!
- If you decide to use canned chickpeas (still not as good as dried + soaked but it still works) – make sure to drain and rinse them, then dry them very, very well in some paper towels. When you add them to the food processor, add the rest of the ingredients as stated in the recipe + 1 tbsp chickpea flour. This will make the mixture less wet and yield crispier falafel.
- Add more spice – you can add in coriander, chili powder and more garlic to the falafel mixture if you prefer more spice.
- Switch up the veggies – feel free us use other veggies like kale, cherry tomatoes, cabbage, or even roasted cauliflower.
Did you make this recipe? If you did then please leave a comment and rating below!
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Healthy Baked Falafel Bowl with Tahini Lemon Dressing
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 people 1x
Description
Healthy baked falafel nestled in a bowl with crisp fresh veggies and crunchy pistachios. Drizzled with the most amazing tahini lemon dressing. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 35 minutes or less!
Ingredients
For the falafel
- 1 cup dry chickpeas (soaked in water for at least 6 hours or overnight)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best)
- ½ cup packed fresh parsley
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
For the tahini lemon dressing
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh-squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon water to think out if needed
Veggies for the buddha bowl
- 2 ½ cups fresh spinach
- 2 large carrots (sliced into ribbons or chopped)
- 1 medium cucumber (sliced)
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup pistachios
Instructions
To make the falafel
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and pour half of the olive oil onto a baking sheet to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Place all falafel ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 15-20 seconds to fully combine all of the ingredients into a chunky, slightly crumbly batter.
- Use wet hands to form the batter into about 8 patties that are each roughly 2 ½ inches wide and ½ inch thick.
- Place the patties in a single layer onto the oil-covered baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, carefully turning the falafel over halfway through the cooking time.
- Remove, and let cool for a few minutes.
To make the tahini lemon dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients, except the water to a small mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. If the dressing looks too thick then add in the water to thin it out. The consistency should be slightly thick but thin enough for drizzling.
Build your bowl
- Divide the spinach between two bowls and layer in an even amount of veggies into each bowl. Add the falafel to each and sprinkle in some of the pistachios.
- Drizzle on the dressing and enjoy!!!!
Notes
- Use dried chickpeas that have been soaked for at least 6 hours, as noted in the post. TRUST ME this is so worth it!
- If you decide to use canned chickpeas (still not as good as dried + soaked but it still works) – make sure to drain and rinse them, then dry them very, very well in some paper towels. When you add them to the food processor, add the rest of the ingredients as stated in the recipe + 1 tbsp chickpea flour. This will make the mixture less wet and yield crispier falafel.
- Add more spice – you can add in coriander, chili powder and more garlic to the falafel mixture if you prefer more spice.
- Switch up the veggies – feel free us use other veggies like kale, cherry tomatoes, cabbage, or even roasted cauliflower.
- These falafel can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rheat in the microwave on in a pan on the stove.
- The tahini lemon dressing also stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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