Falafel Bowls

Crisp oven falafel, tahini drizzle, and cucumber-tomato salad

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 28 min
• Serves 8
• Difficulty: medium

Herb-packed falafel patties bake on sheet pans until crisp outside and green inside, then serve over rice with tahini, pickles, and fresh salad for a meatless hall night that satisfies.

Why crews like it: Crews get crunch, sauce, and volume without a fryer. Works when you need a lighter night between heavy grill shifts.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb dried chickpeas
• 2 cups fresh parsley
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 large yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups long-grain rice
• 0.75 cup tahini
• 0.5 cup lemon juice
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 3 whole English cucumbers
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 0.5 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Soak and prep chickpeas: Drain soaked chickpeas well and pat dry on towels — wet chickpeas make dense falafel. Pulse in food processor with herbs, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, 1 tbsp salt, and baking powder until coarse meal holds a squeeze (not hummus smooth).
2. Form and chill patties: Scoop 2-oz balls and flatten to ½-inch patties. Arrange on oiled sheet pans with space between. Refrigerate uncovered 15 minutes so edges set before baking.
3. Cook rice: Rinse rice until water runs clear. Cook 1:1.75 rice to water with a pinch of salt; fluff and hold covered at low heat.
4. Bake falafel until crisp: Brush patties lightly with olive oil. Bake at 425°F 22–26 minutes, flipping once at 12 minutes, until deep golden and crisp at edges — centers should read 165°F if checked.
5. Whisk tahini sauce: Whisk tahini with lemon juice, ¼ cup cold water, and pinch of salt until pourable — add water 1 tbsp at a time if thick. Taste for bright lemon balance.
6. Build bowls at the line: Toss cucumber and tomatoes with remaining olive oil and salt. Serve rice, hot falafel, salad, tahini, and optional hot sauce on a build-your-own line.

Tonight's spread

• Warm pita wedges on the side.
• Harissa or hot sauce for heat seekers.

Hall tips

• Do not use canned chickpeas — baked texture will be pasty.
• A light spray of oil beats drowning patties — too much oil steams them soft.
• Pickled red onions at the line add snap without extra prep mid-shift.

Meal prep

Chill formed falafel 15 minutes before baking — they hold together better on the tray. Station: Run a bowl line: rice, 3 falafel, salad, tahini, pickles — keeps patties crisp. Station: Hold baked falafel on sheet pans at 200°F uncovered up to 25 minutes. Station: Keep a backup pan of extra falafel for late eaters after calls.

Leftovers

• Reheat falafel in a 400°F oven 8 minutes — microwave makes them rubbery.
• Extra tahini keeps 4 days refrigerated — thin with water when reheating.

• Food processor
• Two half-sheet pans
• Large rice pot

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