Falafel salad

This amazing falafel recipe is full of flavour and packs a nutritious punch.

Seasoned with garlic, cumin, and parsley, it is fresh and aromatic. This is the perfect dish if you’re in the mood for a Moroccan meal.

Prep: 20 min Cooking: 10 min

Yields 4

Ingredients

Falafel

1/4 cup (60 mL) whole-wheat couscous

1/2 cup (125 mL) boiling water

1 cup (250 mL) canned chickpeas rinsed and drained

3 tbsp (45 mL) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (175 mL) crumbled Feta cheese

1/4 cup (60 mL) sliced green onions

1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded zucchini

1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded carrots

2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh parsley

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp (5 mL) cumin

1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper

1 tsp (5 mL) vegetable oil

8 cups (2 L) fresh greens

Tzatziki

1 cup (250 mL) plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup (60 mL) grated cucumber seeded and drained

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 tsp (10 mL) dried dill

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper

2 tsp (10 mL) lemon zest

Assembly

1/4 cup (60 mL) pickled turnips

1/4 cup (60 mL) diced cucumbers

1/4 cup (60 mL) diced red peppers

2 pieces of whole-wheat pita bread sliced in half

Preparation

In a small bowl, mix together whole wheat couscous and boiling water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

In a food processor, blend together chickpeas, flour, Feta cheese, green onions, zucchini, carrots, parsley, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper and whole-wheat couscous until a coarse blend is formed.

Take ¼ cup (60 mL) of the chickpea blend in hand and squeeze it together, forming into ½ inch thick patties and setting aside. Form eight patties in total.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pan fry the falafels for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Tzatziki Sauce:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, salt, black pepper and lemon zest.

Toss greens in ¼ cup (60 mL) of the tzatziki sauce and divide into 4 separate bowls. Top each salad with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of pickled turnips, diced cucumbers, and diced red peppers. Finish by placing two falafels on top of each salad and serve with half a slice of pita bread.

Tips

Use leftover tzatziki sauce as a dip for cut up vegetables for a perfect snack for the workweek.

If you cannot find pickled turnips, use grated carrot instead.

Recipe and photo provided courtesy of Dairy Farmers of Canada. For more recipe ideas visit https://dairyfarmersofcanada.ca/en/canadian-goodness . 

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