Chopped Falafel Recipe

Wash and dry the baby kale and romaine thoroughly. Chop romaine into bite-sized pieces if not pre-chopped.

Place the baby kale and chopped romaine in a large mixing bowl.

Add halved grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, thinly sliced radish, sliced red onion, and halved kalamata olives to the greens. Toss gently to combine.

Crumble the feta and set aside for topping the assembled salad.

Drain and rinse 1 cup canned chickpeas. Pat dry with a towel to remove excess moisture.

In a medium bowl toss the chickpeas with 1 tsp lemon juice, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.125 tsp black pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown and get slightly crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Roughly chop 6 falafel pieces into bite-sized or smaller crumbly pieces. Add them to the same skillet over medium heat and warm/crisp the pieces about 3–4 minutes, turning so they brown lightly. Remove from heat.

Combine warmed chopped falafel and crispy chickpeas in a bowl and set aside to cool slightly (2–3 minutes).

In a small bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (optional), 1 teaspoon harissa paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 0.5 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 0.25 teaspoon salt and 0.125 teaspoon black pepper.

Gradually whisk in 2 tablespoons warm water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency. Taste and adjust harissa for heat or lemon for brightness as desired.

Give the salad greens one last gentle toss in the large bowl. Drizzle about half of the harissa tahini dressing over the greens and toss to lightly coat. Add more if you prefer a saucier salad.

Scatter the warm chopped falafel and crispy chickpeas over the dressed greens.

Sprinkle the crumbled feta and chopped parsley evenly across the salad.

Finish with a final drizzle of dressing as desired and serve with lemon wedges alongside for extra brightness.

Serve immediately so the falafel stays slightly crisp. Leftovers: keep dressing separate and store salad components refrigerated up to 2 days.