Come over — I’ll make green goddess falafel for dinner!
This is my ideal meatless Monday: big on flavor, great texture, and a little bit of kitchen effort that pays off in spades.
Last month we went to Dallas for The Pretty Dish and planned to explore and taste everything. When we stepped off the plane it felt like 21°F and we were definitely underdressed. Luckily our hotel was just around the corner from Commissary, where the menu board announced a “falafel wrap with cauliflower hummus.”
It sounded so good.
I ordered it — and as fate would have it, they erased it from the board when I did, so I must have gotten the last one. It was incredible: different from what I usually order, very satisfying, and full of bright flavors. The combo of falafel, creamy hummus, feta and tomatoes quickly became something I couldn’t stop craving.
I already have a baked falafel recipe on the blog that’s great for weeknights, but this time I wanted the real deal with extra greens — enter green goddess falafel. I borrowed the herb-forward idea from a green goddess dressing and used all the green components to sneak more vegetables into the mix. I also used dried chickpeas this time, which makes all the difference. So yes, this recipe asks for a bit of advance prep, but it’s absolutely worth it: the go-all-out falafel you make when you want to linger in the kitchen and blast 90s Whitney Houston.
Cauliflower hummus
Yes, cauliflower has been showing up a lot lately — and for good reason. I took a basic hummus formula and swapped chickpeas for roasted cauliflower. The result is still cauliflower-forward, but silky and decadent like a classic hummus. Roasting the florets first adds a caramelized depth that elevates the dip. Seriously: grab a spoon and dig in.
There are many ways to serve these: stuff them into a pita or wrap, pile them on a salad with a generous dollop of cauliflower hummus, or plate them with greens and the classic toppings — chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, parsley and crumbled feta. They also reheat nicely in the oven; while they won’t be quite as crisp as when freshly fried, reheating at 350°F for about 15 minutes makes excellent leftovers for lunch.
This isn’t the fastest weeknight dinner, but the result is worthy of the effort — the plate looks and tastes amazing.
Green Goddess Falafel with Cauliflower Hummus
Green Goddess Falafel with Cauliflower Hummus
6
people
8 hrs
45 mins
1 hr 15 mins
Ingredients
Falafel
- 1 pound dried chickpeas
- 1 cup baby arugula
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons snipped chives
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Cauliflower hummus
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 2/3 cup tahini
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2–3 tablespoons ice water
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
For serving
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chopped cucumber
- Chopped Kalamata olives
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Crumbled feta
Instructions
Falafel
- Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with several inches of water. Soak overnight, then drain and rinse.
- Put the soaked chickpeas in a food processor. Add arugula, parsley, basil, chives, garlic, shallot, flour, cumin, salt, lemon zest, smoked paprika and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is combined but still has texture — you want coarse crumbs, not a paste.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. With wet hands, form the mixture into 1-inch balls using about 1–2 tablespoons per falafel and place them on the sheet.
- Heat a heavy skillet or pot over medium and add 1–2 inches of oil. Heat to around 350°F.
- Fry the falafel 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Serve the falafel with cauliflower hummus and top with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, parsley and olives. Add crumbled feta if you like, or stuff into a wrap or pita.
- Store leftovers loosely wrapped in foil in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.
- Note: If freezing, roll the uncooked falafel balls and freeze, then thaw before frying. To make less, halve the recipe.
Cauliflower hummus
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, mist or drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast 20–25 minutes until lightly golden.
- Place the roasted cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until coarse, then puree until smooth. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend, scraping the bowl often, until smooth. Stream in ice water to loosen the texture, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- The hummus keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Notes
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