Broccoli Falafels With Buckwheat Herb Salad (Printable)

Crispy broccoli-chickpea patties over a refreshing buckwheat, egg, and herb salad. Nutritious, vibrant, and satisfying.

# What You Need:

→ For the Broccoli Falafels

01 - 1 small head broccoli (about 9 oz), cut into florets
02 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small onion, roughly chopped
05 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1/2 tsp ground coriander
09 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
10 - 1/4 cup chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour)
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
13 - 2–3 tbsp olive oil (for pan-frying)

→ For the Buckwheat, Egg & Herb Salad

14 - 1 cup buckwheat groats
15 - 2 cups water
16 - 4 large eggs
17 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
18 - 1 small cucumber, diced
19 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
20 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
21 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
22 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
23 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
24 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
25 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse the buckwheat groats under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the buckwheat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes until tender. Drain any excess water and let cool.
02 - Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes for medium-set yolks. Transfer eggs to cold water, peel, and cut into quarters.
03 - Steam or microwave broccoli florets for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Let cool slightly. In a food processor, pulse broccoli, chickpeas, garlic, onion, herbs, cumin, coriander, baking powder, flour, salt, and pepper until combined and slightly chunky. Don't overprocess.
04 - With damp hands, form mixture into 12 small patties. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry falafels in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooled buckwheat, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and mint. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Pour over salad and toss gently.
06 - Divide salad between plates, top with falafels and quartered eggs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast between crispy, spiced falafels and cool, herbaceous salad hits every single craving
  • You get protein from three sources, but it never feels heavy or like health food
  • The buckwheat base soaks up all those bright flavors, making each forkful better than the last
02 -
  • The falafel mixture might seem too wet, but that moisture is what keeps them from turning into rocks
  • Letting the shaped patties chill for 15 minutes helps them hold together better, though I rarely have the patience
  • If the buckwheat tastes bitter, you didnt rinse it enough, give it another thorough wash next time
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, the falafels develop a better crust
  • Let the cooked falafels rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels so they stay crispy all over

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