Delicious and healthy vegan and gluten-free falafel salad recipe with homemade roasted sesame seeds and yogurt dressing! Check out how I made this simple salad with detailed step-wise pictures.
I have a perfect recipe for you if you are looking for filling salad options for lunch or dinner. I have been sharing some quick and easy dinner ideas, as I mentioned yesterday. Earlier I had shared kanjiyum payarum, and now I am sharing an easy falafel salad recipe.
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This falafel salad is a semi-homemade recipe loaded with green vegetables, chickpeas, and store-bought falafel; this protein-rich salad recipe is filling and satisfying. The tangy, spicy, and oil-free dressing makes it delicious too.
You can enjoy this salad for lunch or dinner or serve it as a side salad for your parties. Whether for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this falafel salad is an excellent option for folks following a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.
There are no set measurements for this salad, and you can use veggies and beans of your choice and customize them as per your needs. Let’s get straight into the measurements and recipe details.
Ingredient required
For the salad: I have used an equal measure of regular spinach and arugula along with pomegranate, cooked beets, and garbanzo beans.
For the dressing: I went with coconut-based vegan yogurt, white sesame seeds, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and Aleppo pepper to spice up the salad.
Store-bought falafels: While you can use homemade deep-fried or baked falafels for this recipe, I went with Trader Joe’s frozen vegan and gluten-free falafels. (Not sponsored)I always carry frozen veggie patties and falafels, which come in handy for quick salads or rice bowls.
Dietary specifications and make-ahead options
This falafel salad is a vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free recipe.
As a part of my weekly meal prep, I always boil beans, beets, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, which come in handy for these salads. You can cook your beets and beans ahead or opt for the canned beets and beans of your choice.
Also, you can make the salad dressing before hand, and it stays good for up to two days.
Substitutions and variations
- Yogurt – As I kept this recipe vegan and nut-free, I opted for vegan coconut-based yogurt for the dressing. You can use dairy-based yogurt or nut-based yogurts if you are ok with nuts and dairy products.
- Tahini sauce – I don’t carry tahini sauce/paste at home, but you can always find both black and white sesame seeds in my kitchen. That’s why I used white sesame seeds for the dressing. Instead, you can also use tahini sauce. If you use tahini sauce, you can add 2 to 3 tbsps of the sauce.
- Vegetables – You can use vegetables of your choice for this salad. Instead of beets, you can use raw or parboiled carrots. As I didn’t have any cucumbers, I skipped them. But you can include that as well. Any greens would work, like spring mix, lettuce, or a combination of all greens. You can customize this salad as per your liking and what you have. Pomegranates are optional too. If skipping pomegranates, add a tsp of sugar in the salad dressing for that tiny sweet hint.
- You can also serve this with hummus and keep the salad dressing simple with oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- In the same recipe, you can add some cilantro to the salad dressing for added flavor.
- Aleppo peppers are optional. Instead, you can use regular, freshly ground black pepper.
How to make falafel salad
Prep-work:
- If you are not planning to use canned garbanzo beans, soak the dried beans for 6 to 8 hours and cook them in Instant Pot for 20 to 25 mts or in the stove-top pressure cooker for three whistles. Discard the cooking liquid and set aside the required garbanzo beans for this salad.
- If you are not using canned beets, then steam the beets in Instant Pot for 5 to 8 minutes or in the stove-top pressure cooker for three whistles. Once it is cooled down, peel and chop them into bite-sized cubes.
- Cook the falafels as per the package instructions. I baked the frozen falafels for 20 minutes at 375 deg F flipping them once between.
Prepare the dressing:
- Add the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, roasted sesame seeds, garlic, and Aleppo peppers in a blender or mixer jar.
- Blend it smoothly and set it aside.
Assemble the salad:
- Mix the greens, beans, and vegetables in a salad bowl.
- In a serving bowl, add the mixed vegetables and place the falafels. Drizzle the dressing and serve it with additional sauce. I did not add salt or pepper to the vegetable mix, as the salad dressing has it all.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Please check the substitutions and variation section for more details.
- Do all the prep work, prepare the salad dressing ahead, but assemble the salad just before serving, and add the dressing.
More salad recipes
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📖 Recipe
Falafel Salad
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
For the salad
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup arugula
- ½ cup pomegranate
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup beets
- 1 cup garbanzo beans
- 9 falafels
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- ½ cup coconut yogurt
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Prep-work:
- If you are not planning to use canned garbanzo beans, soak the dried beans for 6 to 8 hours and cook them in Instant Pot for 20 to 25 mts or in the stove-top pressure cooker for three whistles. Discard the cooking liquid and set aside the required garbanzo beans for this salad.
- If you are not using canned beets, then steam the beets in Instant Pot for 5 to 8 minutes or in the stove-top pressure cooker for three whistles. Once it is cooled down, peel and chop them into bite-sized cubes.
- Cook the falafels as per the package instructions. I baked the frozen falafels for 20 minutes at 375 deg F flipping them once between.
Prepare the dressing:
- Add the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, roasted sesame seeds, garlic, and Aleppo peppers in a blender or mixer jar. Blend it smoothly and set it aside.
Assemble the salad:
- Mix the greens, beans, and vegetables in a salad bowl.
- In a serving bowl, add the mixed vegetables and place the falafels. Drizzle the dressing and serve it with additional sauce. I did not add salt or pepper to the vegetable mix, as the salad dressing has it all.
Notes
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Please check the substitutions and variation section for more details.
- Do all the prep work, prepare the salad dressing ahead, but assemble the salad just before serving, and add the dressing.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
This falafel salad is absolutely amazing!
I used it in wraps and it tasted like restaurant food. Easy to make and full of flavor.
Thank you :-)