Falafel Bowls with Cashew Tzatziki

By Jamie Vespa

These nutrient-rich bowls feature baked falafel (made with canned chickpeas!), vegan tzatziki, and a crisp cucumber-tomato salad. A healthy and wildly flavorful lunch or dinner the whole family will love.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup raw cashews
• 1 large English cucumber
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour ((sub chickpea flour))
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 handfuls fresh arugula or greens of choice
• Warm pita for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Let cashews stand for 30 minutes while you prepare falafel.

2. 2

   Begin preparing falafel by adding chickpeas, red onion, parsley, garlic, tahini, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to a food processor or blender. Pulse to combine, scraping down sides as needed, until thoroughly combined. You’re looking for a crumbly dough, not a paste (as shown in photo).Add flour 1 Tbsp. at a time and pulse to combine until the mixture is dry enough to mold without it sticking to your hands.

3. 3

   Preheat oven to 400ºF and lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Scoop out 2 rounded Tbsp. amounts of falafel mix and gently form into 12 discs. Arrange discs on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake falafel for 25 to 30 minutes, gently flipping once halfway through, until golden and crisp.

4. 4

   While falafel bakes, begin preparing tzatziki.To start, partially peel the cucumber and slice it in half. Grate half the cucumber on a box grater into a clean kitchen towel. Press to expel as much moisture as possible, and transfer cucumber to a small bowl. Transfer soaked cashews and water to a high power blender, along with lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend mixture on HIGH until smooth and creamy. Transfer cashew mixture to the bowl with grated cucumber, and mix in dill, parsley, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

5. 5

   Prepare cucumber-tomato salad by chopping up remaining half of cucumber and placing in a bowl. Add tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and olive oil. Gently toss to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. To assemble bowls, place 4 falafel, a handful of arugula, and a scoop of cucumber-tomato salad into each of 4 bowls. Serve with cashew tzatziki and warm pita (if desired).