Oven-Baked Falafel Bowls
These Oven-Baked Falafel Bowls are a great meal prep idea that you can whip together on the weekend to create delicious and healthy lunches for the entire week!
Falafels are one of those items that seem complicated to make, but are actually quite easy. Yes, they certainly require a little time, love and care, but there is nothing overly complicated about making them at home. Although most restaurants falafels are deep-fried, oven-baked falafels are just as tasty, and arguably much easier to make; chuck everything in the food processor, roll them into balls, and let the oven do the work! Plus, once cooked they store incredibly well in the fridge for days to come, making them an ideal meal prep idea for weekday lunches.
The ingredients in these Oven-Baked Falafel Bowls are my personal suggestions, but you could honestly include anything you like! Loaded with plant-based protein, fresh veggies and a rich and creamy dressing, these bowls are a well-balanced meal that will keep you full for hours to come.
Oven-Baked Falafel Bowls
These Oven-Baked Falafel Bowls are a great meal prep idea as they store well in the fridge for days to come! For the best results, be sure to use dry chickpeas and soak them overnight before cooking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Ingredients
Falafels:
- 1 1/4 cup dry chickpeas (or 2 x 15oz can chickpeas)
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoons olive oil + 2 more for baking
Bowls:
- 1 box or bag mixed greens
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 1 cup black olives
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- The night before, place dry chickpeas in a large bowl, cover completely with water and allow to soak at room temperature for 4-24 hours. The dry chickpeas will triple in volume so be sure to add plenty of water. Once complete, strain and rinse well. (You can use canned chickpeas for this recipe, however, the falafels will not be as crispy.)
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the strained and rinsed chickpeas on a large baking and pat dry with a towel. You want the chickpeas to be as dry as possible before cooking to ensure the falafels get as crispy as possible.
- In a large food processor, combine the chickpeas, red onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and process until well combined. You may need to stop the food processor a few times to scrape down the sides.
- Scoop the batter into 2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls, there should be enough batter to make 12 falafels. The dough will be a little tacky, but if you find it too tacky, simply place it in the fridge for 10 minutes before shaping them into balls.
- Once all of the falafels are rolled, pour remaining 2 tablespoons of oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet and turn the pan until it is evenly coated. Add falafels to the baking sheet gently pressing them down to flatten slightly. (You can leave them in balls, but the overall texture will be better if you flip them halfway through the cooking.)
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, carefully flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until they are golden on both sides.
- While the falafels are baking, prepare the dressing and the vegetables. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar, whisk to combine, and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes and red onion, stir to combine, and set aside.
- In 4 storage containers or bowls, add 1-2 large handfuls of leafy greens, split vegetable mixture and olives across them evenly, and set aside.
- Once the falafels have cooked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Once cooled, add 3 falafels to each bowl, along with a wedge of lemon, and cover with dressing to serve.
- The bowls can be eaten immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. If storing them, do not add the dressing until they are served.
