Vibrant Falafel Bowls with Turmeric Rice
Published 1/18/2025
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Our falafel bowl recipe is packed with delicious Middle Eastern-inspired flavors. It’s a perfect balance of crispy falafel, creamy hummus, and a fresh and tangy salad, all served over a bed of fluffy turmeric rice. Vegetarian-friendly and easy to make, this falafel bowl is a must-try!
Nutrient-dense bowls are our bread and butter here on Fit Foodie Finds, and have been for YEARS! Our Beef Taco Bowl Recipe, Mediterranean Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipe, and Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl are some of our fan favorites. This falafel bowl is a new addition to our collection and we know you’re going to love it just as much! The homemade falafel had us ladies SWOONING and everything else is just so fresh and flavorful and delicious.
To make this beautiful bowl (I mean LOOK AT HER), there are a few elements:
- homemade falafel
- rice
- salad
- sauce
Make all those (it’s easy, we promise!), and then assemble your bowl. Get ready to fall in love! 😍
Falafel Bowl – Key Things You Need
- Garbanzo beans: Also known as chickpeas, these are the main ingredient in falafel and provide a dang good source of plant-based protein.
- Fresh herbs: You’ll need fresh cilantro, parsley, and dill for the falafel and fresh dill and mint for the salad. 5 varieties of herbs, that’s right 😋
- Spices: Middle Eastern spices like paprika, ground coriander, cumin, and (obviously) turmeric are what make this vegetarian falafel bowl POP.
- Fresh lemon juice: Lemon juice adds a bright and tangy flavor to the falafel and salad.
- Garlic: It would be illegal to make falafel without garlic. Enough said. Don’t skip this.
- Veggies: We used fresh veggies like fennel, red onion, and cucumber in the salad for refreshing flavor and crunch.
- Red wine vinegar: Gives the salad a nice tangy kick.
- Basmati rice: The ultimate rice for bowls! Fluffy and flavorful.
- Greek yogurt: The base of the creamy and delicious sauce.
- Hummus: Top your bowl with a generous dollop of hummus for added flavor and creaminess. Store-bought works just fine, but we also have a homemade hummus recipe if you’re really going all out.
- Feta: The way that feta can make a dish go from good to GREAT is just magical. Sprinkle some crumbled feta on top of your bowl for that extra special touch.
Can I use canned garbanzo beans for this falafel bowl recipe?
We’ve tested this recipe with both dried and canned beans, and we do NOT recommend using canned garbanzo beans. Canned garbanzo beans leave you with mushy falafel with no real flavor. When you use dry garbanzo beans, you get a delicious texture and the best flavor!
How to Prepare Dried Garbanzo Beans for Falafel
These falafel rice bowls are not difficult to make, but they do require some planning ahead, and that starts with the garbanzo beans for the homemade falafel:
- Soak Beans: Start by adding the garbanzo beans to a bowl and cover them with water. Let the beans soak overnight to rehydrate.
- Remove Skins: The next day, drain the water from the beans. Rinse the beans and place them on a paper towel or a tea towel. Cover the beans with another towel and gently massage the beans to remove the outer casing of the beans. Remove as many as possible, and discard the outer casings.
How to Make Our Turmeric Rice
Making the turmeric rice is so dang simple. Pour the uncooked basmati rice, water, turmeric, and salt into a saucepan and stir. Bring the water to a simmer. Cover and turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes. When there is no excess liquid, remove the pot from the heat. Leave the pot covered for 5-10 minutes. Then remove from the cover and fluff with a fork.
Can I air fry the falafel?
For sure! To air-fry, preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Then, place the falafel in the basket and spray them with cooking spray, coating them in oil. Season them with salt and air fry for 10 minutes. When done, remove them from the air fryer, and enjoy!
spice it up!
Add a spicy kick to this falafel bowl with a scoop of harissa sauce and/or red pepper flakes. You can also use spicy hummus like this Roasted Red Pepper Hummus or tzatziki sauce as a topping.
Storage Directions
If you have leftovers, store them in separate airtight containers. The falafel will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven at 350ºF for 10 minutes.
The rice and salad can also be stored for up to 3-4 days and should be reheated separately. The cucumber sauce should be kept in the fridge and will keep for up to 1 week.
Falafel Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
Falafel
- 12 oz. garbanzo beans, dried
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, packed
- ½ cup fresh parsley, packed
- ⅓ cup fresh dill, packed
- 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3-5 garlic cloves
Salad
- 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1.5 cups sliced cucumbers*
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 6-8 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- Turmeric Rice
- 2 cups basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 ½ cups water
Cucumber Sauce
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup grated cucumber
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy hummus, any kinds
- ⅓ cup feta crumbles
Instructions
- First, prepare the falafel. Add the garbanzo beans to a bowl and cover the beans in water. Let the beans soak overnight to rehydrate. Do not use canned garbanzo beans, this recipe will not work.
- The next day, drain the water from the beans. Rinse the beans and place them on a paper towel or a tea towel. Cover the beans with another towel and gently massage the beans to remove the outer casing of the beans. Remove as many as possible.
- Transfer the beans to a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients for the falafel to the food processor and process until pulverized and completely combined. You may have to scrape the sides down a few times. The mixture should form a ball when you squeeze it in your hand.
- Scoop 3 tablespoons of the falafel mixture into your hand and place it on a plate. Repeat until all the mixture is gone.
- Heat 4-5 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, place the falafel in the oil. Fry the falafel for 1-2 minutes on each side until the whole falafel is golden brown. Place the cooked falafel on a paper towel-lined plate and salt. Set aside when all of the falafel has been cooked.*
- Prepare the rice. Add the rice, water, turmeric, and salt to a saucepan and stir. Bring the water to a simmer.
- Cover and turn the heat to medium/low and cook for 12-15 minutes. Tilt the saucepan and when there is no excess liquid, remove the pot from the heat. Leave the pot covered for 5-10 minutes. Remove from the cover and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
- Prepare the salad. Add all of the salad ingredients to a bowl and toss. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or longer for optimal flavor.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the cucumber sauce in a bowl.
- Assemble the bowls by evenly dividing the rice salad, falafel, and hummus into each bowl. Top with the cucumber sauce and enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- Do NOT use canned garbanzo beans for this recipe. We’ve tested this recipe with both beans and the canned garbanzo beans leave you with mush.
- Air fryer instructions: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Place the falafel in the basket and spray them with a cooking spray. Be sure to coat them in oil. Season them with salt. Air fry the falafel for 10 minutes. Remove them from the air fryer. Set aside.
- If you would like to add spice to this bowl, add a scoop of harissa sauce to the bowl or top with red pepper flakes.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Dalya from It’s Raining Flour.
