A filling, nutritious and energizing lunch – this Falafel Salad Bowl with Creamy Feta Dip is a belly-filling (Aka: a salad that’s actually satisfying!) and really tasty meal.
Salad bowl with falafel and feta dressing - little jug of dressing in the background

Why the heck is this my first falafel recipe on the blog?
I make falafel (falafel? falafels? I don’t know the plural) all the time!

I think I’ve made various falafel recipes for other pieces of freelance work, so I just presumed I had one somewhere on the blog. But nope. Truly sorry I’ve let you down.

So I’m remedying the situation with this falafel salad bowl from my new  Seriously Good Salads book (I’ve also shared my Salmon Sushi Bowl and Chimichurri Steak Salad from the book if you want to check them out).

Book cover of Seriously Good Salads book by Nicky Corbishley

Filling enough for dinner, this salad bowl consists of baby spinach, topped with 3 falafel, sun blushed tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and shredded beetroot. All topped off with a simple feta dressing.

I say simple – that dressing took me a fair bit of testing to get right.
I was initially using too much cream with no milk, and had versions of this dressing where the cream basically thickened like a dessert topping upon blitzing.
This dressing is a much more pour-able version. If you do want the dressing any thicker, then add more feta to it (not more cream).

Full recipe is in the recipe card below, but here are some step-by-step pics plus a video:

The falafel is made by whizzing up canned chickpeas, along with red onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and flour (regular or gluten free) in a food processor until combined.

Six image collage showing how to make falafel

Shape the mixture into patties and fry for about 5 minutes, turning once.
TIP: Use a spatula and a fork to turn them without squishing them.

The Creamy Feta Dressing:

Simply whizz up:

  • 3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese (add more if you want a thicker sauce) – note: check your brand to make sure it’s vegetarian feta if required.
  • 3 tbsp double (heavy) cream
  • 5 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • pinch of salt and pepper

4 image collage showing how to make feta dip

Since it’s quite a small amount of dressing, I use a my Nutribullet smoothie maker for a nice smooth finish.

Then all of the salad items are layered in a bowl – starting with a bed of baby spinach that’s topped with baby cucumber slices, thin slices of red onion, shredded beetroot and juicy sun-blushed tomatoes.

Add the falafel on top and drizzle on the dressing before serving.

Two salad bowls with falafel and feta dressing on a blue background

The falafel can be eaten hot or cold, so it makes a great lunchbox or picnic lunch too.

Here’s a video of the full recipe:

YouTube video

Want to see some more recipes pics from the book?

Fried egg breakfast salad with toasted croutons:

Breakfast salad bowl with bacon, fried egg, croutons, figs and lettuce

Winter Noodle Salad with Miso Dressing:

Side image of a winter noodle salad with salad dressing being dripped on from a spoon

Sushi Salad Bowl:

Overhead image of two deconstructed salmon sushi salad bowls on a dark background

Buttermilk Chicken Cobb Salad:

Overhead image of buttermilk chicken cobb salad on a oval plate on a blue background

Garlic Herb and New Potato Salad – with a buttery warm dressing:
Green salad with new potatoes, radish slices and herb dressing in a white bowl

You’ll find these recipes plus loads more (75 recipes altogether with 70+ of them NOT on the blog) all with their own photo in my new Seriously Good Salads book.

The Falafel Salad Bowl with Creamy Feta Dip Recipe:

5 from 1 vote

Falafel Salad Bowl with Creamy Feta Dip

A filling, nutritious and energizing lunch - this Falafel Salad Bowl with Creamy Feta Dip is a belly-filling (Aka: a salad that's actually satisfying!) and really tasty meal. 

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Falafel:

  • 2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) cans of chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 large red onion chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • 60 g (1 cup) packed fresh parsley chopped
  • 40 g (1 cup) packed fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp chilli (red pepper) flakes
  • 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour (replace with gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version)
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Feta Dressing:

  • 3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese add more if you like a thicker sauce (FYI feta is often vegetarian, but check your brand if you need to be sure)
  • 3 tbsp double (heavy) cream
  • 5 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • good pinch salt and pepper

Salad:

  • 90 g (3 cups) packed baby spinach leaves
  • ½ red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 large cooked beetroot peeled and shredded/grated
  • 55 g (1/2 cup) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 3 baby cucumbers or ¼ regular cucumber thinly sliced
  • arils/seeds of ½ pomegranate
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
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Instructions 

  • Place all the falafel ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and pulse until combined, but still with a little texture. Form the mixture into 12 equal patties.
    2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) cans of chickpeas, 1 large red onion, 2 large garlic cloves, 60 g (1 cup) packed fresh parsley, 40 g (1 cup) packed fresh coriander (cilantro), juice of ½ lemon, 2 tsp ground cumin, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbsp ground coriander, ½ tsp chilli (red pepper) flakes, 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the falafels, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes.
    3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • In a bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
    3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese, 3 tbsp double (heavy) cream, 5 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp olive oil, good pinch salt and pepper
  • Arrange the spinach, red onion, shredded beet, tomatoes, and cucumber slices in 4 bowls. Top each with 3 falafels. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with pomegranate arils and parsley before serving.
    90 g (3 cups) packed baby spinach leaves, ½ red onion, 1 large cooked beetroot, 55 g (1/2 cup) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 3 baby cucumbers or ¼ regular cucumber, arils/seeds of ½ pomegranate, 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Video

YouTube video

Notes

Nutritional Information is per serving - including feta dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 695mg | Potassium: 1273mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 4330IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

Welcome to Kitchen Sanctuary

Hi, I'm Nicky and I love to cook! I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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Comments

  1. Christine says:

    5 stars
    I adore falafels, and home made are just the best. The creamy feta dressing is just amazing. Just ordered your book, so many recipes I want to try.

  2. Viana @ maplewoodroad.com says:

    I’ve never tried falafel, but I love hummus, so I’m guessing this would be a winner! And your presentation is absolutely gorgeous, btw!

  3. Julia says:

    This looks so delicious, Nicky! Love the colors and the feta dressing!