½cupplain Greek yogurtto make dairy-free either substitute with dairy-free Greek yogurt or simply omit and add an additional ½ cup tahini
1garlic cloveminced
¼cupfreshly squeezed lemon juice
½teaspoon kosher salt
½cupwater
Quinoa Tabbouleh
2cupswater
1cuppre-rinsed quinoa
Kosher salt
¼cupolive oil
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¼teaspoonfresh lemon juice
2 tomatoesseeded and finely chopped
1hothouse seedless cucumber,finely diced
1cupflat leaf parsleyfinely chopped
Instructions
Falafel Burgers
Put the chickpeas, scallions, parsley, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons flour in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until the mixture turns to a coarse paste. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into patties. Put the rest of the flour on a plate, place the patties in the flour and coat well on both sides.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy.
To serve, place the falafel burgers on lettuce leaves, top each burger with a dollop of Creamy Tahini Sauce, and a dab of chili garlic sauce if desired. Serve the rest of the Tahini sauce on the side.
Creamy Tahini Sauce
Place the tahini, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ cup of water in a blender. Blend until smooth and thick; it should be the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Add a little more water if necessary. Taste and add more salt if needed. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Leftover tahini can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
In a large saucepan, combine the water, quinoa, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
While the quinoa is simmering, combine the rest of the ingredients and set aside until the quinoa is done. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, add the vegetable mixture, and stir gently to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Put into a serving bowl and serve at room temperature.
The tabbouleh can be made ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.