I’ve posted up pretty traditional falafels before. They are hands down the favorite when it comes to Meatless Monday in my house. My son loves falafels. My husband loves the salad. Something about my husband + vinegar = a purring kitten.
Although falafels are more Mediterranean in nature, it’s really easy to take an Indian fusion twist with them that is subtle but delicious! A little curry and turmeric in the falafel mix adds a nice new dimension from traditional Mediterranean falafels. For traditional falafels, I add some lemon zest and juice, but for these, I opted for lime zest and juice to compliment the flavors in the salad.
Falafels can be served many, many different ways. I personally keep this dish super healthy and light and will serve falafels with a shepherd’s or Israeli salad and flatbread or gyros. Since I took an Indian spin on my traditional dish, I adapted the salad to have a hint of spice. Rather than serve flatbread or gyros, I served this with toasted naan.
Rather than cook the falafels in a frying pan, I opted to bake them this time… less calories, less fats. The last five minutes of them baking, I popped pieces of naan on the rack below the baking sheet of falafels, and they were perfectly toasted by the time the falafels were done. Modifications you can make would be to rub olive oil and minced garlic into the naan before or after toasting it. Or, mince up some fresh cilantro and rub it into the naan with olive oil. You can also opt to use ghee in a more traditional Indian flavor, but I generally opt for olive oil when I can to incorporate the healthier fats into my diet (although I do use ghee in my cooking ~ particularly Indian cooking!).
I still served this with a side of tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce is super easy to make at home. But, to be honest, I’ve been opting to purchase pre-made tzatziki from my grocery store. Cedar’s is the brand I generally opt for, but there are several other brands, including a great vegan option, out there. In the States, anyway, check out Target for some great vegan tzatziki alternatives if you’re wanting to keep this dish full vegan! If you want to make your own tzatziki, it’s pretty much yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, and dill. But, I’m pretty hooked on the easy train for now 😜.
Although my husband and I love shepherd’s salad, I really, really loved this Indian spin on it. Using rice wine vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, the flavor is a little more mild. But, that’s made up for with some cumin and chili powder. As noted above, I also incorporated lime juice and zest into the salad dressing. Personally, it’s my new favorite salad! Light and fresh with just the right amount of vinegar, citrus, and spice!
This recipe makes 12 falafels. That is the perfect amount for us with a leftover lunch for one. If you’re feeding a hungry family, double the falafel recipe! You won’t regret it. If you don’t want to eat any leftovers for lunch, wrap the cooked falafels in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze up to six months. Defrost and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds (depending on your microwave) to reheat.
I would not recommend more than doubling the recipe. Why? Because when you process it in your blender or food processor, the bottom will more likely turn to hummus while the top doesn’t get processed enough. With two batches, it’s still easy enough to reach into the bottom with a spoon to mix the ingredients around before continuing to pulse the ingredients together. I recommend doing this even if you’re only making a single batch of falafels! It just helps ensure even pulsing of the mixture while avoiding hummus!
However, you can make more than two batches if you separate them out. Meaning, you could place two batches worth of ingredients in your food processor, form the falafels, and then place two more batches worth of ingredients in the food processor! Spread them evenly on a baking sheet ~ or use two baking sheets if needed, and bake as directed! If you bake more than two sheets at a time, just rotate the baking sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.
And that’s it! Super easy spin on traditional falafels for a delicious Meatless Monday dinner ~ whether you want a vegetarian dinner or vegan dinner!
Enjoy!
Curry Falafels with Spicy Indian Cucumber Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Vegetarian, Indian
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
Falafels
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
3 cups cilantro
1 cup parsley
6 large garlic cloves
1 lime, zested & juiced
⅓ cup flour
1 TB curry powder
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp baking powder
salt & pepper
Salad
1 English cucumber, halved & seeds scraped out with a spoon
10 oz grape tomatoes, halved
½ bell pepper, sliced then cut in half
½ red onion, halved and sliced
½ jalapeño, deseeded and minced
handful cilantro, roughly chopped
2 limes, juiced
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp cumin powder
salt & pepper
To Serve
toasted naan
tzatziki sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Add the falafel ingredients plus a good pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until everything is small crumbles ~ being careful not to over-process and make hummus! You may need to scrape around the sides and bottom a couple of times in between pulsing.
Place parchment paper or a silicone mat on a baking sheet. Roll out 12 even falafels and slightly flatten with your hands. Place evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 7 to 10 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and slightly set.
Meanwhile, make the salad. In a large bowl, toss together the cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, onions, jalapeño, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, chili powder, cumin powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and toss to combine.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking the falafels, place your naan on the oven rack below the falafels to let the naan toast.
When done, place the naan on plates, dish the salad over the top and divide the falafels evenly. Top with tzatziki and dig in! Enjoy!
Notes
Note: estimated calories do not account for tzatziki or naan!
Keywords: Meatless Mondays, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Salad, Falafels, Shepherd’s Salad, Israeli Salad, Indian Salad, Curry Falafels, Indian Falafels, Indian recipes, Indian Fusion, Greek Fusion, Naan
