Dill Falafel Rice Bowls
April is Earth month, and what better way to support our health and that of the planet, than by trying a new plant-based recipe?!
Eating more vegetables and plant-based foods doesn’t have to be boring. They can actually taste incredibly delicious and provide many health benefits at the same time! Research has shown that increasing your intake of plants can lower your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, digestive issues, certain cancers and more.
In addition to these benefits, the impact on our planet is substantial. Plant-based foods have been associated with a much lower impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions compared to animal-based products. Plus, foods like chickpeas and grains tend to be a lot cheaper that meat, so it’s a triple win!
This Dill Falafel Rice Bowl recipe was inspired by The Food Medic and her “lunch box club” recipes. I love the flavour combination of dill and cumin together, and they work so well with the earthy tastes of chickpea and tahini. Pairing the falafels with fresh vegetables and whole grains rounds out this balanced meal.
These falafels can be cooked in two different ways: baking or frying. I personally prefer the texture and flavour of the fried version, but if you want to minimize the oil and have more time to bake, they still turn out very tasty!
Here are some fun nutrition facts about chickpeas! In 1/2 cup of drained and rinsed chickpeas, there are ~5 grams of fibre, 5.5 grams of protein, some B vitamins, folate, and other minerals like copper and manganese (great for our immune and bone health, respectively).
Try out this recipe for your next Meatless Monday or in celebration of Earth Month. I hope you love them!
Dill Falafel Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Falafels
- 1 540 ml can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup white onion chopped
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 heaping tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Rice Bowl
- 3/4 cup parboiled or brown rice uncooked
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 cup each cucumber, red pepper and carrot thinly sliced or grated
Toppings
- Tzatziki*
- Sesame seeds
- Fresh dill or cilantro
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions. In the last minute of cooking, add the cumin to the rice and stir.
- While the rice is cooking, add all falafel ingredients to a food processor and blend on low speed until well combined. Occasionally pause to scrape down the sides of the processor and blend again. There may be a few chunks of onion or chickpeas remaining, this is okay. If the mixture does not form into a ball easily, add 1 tsp water at a time and blend until it does.
- Take ~2 tbsp of the falafel mixture and roll into a ball. Flatten into a patty that is about 1/2" thick. Repeat with the remaining falafel mixture.
- Cook the falafels, either baking or frying (see below for both options). For a more moist and flavourful falafel, I recommend frying them.
- Create your bowl, starting with the rice, veggies and falafels. Top with tzatziki, sesame seeds and your choice of fresh herbs. Enjoy!
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with tin foil or a silicone liner.
- Place the falafel patties on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Flip the falafels and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on each side.
Fry
- Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add a few falafels to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd them. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Notes
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