Dairy Free Chickpea Falafel Bowl with Coconut Tzatziki
This bowl is the kind of meal that makes you feel like you've ordered from a really good Mediterranean spot — except you made it yourself, and it serves four. The falafel are baked rather than fried, built from a coarsely pulsed chickpea mixture seasoned with cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika, then crisped in the oven until deep golden and firm. The real surprise is the tzatziki: plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt stands in for traditional dairy with zero compromise on that cool, creamy, herb-forward flavor you expect. Grating and squeezing the cucumber dry before mixing it in is the small step that keeps the sauce thick and spoonable rather than watery. Everything lands on a bed of olive-oil-fluffed herbed rice, topped with a bright tomato-cucumber salad dressed in fresh lemon juice. If you've ever scanned a store-bought tzatziki label and quietly put it back on the shelf, this homemade version gives you full control over every ingredient. It's a genuinely satisfying, plant-forward dinner that doesn't ask you to sacrifice anything.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the coconut tzatziki
- 1 cup dairy free yogurt (plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt)
- ½ english cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
For the falafel
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for brushing)
For the herbed rice
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- 2 ¾ cups water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
For the bowls
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ english cucumber, diced
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the tzatziki: Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, then transfer to a fine-mesh strainer or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly until most of the liquid is removed. In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut yogurt, squeezed cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, and salt until combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it generously with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
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