Name: Falafels with Shepherd’s Salad and Tzatziki
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups feta ~ 6 oz.; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into eighths; 1 medium green pepper, diced; 1 English cucumber, seeds removed, diced; 1/2 a red onion, diced; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar; salt and pepper to taste; 2 cups Greek yogurt; 1/2 an English cucumber, seeds removed, grated; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 TB lemon juice; 1 tsp salt; pinch of black pepper; 15.5 oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed; 1 cup parsley; 1 cup cilantro; 4 garlic cloves; 1/2 TB tandoori marsala; 1/2 TB cumin; 1/2 TB dried mint; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 TB lemon juice; pinch of salt and pepper; ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~; Flatbread or gyros to serve

Ingredients

Scale

Shepherd’s Salad

1 1/2 cups feta ~ 6 oz.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into eighths

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 English cucumber, seeds removed, diced

1/2 a red onion, diced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Tzatziki

2 cups Greek yogurt

1/2 an English cucumber, seeds removed, grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 TB lemon juice

1 tsp salt

pinch of black pepper

Falafels

15.5 oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

1 cup parsley

1 cup cilantro

4 garlic cloves

1/2 TB tandoori marsala

1/2 TB cumin

1/2 TB dried mint

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 TB lemon juice

pinch of salt and pepper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flatbread or gyros to serve

Instructions

Shepherd’s Salad

For the salad, combine the feta, tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, and red onion. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the olive oil and champagne vinegar. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Whisk and drizzle over the salad. Stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Tzatziki Sauce

After grating the cucumbers, but them in a cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as possible. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Falafels

Prepare the falafels. In a blender or food processor, place the garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, tandoori marsala, cumin,flour, baking powder, and salt and pepper. Pulse until ingredients are small crumbles, but be careful not to over blend and make hummus!

With your hands, estimate about a tablespoon worth of the falafel mix. Roll into either a small patty, place on a plate and continue until all of the mix is used. Generally, this makes about 9 to 10 falafels.

When ready, heat a pan over medium heat. Lightly drizzle olive oil in the pan ~ 1 TB. When the pan is hot, swirl the oil to coat the pan. Place in the falafels. If using an 11” to 12” pan, all of the falafels will fit. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Serve

You can serve this as a falafel bowl: in a bowl, spoon in the Shepherd’s Salad, then the falafels, and top with tzatziki. Serve with a side of flatbread or gyros.

Or, you can make falafel sandwiches. Take flatbread and spoon salad on top. Then place the falafels and tzatziki.

Serve and enjoy!

Keywords: Meatless Mondays, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Salad, Falafels, Shepherd’s Salad, Israeli Salad