Say hello to my dream meal.
A bowl full of greens, veggies, olives, hummus, falafel, and tahini sauce. Swoon.
I’m convinced I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it. Who’s with me!?
The base of this bowl is my go-to parsley, tomato, and onion salad with a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt. It takes 5 minutes and I make it at least once a week for falafel night.
Yes, we have falafel night and it’s the highlight of my week. Don’t judge.
Speaking of falafel, this is my favorite recipe at the moment. It’s absolutely perfect in texture and flavor, and comes together faster than most traditional falafel thanks to a quick-soak bean method! Shortcuts for the win.
To keep this bowl a 30-minute recipe, I make these falafel ahead of time and pan-fry them as needed! Best life hack ever, and I always have falafel ready to go when I need them.
I hope you guys LOVE this recipe! It’s:
Savory
Crunchy
Healthy
Satisfying
Flavorful
Easy
& SO delicious
This is the perfect meal when you’re craving something vegetable-packed with some serious staying power. One bowl (of 2) boasts more than 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber! Now that’s a lot of plant power.
If you try this recipe let us know! We love seeing your comments, ratings and your photos tagged @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
The Ultimate Mediterranean Bowl
Ingredients
FALAFEL*
- 1 batch 30-Minute Kale Falafel or Classic Vegan Falafel (see notes for substitutions)
PARSLEY SALAD
- 2 cups fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin (or regular) olive oil (optional)
SAUCES (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
- First prepare falafel by following this 30-Minute Kale Falafel recipe (or this Classic Vegan Falafel recipe for more traditional falafel, although more time consuming). You will need ~10 falafel total, so adjust amounts accordingly. You can also prepare your falafel ahead of time and keep it uncooked in the freezer. To cook, thaw and cook per recipe instructions for easy, weeknight meals.
- Prepare the parsley salad by adding parsley, tomato, onion, lemon juice, salt and olive oil (optional) to a medium mixing bowl and tossing to combine. Set aside.
- To serve, divide parsley salad between serving bowls and top with hummus, olives, and desired number of falafel (we recommend ~4-5 per bowl).
- Serve with additional sauce of choice (optional) – we prefer our 3-Ingredient Tahini Sauce! We also add some fresh lemon juice, chili garlic sauce, and pita on the side (also optional).
- Best when fresh! Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 2-3 days. Store and reheat falafel separately.
Video
Notes
*You can learn about the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origins of the ingredients used in this bowl here: falafel, hummus, tahini, and tabbouleh.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with tahini sauce, ~4 falafel per serving, ~1/4 cup hummus per serving, ~6 olives per serving, and without chili garlic sauce or garlic dill sauce.
Gina Toscano says
This falafel recipe was amazing!! Everyone in my family loved it, I made it twice already
Yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy the falafel, Gina. Thank you for sharing! xo
Sandra says
Hi,
I made this falafel bowl yesterday and am still thinking about how good it tasted today.
Thank you so much!
This meal is comforting and has good vibes!
-Sandra
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sandra! Thank you for sharing! xo
LeAnn says
This was delicious! This will be a regular for sure. A little labor intensive I just roasted everything together except the chick peas and it was great. I mix everything together all the time juist the way I am.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, LeAnn!
Bakingbiking mom says
The perfect protein pack vegan meal!
Agreed! xoxo
Andi Peinovich says
Made this tonight; SOOOOOO good!! The flavors all melded together so wonderfully. It’s like perfection in a bowl. We added Trader Joe’s Vegan Tzatziki, and added small cucumber dice to the parsley/tomato salad. And every bite was bliss 😋😊
Sara says
This is going to be one of my go-to recipes! I made it with the kale falafel (easy and delicious) and the tahini sauce, and wow, was this good. The balance of flavors is great, it comes together pretty quickly, and it is wonderful as leftovers too!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed both recipes, Sara! Thank you for sharing!
Danny says
What a fantastic recipe, it is unbelievable how flavorful the parsley salad is with just a few ingredients. I made the parsley salad myself and used a boxed Falafel mix. I topped the Falafel and salad with a big scoop of hummus and drizzled tahini sauce over everything. Super yummy and super simple!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Danny! Thank you for sharing! xo
I cook u eat says
The parsley salad reminded me a lot of the tomatoes in the Mediterranean baked sweet potatoes (which is hands down my favorite recipe). To make it more filling and veg heavy I add some tiny potatoes sauteed in olive oil, lemon, and red pepper flakes, some red bell peppers, and cucumber. I serve it on a bed of baby kale and top it with halloumi or feta and a grilled mini pita. As is, this recipe was delicious but had my stomach growling a couple of hours later. Now falafel night is the highlight of my week, too! Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback! We’d think it would be quite filling at 500+ calories per serving, but feel free to add more hummus/pita to make it more filling!
Eliana says
This bowl was absolutely amazing! I made it last night for a friend (social distanced of course) and it was such a wonderful summer treat. With the high fat and protein content it made the dish satisfying, rich and yet light enough for a hot summer day. It reminded me and my boyfriend of eating in Israel so HUGE compliment. Thanks for this wonderful recipe :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Eliana! Thanks so much for sharing!
Steven Wakeling says
Do the macros include pitas/pita chips?
No, it isn’t. The nutrition info is calculated without optional ingredients.
CG says
Holy crumbs this was a satisfying meal. Added a few slices of cucumbers to round things out.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Baubie says
Recently, my husband had a stroke and sodium intake needed to be reduced. A Mediterranean diet was recommended. This salad looks amazing but need to have less sodium. How should I modify this recipe?
I’d say remove any salt where it’s added! Rely more on lemon, herbs, and garlic for flavor!
sam says
Hi i love tour receipes but these ate very high in carbs – can you indicate where this lies so I can adjust amounts accordingly to reduce the carbs esp for dinner
It’s mainly in the falafel! Hummus also has a decent amount of carbs.
Brooklyn says
Made this with the better than restaurant falafel recipe. It’s my go-to best lunch in the office recipe.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Angela Mullen says
Hi there, my partner has just been told her needs to follow a Mediterranean diet. I’ve been looking through your recipes and they look fantastic however a few I have looked at are served with a parsley salad. I absolutely hate the taste of parsley and was wondering if there was something else I could substitute this for?
Thanks in advance
Angela
Hi Angela, we’d suggest fresh dill instead! Or a blend of spinach or kale, cilantro, and mint?
Jenny says
This was so wonderful I almost cried when I ate it. My family is moving toward a plant-based diet and this was a fantastic meal that will become a part of the regular rotation. I used the Kale Falafel recipe, your hummus recipe, and the tahini dressing recipe. All wonderful. I was shy on fresh parsley (only had 1 cup,) so I ground up fresh kale and spinach to make the green salad. Looked a little like I had wiped off my lawn mower blade, but it was yummy and nutritious.
haha, thanks, Jenny! xoxo
karen says
Very very tasty,this dish will become a very regular thing on this family keep them coming.
Yay! Thanks so much! So glad you and your family enjoyed it! xo
Michelle says
Was looking for some inspiration for an easy yet healthy meal for hubby and I to make together on holiday. This fit the bill completely! As we were on holiday time wasn’t an issue, so we made things at a slower pace and just enjoyed the time together in the kitchen. Even our dog loved the meal! ? My own additions were to add a good handful of mint and some finely chopped radishes as we had a glut of them from our garden to use up. We made our own hummus as I prefer it to shop bought stuff and it is so easy. The falafel we made from here and it was incredible, I made no changes. I had never had it before and was worried I might not like it, but now I see why you make a big batch to always have some at hand to fry up! Omg delish! Hubby said it was a definite do again. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Thanks so much!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Michelle! We are so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Randa says
Really enjoyed this recipe! I did add some cucumber to the salad as well and it was very tasty. Reminded me of my father’s cooking (he is Palestinian) from when I was kid.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Berneda Rivard says
I’m not a parsley fan. What other recipe would work well in this dish? Thank you so much!
What about a blend of spinach or kale, cilantro, and mint?
Berneda Rivard says
thank you!
Irene says
I would cut back on the carbs and sodium, especially for a diabetic diet, but also interested in trying new ideas. This looks very very appetizing.
Sarah says
For your falafel, do you think you could premake them and then freeze them? Or how long do they store for you? I love falafel, but as you mentioned, it can be pretty time consuming to make each time! :)
Hi Sarah, yes, that will work! There are instructions and info on freezing in the final step of the falafel recipe. Hope that helps!
Debbie says
I’ve made this twice and love it. I like to add some mint and garlic to the parsley salad but it’s also very tasty as is.
Martha says
Hi. I love falafel and look forward to trying your recipe. You mentioned you make some ahead of time or always have some ready to fry up. Do you freeze them or make a big batch a d just keep in fridge for maybe a week?
Hi Martha! You can make a batch ahead of time and keep them uncooked in your freezer so you just have to slightly thaw and pan-fry them when you want a Mediterranean Bowl! This keeps prep/cook time under 30 minutes.
Sam says
I made this and it didn’t quite turn out well! The used 3/4th the parsley quantity for the salad and even then it was too much/ too overpowering.
Sorry to hear this recipe didn’t do it for you, Sam! Better luck next time!
Anne says
So I was going to take a photo but we ate it all before I remembered! This was delicious! I made roasted chickpeas instead of falalfel because I was lazy and also thought it would be healthier since it’s not fried. Also mixed in some leaf lettuce because my husband didn’t want all parsley but he loved the parsley in the end. The dressing was delicious! Will definitely make this again and again!
The best meals are the ones that are so delicious, you forget to photograph them ;) Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Anne! We are glad you both enjoyed it!
Wim says
Hi Dana,
Do I have to use all three of the sauces? Or can I choose between the three sauces?
Hi Wim! No no, feel free to make any of them but not all three!
Liat says
Hi Dana. Just a technical feedback (the recipe looks fantastic and i will try it very soon!), is that when i input in the serving box anything else than the original recipe amount, the amount of grams in the Parenthesis isn’t adapting itself :-) is there a way to fix that? thanks a lot for all the lovely help!
Hi Liat! We’re in the process of switching over our recipe plug in and we haven’t had time to amend this one yet for adjustable metrics. But it should be done soon! Sorry for any inconvenience in the meantime.
Sarah says
Absolutely gorgeous. I doubled everything to make 4 portions and cooked up 160g bulgur wheat to add some body to the salad and make it more substantial. Would eat it every night if I could. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!
Maile says
I made this using the “Better than restaurant falafel” recipe also from this blog and it was great. In addition to the suggested toppings I added some radishes. Great healthy meal, I’ll be making this again. Thanks!
Habib says
This is tabbouleh, not your simple green salad. And falafel is always vegan.
?
Brooke says
This was super yummy. I added cucumber and a bit of cooked quinoa to the salad, makes mklinux it more like tabbouli. Also used one of your other falafel recipes and it came out delicious. Thanks!
Deborah says
I just discovered your page recently and had to try the Mediterranean Bowl. Total joy. I love how the flavors all come together and it was just fun digging into this meal without any worries about calories, fat, etc. I just started eating vegan very recently (like this week) and I just stumbled on your page. Glad I bumped into you. I’ve made a couple of your Granola recipes too and they are awesome. Never wanna buy store brand again. Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous recipes. :)
Danielle says
I tried this recipe this weekend (my first from your site) and I had a question on texture. I loved the seasoning on the falafel, but it was too mushy. Are there any tips as to have it be a tad more crispy/hard (like those found in restaurants) on the outside?
claudia says
hi !!!
why are most healthy recipes so calorie-heavy ?? it seems crazy to me to think that this “healthy ” bowl will blow half of my daily calorie intake ……
every time I try to find natural and healthy and vegan recipes I end up running the other way because I would blow up like a ballon if I ate like this :(
so sad …. but congrats on your blog !! every thing you make looks delicious !
This is definitely a hearty bowl. To reduce calories add fewer falafel!
Conor says
We have a local market once a week and there are a pair of lovely women who have a felafel stand. It’s got some interesting ingredients in the wrap like pickles turnip. They are absolutely amazing and the highlight of my week. Thursdays at work and our local coffee shop have become ‘felafel day’ as everyone knows I won’t go without one! Haha
Caitlin says
I made the salad, falafel, and hummus and ate them together tonight and it was so easy and delicious and I feel great! Thanks!!
victoria says
Just wanted to thank you for all your recipes, they are all delicious and they are all great recipes – too often you get recipes that look great in pictures but don’t hold up when made, but yours always do. Thank you for all your efforts! You rock!
Thanks Victoria!
Olivia says
Hi Dana!
Does your nutritional information contain the hummus/olives/pita? Thanks!
xox
Cassie says
Can you please make an ultimate Indian bowl or Thai bowl?? I think with your talent and creativity, you’d whip up something AMAZING!!
Christy says
Hi Dana! Long time follower here and I just wanted to say how much I love how you have separate categories in your ingredients list. It really helps my eyes stay on track and not searching all around while cooking. Thanks again for everything!
Kennedi says
I made it for dinner this week…There are not enough stars to show how delicious it tasted!! Perfection in a bowl ?
Jolene says
This looks absolutely lush – like heaven in a bowl! Going to try to make this on the weekend!
eva says
Oh this looks like something I could eat often…as in…very often. Making sure I get the ingredients tomorrow. Is there a possible substitute for the parsley if I can’t find that? Thank you for sharing it
Eva
ValToo says
In my first weeks as a vegan 6 months ago, one of you falafel recipes made me realize “oh my goodness, I can do this!” It was the first amazing meal I made. I had never made falafel. I now love it in a box; I love it with a fox. Thank-you for helping me make this transition. I can’t wait to make your Mediterranean bowl!
Ha! Thanks so much for sharing and for the kind words! xoxo
Elizabeth @ Pineapples and Polka Dots says
Yum! This looks so delicious, and I love all of those colors! Also, that parsley salad looks like heaven!
Kennedi says
Oh god this looks like paradise…I am seriously coveting this bowl!
Genevieve says
it look soooo good I will try it for sure!!
Britt says
YUM! I cannot WAIT to try this one!! I am a huge fan of bowls, and I’m definitely going to try it with some roasted chickpeas. Thanks, Dana!!
Amy | The Whole Food Rainbow says
That is a truly mega bowl of ultimate deliciousness I love it, and I totally agree I could eat it every day!! :)
Silvia says
Looks amazing! As do all of your recipes. :) Do you use flat-leaf or curly-leaf parsley?
Both work, but curly is best!
Alex says
I adore that the recipe consists of 6 falafels per person, not a sad two or three that you get at restaurants. You know how to live, lady! Thank you!
Right?!! Hope you love it!
Aayushi says
Currently in school drooling because I FREAKING LOVE MEDITERRANEAN/LEBANESE and i am so looking forward to my sweet potato chickpea broccoli salad for lunch. I am obsessed with you!! Making this on the weekend
Too kind! Hope you love it! xoxo
Brande says
So excited! Can’t wait to try this.
Aleksandra says
Oh my, that is a heaven on a plate!
Cheryl says
This looks incredible, will definitely be trying this out! I have a feeling that this will be one of my go to meals ?
Xx
Cheryl
James Anthony says
Most of the restaurant is located in the front of a grocery store in Little Village, but we doubt you’ll be doing any shopping while you’re here.