Crispy, Oven-Baked Falafel Salad Recipe

These are practical (no soaking chickpeas, this recipe uses canned!), flavorful, and meal prep friendly. I rounded out the salad with a few pieces of socca, flatbread made from chickpea flour and water, and naturally gluten-free for those who need. It would also be amazing with this sourdough focaccia!

I was so impressed by the baked falafel texture, staying soft inside and acquiring a crispy outside with the help of olive oil. They held together well, and the flavor was dynamite.  The falafels are meal prep friendly too, in a couple of ways:

1. You can freeze the the uncooked patties and pop them in the oven when you’re ready.
2. The cooked patties will last up to four days in the refrigerator, which leads to these next two ideas.👇
3. Make them into a salad as I did, for lunches throughout the week.
4. Or nestle them into a pita for a traditional falafel sandwich!

Is falafel gluten-free?

Some falafel recipes include breadcrumbs, but this recipe doesn’t, making them completely gluten-free without any special ingredients.

Don’t Skip the Tahini Dressing Recipe!

If there’s one thing that really makes this salad pop, it’s the creamy tahini dressing. It’s rich and nutty, with tangy notes from fresh lemon. It’s similar to this tahini sauce I’ve made many times. 

About transitioning to a Minimalist Kitchen:

It’s hard to keep an uncluttered kitchen. Really hard. And it doesn’t matter how often you cook, how much you love/hate the process, or the size of your space. Over time we acquire extra gadgets, dinnerware, pantry staples, spices. And it’s become clear to me that the clutter takes a lot of energy to keep up with.

I’ve always had good intentions to be more organized in the kitchen (and the entire house actually). But I’ve really fumbled on how to pare down, maximize space, and minimize the clutter, which is why I’m so excited about the The Minimalist Kitchen book from Melissa Coleman, creator of The Faux Martha, and I think you will be too. She was a designer in her first career, and you’ll see that play into her practical cooking philosophy, the art of making more with less, and her simplified way of reclaiming the kitchen.

The book is a collection of essential tools and efficient techniques, that lead to 100 wholesome recipes. There are familiar ingredients, and basic tools you’ll need, but so many different ways to create each recipe, according to how you like to eat. Melissa says it best…..

“And when a recipe enters your kitchen, let it become yours. Add more salt if the flavor tastes flat, or a splash of vinegar if it needs zing. Trust your gut and know your appliances, tools, and ingredients well so you can adjust as needed. “

What I love most about the book is that it’s not a prescription, but simply a framework. It’s not or a must/have to/should that makes you feel like you’ve been doing everything wrong, like I felt after reading “The Magic Art of Tidying Up” was. Melissa talks to you in the book just like she does in person – with a humble, welcoming, happy spirit.

The Minimalist Kitchen creates a doable, and sustainable course of action. It makes you excited to create a kitchen that feels light and fresh, a place you want to spend time in. And it feels empowering. And meals feel more fluid.