Deconstructed Falafel Salad

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Falafels are the perfect plant-based morsel and a family favourite. However, in this salad, I’ve dismantled perfection and discovered a new, delicious way to enjoy the feted flavours of falafels: chickpeas, cumin, parsley, mint, and tahini. The crispy oven-roasted chickpeas are nothing short of incredible, and I encourage you to try roasting all types of beans in this manner.

Ingredients

18 ounces cooked chickpeas (about 2 (15-ounce) cans), drained and patted very dry
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Sea salt and black pepper
1/3 cup tahini paste
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more if needed
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups kale leaves (about 2 bunches), tough stems removed
1 Persian cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
3 cups store-bought pita chips
Handful flat-leaf fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Handful fresh mint leaves
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Sea salt

Instructions

Make the crispy roasted chickpeas:
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425ºF.
Place the drained chickpeas into a small ovenproof dish. Cover with olive oil, season well with 2 big pinches of sea salt and black pepper, and add the garlic, cumin and paprika. Stir to combine. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chickpeas are crispy. Set aside.
Make the lemon tahini:
Pour the tahini into a small bowl and whisk in the lemon juice and garlic. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the sauce is the consistency of thickened cream. If the tahini ‘seizes’ and becomes very thick, push through by adding more water; it will eventually come back together to form a cohesive creamy sauce. Season with sea salt and black pepper, and add more lemon juice if you like it lemony.
Make the salad:
Place a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle with oil. Add the kale, in batches, along with a pinch of salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
Combine the crispy chickpeas (and their cooking oil) with the kale, cucumber, half the pita chips and herbs. To serve, drizzle over the lemon tahini and scatter over the remaining pita chips. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.