Have you ever craved falafel but don’t necessarily have the time to make falafel? I got you. This easy made Smashed Falafel Salad is complete with vegan feta tzatziki, za’atar pita chip croutons AND a tahini dressing. All the flavors of your beloved falafel, with a lot less work and added nutritional benefit.
Falafel
I often joke that falafel is my favorite food group! I could eat it anytime of day and with every meal.
When I first started Lettuce (short for this blog name @lettucebowandsay) I created a series on my Instagram dedicated to trying and rating local falafel. For this very special salad creation of mine…allow me to reintroduce myself as your…
#Lettucebowandsay “Falafel-sor”
Speaking of…
Do you follow me on social media!? If not, you’re seriously missing out.
If you’ve never had falafel…it’s about time we change that.
First off you’re here! And that’s a great start.
Falafel is made with a batter of chickpeas, parsely, cilantro, garlic, cumin & coriander. They are molded into a ball and deep fried for an extra crunchy outside and soft and chewy inside. In recent years many have created some healthier versions such as baking the batter or even air frying them for that similar crunch!
Falafel is enjoyed in a few fashions: alone with a dipping sauce, in a pita as a wrap or as a salad topping. What I did for this easy made smashed falafel salad is create a new, very on-brand, fashion: smashed falafel. It’s essentially the batter you make but skip the deep frying, baking or air frying. It creates the texture and consistency of a traditional salad topping but holds on to that iconic falafel flavor.
Let’s take a deep dive into what’s in this Smashed Falafel Salad:
Tzatziki vs. Tahini
I often hear these two getting confused so let me set the record straight.
Tzatziki is a yogurt based dip & spread – filled with dill and cucumbers. It is a common ingredient in traditional Gyros as well as many other Greek dishes.
Tahini is essentially sesame seed butter. It’s a paste that is used to make creamy sauces & dressings. Also a very common ingredient in many Greek, but also Turkish and other Mediterranean dishes.
When it comes to Falafel, especially Falafel salad, both are used. Sometimes together and sometimes apart. I wanted to make sure both were include for a few reasons: the combined flavor profile is unmatched, if you’re not a fan of one or the other you’ve got a back up option, and they can be reused in future dish creations!
Included in this recipe is a vegan feta tzatziki (im drooling all over again looking at this pic to the right) and a tahini based dressing.
Baked Pita Chip Croutons
I mean…how could we not add in pita chip croutons…
I love a side pita with any falafel salad. I’ll section it into quarters and fill with my salad contents.
Since we don’t have the crunch of traditional falafel in this salad, I thought what if….we make croutons out of pita chips and the rest is history!
Grab your favorite pita brand at your local grocery store or feel free to make your own if you’re feeling extra adventurous!
If you’re not ready yet, save this Smashed Falafel Salad on Pinterest for later:
Easy Made Smashed Falafel Salad + Vegan Tzatziki & Tahini Dressing
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Baked Pita Chip Croutons:
- 1-2 Pita Pockets
- EVOO
- Za'atar Seasoning
Vegan Feta Tzatziki:
- 1/2 Cup Plant-based Greek Yogurt
- 2 Tbsp EVOO
- 1 Medium Lemon (juiced)
- 2 Snack Cucumbers (grated)
- Dill (fresh; chopped)
- Vegan Feta Cheese (crumbled)
Tahini Dressing:
- 1/4 Cup Tahini
- 1 Clove Garlic (minced)
- 1/2 Medium Lemon (juiced)
- +/- 3 Tbsp Water (to thin)
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Coriander
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Smashed Falafel:
- 1 Can Chickpeas (drained; rinsed; partially smashed)
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Coriander
- Parsley (fresh; chopped)
- Cilantro (fresh; chopped)
- Salt
Easy Falafel Salad:
- Spring Mix
- Falafel Smash
- Red Onion (diced; optional!)
- Vegan Feta Tzatziki
- Baked Pita Chip Croutons
- Tahini Dressing
Instructions
Baked Pita Chip Croutons:
- Preheat oven to 425℉
- Pull apart pita pockets into desired bite size pieces and place onto a baking sheet. (Note: do not line baking sheet)
- Cover in EVOO and healthy shake of za'atar seasoning. Toss with hands until completely coated.
- Once oven reaches temp – bake pitas for ~10 minutes or until crunchy and toasted.
Vegan Feta Tzatziki:
- Grate your cucumbers and squeeze with a paper towel or cloth to wring out any excess water.
- Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and mix. Let sit while you prep the other salad ingredients so the Dill has time to infuse into the yogurt!
Tahini Dressing:
- Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and give it a whisk until smooth. Find your desired consistency – add more water to thin the dressing out if needed!
Smashed Falafel:
- Drain and rise your chickpeas thoroughly. Then place in a bowl and give them a good smash. You'll want to keep some whole, but the rest should be all different shapes and sizes to create a softer texture. Much like the batter of Falafel!
- Add in the remaining ingredients. Use as much fresh parsley and cilantro as desired. I like mine extra green (obviously) but both combined create that iconic, falafel flavor 🙂
Easy Falafel Salad:
- Layer it all together to create your falafel salad masterpiece!
March Seasonal Fruits + Veggies
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Click to find more recipes with these ingredients!