Falafel Salad – two versions: on a hummus bed and quinoa salad

Ingredients

• 500 g Dry chickpeas (To soak 12 h, then drain)
• 1 cuillère à café Baking soda (Optional, helps falafels stay light)
• 2 gousses Garlic (Peeled)
• 1 gros Yellow onion (Thinly sliced)
• 30 g Fresh parsley (Chopped)
• 30 g Fresh cilantro (Chopped)
• 2 cuillères à soupe Sesame seeds (white and black) (For garnish)
• 500 ml Olive oil (for frying) (Deep-frying oil)
• 6 cuillères à soupe Olive oil (for seasoning) (Divided between hummus, dressing and crunchy chickpeas)
• 3 cuillères à soupe Tahini (sesame paste) (For the hummus)
• 2 cuillères à soupe Lemon juice (Fresh)
• 1 cuillère à café Sumac (SMAC) (Adds a tangy note)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Red wine vinegar (For the dressing)
• 1 moyen Cucumber (Peeled and diced)
• 1 grande Tomato (Peeled and seeded)
• 1 pièce Sweet pepper (Replace the sweet pepper if you don't like heat)
• 200 g New potatoes (Very thinly sliced)
• quelques feuilles pcs Fresh mint (For garnish)
• 200 g Quinoa (Rinsed before cooking)
• 100 g Feta (or goat cheese) (Crumbled)
• 50 g Marinated olives (Pitted)
• 1 cuillère à café Patatas bravas spice mix (For crunchy chickpeas (optional))
• à goût Salt
• à goût Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas

   Place the dry chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with cold water and add 1 tsp baking soda. Let soak for 12 hours or overnight.

   Time: PT12H

2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas

   After soaking, drain the chickpeas and rinse thoroughly under cold water.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare the falafel batter

   In the food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, 1 thinly sliced yellow onion, 30 g parsley, 30 g cilantro, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds. Process until you obtain a coarse but homogeneous texture.

   Time: PT15M

4. Shape the falafels

   With slightly damp hands, form small walnut‑sized balls, then flatten gently to obtain patties about 1 cm thick.

   Time: PT10M

5. Cook the falafels (frying)

   Heat the frying olive oil in a deep pan over medium‑high heat (≈180°C). Drop the patties and cook 5 minutes on one side then 2 minutes on the other until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Prepare the hummus

   In the food processor, combine 200 g cooked chickpeas, 3 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.

   Time: PT10M

7. Prepare the raw vegetables

   Finely slice the new potatoes, cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper and chop the mint. Put everything in a large bowl.

   Time: PT15M

8. Make the dressing

   In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tsp sumac, salt and pepper.

   Time: PT5M

9. Dress the raw vegetables

   Pour the dressing over the cut vegetables and gently toss to coat well.

   Time: PT5M

10. Prepare the crunchy chickpeas

    In a bowl, toss the remaining cooked chickpeas with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the patatas bravas spice mix, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes at 180°C until golden and crunchy.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 180°C

11. Cook the quinoa

    Rinse the quinoa under cold water. Place it in a saucepan with 400 ml water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes over low heat until fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 100°C

12. Assemble the first version (falafel on hummus bed)

    On each plate, spread a generous layer of hummus, add the dressed raw vegetables, sprinkle the crunchy chickpeas, arrange the falafels around and dust with black and white sesame seeds.

    Time: PT10M

13. Assemble the second version (quinoa salad)

    In a bowl, place the quinoa as a base, add the raw vegetables, crumble the feta, arrange the marinated olives, place the falafels on top, garnish with mint leaves and serve the hummus on the side in a small ramekin.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

550

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

60 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

12 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dry chickpeas: Canned chickpeas (different texture)
• Instead of Baking soda: Baking powder (not ideal)
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder (½ c. à café)
• Instead of Yellow onion: Shallot
• Instead of Fresh parsley: Cilantro
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: Parsley
• Instead of Sesame seeds (white and black): Sunflower seeds
• Instead of Olive oil (for frying): Sunflower oil
• Instead of Olive oil (for seasoning): Canola oil
• Instead of Tahini (sesame paste): Sesame butter
• Instead of Lemon juice: Apple cider vinegar (½ c. à café)
• Instead of Sumac (SMAC): Sweet paprika
• Instead of Red wine vinegar: Mild balsamic vinegar
• Instead of Cucumber: Zucchini
• Instead of Tomato: Cherry tomato
• Instead of Sweet pepper: Sweet pepper
• Instead of New potatoes: Radishes
• Instead of Fresh mint: Basil
• Instead of Quinoa: Bulgur
• Instead of Feta (or goat cheese): Fresh goat cheese
• Instead of Marinated olives: Capers
• Instead of Patatas bravas spice mix: Paprika + Espelette pepper

Equipment Needed

• Food processor or kitchen robot
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Frying pan
• Air fryer (optional)
• Baking sheet or oven‑safe tray
• Oven
• Saucepan with lid
• Colander
• Silicone spatula
• Whisk
• Measuring spoons
• Serving plates
• Tablespoon

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Soak the chickpeas for 12 hours
• Fry the falafels until golden colored
• Roast the crunchy chickpeas 30 minutes at 180°C
• Cook the quinoa until water is fully absorbed
• Assemble the salads quickly to prevent the raw vegetables from becoming soggy

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly toast the sesame seeds before sprinkling for more flavor.
• Use ice water to quickly blanch the new potatoes to keep their crunch.
• For an even lighter version, cook the falafels in the air fryer with 1 tsp olive oil.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Hummus, cooked falafels and raw vegetables keep 3‑4 days in airtight containers. Cooked quinoa keeps 3 days.

Freezer: Falafels can be frozen for 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator then reheat in the air fryer or oven.

Room temperature: Do not leave the salads at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Soak the chickpeas the day before.
• Prepare the hummus and dressing 1 day ahead and keep refrigerated.
• Roast the crunchy chickpeas and cook the quinoa ahead, reheat lightly before serving.