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Baked falafels with quinoa and tomato cucumber salad

Quinoa Falafels With Israeli Salad (Gluten-Free)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Author: Irena Macri
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
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5 from 1 vote
Calories: 503kcal
Baked or pan-fried, these gluten-free falafels with quinoa and chickpea flour are healthy and delicious. Served with zesty Israeli salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs, this vegetarian-friendly meal is rich in protein, fibre and nutrients. Great for a healthy dinner or lunch.

Ingredients 

For the quinoa falafels

  • 1 ½ cups dry quinoa white or mixed colour
  • 3 cups water bring to a boil first
  • 1 cup chickpea flour see notes for alternatives
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ large handful of coriander finely chopped
  • 3 green onions/scallions finely chopped
  • 1 large clove of garlic grated or minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon
  • Optional: some raw tahini drizzled on top

For the Israeli salad

  • 3 medium cucumbers diced into cubes
  • 2 large tomatoes diced into cubes
  • ¼ to ½ red onion chopped finely
  • 1/2 cup of chopped coriander or parsley
  • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste I like generous salt on this particular salad

Instructions

  • Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa to a medium pot and top with boiling water, stir and cook for about 15 minutes on simmering heat or until quinoa is fluffy. Strain any excess liquid and let the quinoa cool down. Then transfer to a mixing bowl.
  • If baking, preheat the oven to 200 C / 395 F.
  • Add chickpea flour, eggs, coriander, onions, garlic, cumin and salt to the cooked quinoa and combine well.
  • Form the patties with your hands and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I greased the paper with a little olive oil first.
  • Bake the falafel patties for about 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.
  • You can also fry the patties in 2 tablespoons of oil, for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden.For the salad, chop the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, coriander or/and parsley into small cubes. Place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper.
  • Taste and adjust lemon and salt to your liking. Serve falafels with the salad and any condiments you like. I love these with some tahini garlic sauce, harissa or aioli (garlic mayonnaise).

Notes

Chickpea flour is also known as besan flour, it's high in protein, fibre and carbohydrates but is gluten-free. It can be replaced with gluten-free flour blend or a mix of almond meal and coconut flour for a lower carb/paleo-friendly version.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 349IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 6mg
Keywords: Healthy, Falafels, Chickpea Flour, Besan, Quinoa, Shirazi Salad, Jerusalem Salad
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