Name: Deconstructed Falafel Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 2 cups); 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/4 tsp paprika; 1/4 cup runny tahini; 1/4 cup water; 2 tbsp nutritional yeast; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp light tamari sauce; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 clove garlic; baby lettuce; cucumber slices; cherry tomatoes; fresh parsley; red onion, sliced thin; hot pepper rings, chopped

Deconstructed Falafel Salad

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This deconstructed falafel salad has all the classic, savory goodness of a falafel without the hassle of deep-frying. Enjoy crispy, seasoned chickpeas over a fresh salad and topped with a nutty tahini dressing.

A note on some of the ingredients:

Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas in this recipe simply for the convenience. Drain and rinse well (save the aquafaba and freeze in an ice cube tray for later if you wish!). One can of chickpeas is approximately 2 cups if you are making them from scratch.

Tahini: Tahini is made from sesame seeds and has a slightly nutty flavour. There are many different brands of tahini out there, I prefer one that is on the runnier side as it blends well in the dressing.

Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast is a deactivated brewer’s yeast that is high in protein and often fortified with vitamin B12. It has a slightly cheesy, umami flavor. I love adding it to salad dressings as I find it helps the dressing stick to the lettuce.

Light tamari sauce: I prefer light tamari sauce because the taste is a little mellower than regular tamari. It is also lower in sodium than regular tamari. Regular tamari or gluten-free soy sauce can be substituted in the recipe.

Maple syrup: Being Canadian, we always have pure maple syrup in the house. If you don’t have maple syrup, agave can be substituted or honey if you are not vegan.

How the deconstructed falafel salad is made:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to a large bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, mash them until almost all of the chickpeas have broken down. Leave a few whole chickpeas intact to add texture to the salad.

Family-friendly vegan gluten-free deconstructed falafel salad by Tofu and Beans

You can also use a food processor, but pulse the chickpeas only a few times to avoid turning them into hummus.

Add in all of the spices and the olive oil to the mashed chickpeas and stir everything together until well incorporated.

Spread the chickpeas onto the prepared baking sheet but don’t flatten them. Bake for 25 minutes, tossing them halfway through. Watch the chickpeas for the last 2 minutes to ensure they are not burning along the edges of the pan. Once done let them cool on the pan.

While the chickpeas are baking, make the dressing for the deconstructed falafel salad.

Add all of the ingredients for the dressing into a small blender and run until smooth. An immersion blender can also be used. If you prefer to make the dressing by hand, whisk the tahini and water together first, then add in the oil, tamari, rice vinegar and maple syrup. Lastly, finely chop the garlic and add it as well as the nutritional yeast to the dressing.

When ready to serve, assemble the deconstructed falafel salad with baby lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, slices of red onions, cucumbers, roughly chopped parsley and chopped hot pepper rings. Top the salad with the crunchy chickpeas and dressing and enjoy!

Looking for more fresh salads? Try my Spicy Buffalo Ranch Salad, my Southwest Quinoa Salad with Zesty Ranch or my Crunchy Asian Salad.