Chickpea and Quinoa Falafels
Hey friends! I’m back to share a recipe i’ve been working long and hard on! Its not your traditional fried falafel but mine is baked and has some non-traditional ingredients added in.
I absolutely love me a traditional deep fried falafel but this non-traditional version I made is SOOOOO DELICIOUS. The textures, the flavors, the tzatziki dipping sauce… I just can’t… it’s so yummy.
Okay, enough of me obsessing over these, LET’S DO THIS.
Ingredients:
Falafel:
1 C cooked quinoa
1 1/2 C cooked chickpea (drained)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 C cilantro
1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp almond flour (you can use chickpea flour or oat flour too!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
Tzatziki Sauce:
1 C greek yogurt (can sub a thicker non-dairy yogurt)
1/2 a large cucumber
1/4 C fresh dill
1 clove garlic
Instructions:
preheat oven to 350
Start by cooking your chickpeas (must be soaked overnight, then cooked for 1 hr) or if you’re using canned chickpeas skip this step!
Next, cook up 1 C of quinoa. Once quinoa is done measure out 1 C cooked quinoa and place into a food processor. Measure out the rest of the falafel ingredients and add them all into the food processor as well.
Blend on high until all ingredients are combined and all chickpeas and crushed. (see above photo) You should be able to form the falafels into a ball, thats when you know it has blended enough.
Form mixture into 2 inch balls, placing them onto a non-stick sheet pan or silicone mat. Once all the mixture is done you should have 12 falafels. Place them into the oven and bake until golden (about 10-15 minutes)
While the falafels bake get your tzatziki ready. Start by dicing your cucumber (or to make it faster use a cheese grater!) they should be in very tiny chunks. Place cucumber into a bowl.
Cut up your dill and mince your garlic and place into the bowl with the cucumber. Now, add your yogurt of choice and mix until well combined.
Now your falafels should be done! Take out and serve with your tzatziki sauce.
ENJOY!! xoxo Loren
