These healthy gluten-free quinoa falafels are a fun, tasty take on the traditional recipe served with a zesty Israeli salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and herbs. This vegetarian-friendly dish is high in plant-based protein, fibre, nutrient-dense carbohydrates and is great for a meat-free dinner or lunch meal.

If I had to choose my favourite plant-based, vegetarian-friendly foods, falafels would be high on the list. Deep-fried or shallow fried balls or patties made with ground chickpeas or/and fava beans, spices and fresh herbs are much loved around the world. I wanted to make a different version of falafels using cooked quinoa (as it contains more amino acids in its protein profile) while still using some chickpea flour as a binder.

If you can’t find chickpea flour (or besan/lentil flour), go for regular gluten-free flour or a mixture of coconut flour and almond meal/flour for a lower-carb version. For those following a paleo diet and wondering about quinoa, read this post.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT THESE FALAFELS & SALAD

As I mentioned in the intro, this is a well balanced, satiating meal full of plant-based protein, healthy carbohydrates and fibre. Quinoa is a gluten-free pseudo-grain that is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids. It’s also full of vitamins and minerals. Chickpea flour is a good source of gut-friendly fibre and is also quite rich in protein and micronutrients. Add to that antioxidant and vitamin-rich tomato, cucumbers, onions and herbs, plus those nutrient-dense eggs, and we’re looking at a very nutritious plate of food.

If you’re after a vegetarian-friendly, nutrient-dense meal that is rich in protein, this is a good one! You can find the complete nutritional breakdown for this dish in the recipe card below. 

HOW TO MAKE QUINOA FALAFELS

There are two components to this meal: gluten-free quinoa falafels and cucumber, tomato salad. First, you have to make the falafels, which is pretty easy but requires a few steps. 

Step 1. Cook the quinoa until fluffy, strain and cool down. You can also use pre-cooked quinoa out of a pack for a speedy hack.

Step 2. While quinoa is cooking, prepare other ingredients for the falafel mixture: chickpea flour, coriander (cilantro), cumin, green onions, salt, eggs and garlic (optional but I love adding it in).

Step 3. Combine everything in a bowl into a sticky mixture. At the same time, preheat the oven to 200 C / 395 F. You can also pan-fry the fritters, in which case you don’t have to use the oven and this might be a better option for summer.

Step 4. Shape falafel patties and place them on a lightly greased baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. If pan-frying, cook for 4-5 minutes in a bit of oil on each side. 

Try This Next Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes with Parmesan Orzo Recipe

What is Israeli salad? 

Israeli salad (also known as Jerusalem salad) is a chopped salad of finely diced tomato, onion, cucumber, and sweet peppers or chilli peppers. It’s a very popular dish in Israel and is often served as an accompaniment to main meals. However, it’s one of those salads that is very, very similar to other well-known Middle Eastern salads like shirazi salad or Arabic salad. Variations come from additions of certain spices or herbs or the way the vegetables are cut. Regardless of the name, it’s an easy yet delicious salad that goes well with our quinoa falafels. The key is to chop all vegetables into small, similar-sized cubes. 

Make-ahead tips

You can make this meal ahead of time. You can prepare the falafel patties the day before and refrigerate them on a plate wrapped with some Clingwrap or covered. They will firm up in the fridge as well. Take out and bring to room temperature for 5-10 minutes before cooking. The salad can also be made ahead of time BUT don’t dress it until just before serving or it will get pretty soggy. 

Baked or pan-fried falafels will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and are great as leftovers for lunch or breakfast. The salad – once dressed – doesn’t keep well in my opinion so make a smaller batch if needed or keep it without the dressing as mentioned earlier.

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Baked or pan-fried, these gluten-free falafels with quinoa and chickpea flour are healthy and delicious. Served with zesty Israeli salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs, this vegetarian-friendly meal is rich in protein, fibre and nutrients. Great for a healthy dinner or lunch.

• Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa to a medium pot and top with boiling water, stir and cook for about 15 minutes on simmering heat or until quinoa is fluffy. Strain any excess liquid and let the quinoa cool down. Then transfer to a mixing bowl.
• If baking, preheat the oven to 200 C / 395 F.
• Add chickpea flour, eggs, coriander, onions, garlic, cumin and salt to the cooked quinoa and combine well.
• Form the patties with your hands and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I greased the paper with a little olive oil first.
• Bake the falafel patties for about 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.
• You can also fry the patties in 2 tablespoons of oil, for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden.For the salad, chop the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, coriander or/and parsley into small cubes. Place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper.
  Taste and adjust lemon and salt to your liking.Serve falafels with the salad and any condiments you like. I love these with some tahini garlic sauce, harissa or aioli (garlic mayonnaise).

Notes

Chickpea flour is also known as besan flour, it’s high in protein, fibre and carbohydrates but is gluten-free.  It can be replaced with gluten-free flour blend or a mix of almond meal and coconut flour for a lower carb/paleo-friendly version.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2-3 patties with salad
• Calories: 518
• Sugar: 10.2 g
• Sodium: 458.1 mg
• Fat: 19 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Carbohydrates: 70.1 g
• Fiber: 10 g
• Protein: 20.3 g
• Cholesterol: 93 mg

Keywords: Falafels, Chickpea Flour, Besan, Quinoa, Shirazi Salad, Jerusalem Salad, Gluten-Free, Healthy

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Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes with Parmesan Orzo Recipe

Shrimp laced with buttery garlic and thyme and a burst tomato sauce served on a creamy Parmesan orzo.

Juicy, succulent shrimp laced with garlic, butter, and thyme, tucked into a silky burst tomato sauce, and piled high on creamy, luscious Parmesan orzo. WHAT A DREAMBOAT DINNER. I love this recipe!

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In This Post:

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How To Make This Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes (with Pictures)

Step 1: Blister and Smash the Tomatoes

Get the tomatoes hot and blistery; then give ’em a gentle smash with the back of a spoon or a small plate. It’s… very fun.

Step 2: Cook the Shrimp

Make a little clearing right in the center of the tomatoes where you can add your shrimp to cook for a couple of minutes. Salt it up!

Step 3: Get the Garlic and Butter Going In There

Throw in a bunch of freshly sliced garlic and a knob of butter. Stir it up a few times until it’s dreamy.

Step 4: Make a Creamy Orzo

Put a lid on the shrimp and make a quick creamy orzo – butter, Parmesan, cream, lemon, and salt.

Step 5: Put It All Together

Piping hot orzo goes on the plate first, and then we pull our shrimp and tomatoes back out to pile on top.

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Lindsay’s Notes

This recipe is in heavy rotation at the moment – and it never fails to make me feel like I’m eating at a fancy restaurant and/or generally have my life together. Is my laundry all over my table? Yes. Have I been using dry shampoo for the last 4 days? Yes. But am I also eating a kind of fancy and beautiful dinner? YES! Three cheers for doable “fancy” recipes. 10/10 recommend.

Creamy orzo with the twang of Parmesan, sweet burst tomatoes gently bubbled into a sauce, and a pile of jumbo, delicate, buttery, garlic-laced shrimp. Pass me a glass of wine and I am living my best life.

As far as family approval goes, Bjork and I love the whole big, beautiful thing – no thyme for him (a true crime and I don’t want to spend any more time talking about it), and lots of thyme, salt, and pepp for me. The girls are hit and miss with the shrimp and tomatoes, but you better believe they love the creamy Parmesan orzo which is, of course, just mac and cheese in disguise. They’ll usually eat a few of the fresh little tomatoes on the side, too. Winning for everybody!

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Description

Shrimp laced with buttery garlic and thyme and a burst tomato sauce served on a creamy Parmesan orzo.

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Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes:

Creamy Orzo:

Popular Recipe Thai Chicken Drumsticks (Baked)

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1. Cook the Orzo: Cook according to package directions. Drain, toss with a bit of oil, and set aside.
2. Soften the Tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and olive oil to a pan over medium high heat so they can soften and get a bit blistered on the outside. I usually cover the pan to avoid extra splatters.
3. Smash the Tomatoes: Once they’re soft (5 minutes or so), give them a gentle smash with the back of a spoon or applying even pressure with a plate or similar flat object. You want the tomatoes to be partially burst / smashed so they release some juices.
4. Cook the Shrimp: Make a little clearing in the center of the tomatoes and add your shrimp right in; season them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Give it Some Flava-Flave: Add the garlic, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan and stir to mix it all together. Let it get saucy and bubbly; then remove from heat and cover with a lid.
6. Make the orzo: Mix the orzo with butter, half and half, Parmesan, and lemon. Stir to combine; warm it up over the heat if necessary.
7. Pile it up: Serve immediately so the orzo doesn’t get too starchy and sticky! Pile it on a plate with a big scoop of steamy shrimp and tomatoes. Top with thyme. So good!

Notes

This amount usually makes enough for just Bjork and I to finish the shrimp, with plenty of orzo for us and the girls. If you wanted to serve 4 adults, I would use 2 pounds of shrimp!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Saute
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: shrimp and orzo, orzo recipe, shrimp and tomatoes

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Frequently Asked Questions For Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes

What can I use instead of shrimp?

Chicken would be delicious! I would probably pan-fry the chicken first, then take it out and set aside while you build your tomato sauce, then add the chicken back in at the end.

How long do the leftovers last?

You can definitely eat this meal as leftovers for 1, maybe 2 days after you make it, but it’s one of those meals that really shines when it’s made fresh.

Can you make this vegetarian / meatless?

Use zucchini in place of the shrimp! Or, similarly, this recipe is great.

How do you make this gluten-free and/or dairy-free?

Use gluten free orzo, dairy-free butter (or olive oil), and something else creamy in place of the half and half and Parmesan – a knob of dairy-free cream cheese would be good!

Another option would be to skip the creamy orzo and serve this with quinoa or another gluten-free, dairy-free option.

My Favorite Shrimp Recipes

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