Vegan Falafel Bowls
These vegan falafel bowls combine scratch made falafels, with turmeric garlic rice, marinated onions, and tahini sauce for the ultimate vegan meal prep lunch or dinner idea.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Overnight Soaking8 hours hrs
Total Time9 hours hrs
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 4 bowls
Calories: 632kcal
For the Marinated Onions
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- hot water
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (omit if oil free)
- 1 pinch salt
For the Tahini Dressing
- 1 cup tahini
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 zest of a lemon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- water, if needed
For the Garlic Turmeric Rice
Additional Toppings
- cilantro
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- green onions, sliced
For the Falafels and Garlic Turmeric Rice
Soak dried chickpeas overnight.
Once soaked and ready to proceed, start by making the garlic turmeric rice. Drain chickpeas from water and lay them out on a towel. Thoroughly pat them dry. Get as much moisture out as possible.
Add chickpeas to a food processor with the remaining ingredients.
Pulse, scrapping down the sides often, until all the ingredients are chopped up and a thick batter is left.
Roll into 1" balls (you can use a cookie scoop to ensure even size).
For Deep Fried Falafels (Traditional)
Once all the balls are made, heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy bottomed pot and bring the temperature up to 350 degrees F.
Add the baking soda to the oil.
Drop falafels into the oil and cook for 2 ½-5 minutes, moving around to ensure golden brown on all sides.
Remove from the oil and lay on a towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Repeat with remaining balls.
For the Marinated Onions
Place sliced onion in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 10 minutes.
Drain onions and dry with a towel.
Add red wine vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain anything more than a teaspoon of the vinegar from the bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients together and cover. Place in fridge until ready to serve (at least 30 minutes)
For the Tahini Dressing
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir until very well combined.
If needed, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.
Compiling the Bowls
Once everything is ready, layer the rice in the bottom of the bowl. Then add some of the falafels and marinated onions. Top with cilantro, green onions and sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with tahini dressing.
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 786mg | Potassium: 979mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1156IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 7mg