Falafel Salad Recipe with Harissa Dressing

This Falafel Salad is a feast of textures, flavors, and colors - perfect for when you want something hearty, fresh, and deeply satisfying. With crispy falafel, herb-packed greens, fragrant bulgur, creamy labneh, and a punchy harissa dressing, it's a salad that eats like a full meal. 

 

 

Serve it with a swipe of hummus and warm batbout bread on the side, and you've got a Middle Eastern-inspired plate that's just as great for a dinner party as it is for weekday lunch prep.

 

More salads that eat like a full meal:

• Mexican-inspired mango avocado salad
• Lemon chicken winter salad
• Warm chicken salad with baked feta
• Roasted cauliflower chickpea salad
• Grilled harissa chicken salad
• Rosemary chicken and bacon salad

 

Why you'll love this recipe

 

If you love snack food, this falafel salad recipe is for you, as it is a modern take on a mezze platter - combining familiar ingredients like falafel, hummus, and labneh with sweet pomegranate, chewy dates, and toasted pistachios.

 

It's vibrant and full of flavor, with harissa dressing tying everything together with its spicy, citrusy kick. The spiced bulgur brings a touch of the unexpected, infused with fennel, cumin, and coriander, much like North African harissa blends.

 

 

It's a great way to enjoy falafel in a lighter, fresher format while still feeling fully nourished. It is well-balanced with 

 

• Proteins from falafel (the chickpeas), labneh and pistachios

• Healthy fats from olive oil, pistachios, and labneh

• Complex carbohydrates from bulgur, chickpeas, and dates

• Fiber from spinach, herbs, seeds, fruits, and legumes

• Contains iron and magnesium, vitamins K and C, antioxidants, calcium, and probiotics

 

Ingredients

 

This is just a blend of all my favorite North African and Middle Eastern ingredients. I originally just made it for me, so I truly love it this way, but of course, if there's something you don't like/have, you can always switch them out.

 

• Spinach - I think spinach is the best salad base for Middle Eastern salads, it's not watery like iceberg lettuce, but it's not overpowering like arugula either. Try it in my halloumi quinoa salad as well!
• Mint - freshens up the salad. However, you can use parsley or cilantro as well. Or nothing!
• Cucumber - fresh and hydrating, balancing out the bold flavors of the falafel salad recipe
• Red onion - a pang of crunchy flavor
• Pomegranate - sweet and tart pops of flavor!
• Dates - a sweet and chewy addition to the salad, offering a delightful texture
• Pistachios - or any other nut. It's a lovely contrast to the chewy dates
• Green olives - something pickled make this salad complete. I love to use garlic-filled.
• Labneh - the Middle Eastern yogurt cheese is perfect as a creamy, cheesy addition
• Bulgur cooked with fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds for a harissa flavor-inspired bulgur. 
• Crispy baked falafel - here you can use store-bought or another recipe. But I definitely prefer my own oven-baked crispy baked falafel for this recipe!
• Harissa - here you can also make your own or just get store-bought. This time I went for store-bought.
• Olive oil - to thin out the harissa, making it a smooth and enjoyable dressing
• Lemon juice - to brighten up the harissa dressing
• Salt - to balance the flavors of the harissa dressing
• Optionally you can serve it with hummus (store-bought or homemade), and batbout, or another delicious bread

 

 

Instructions

 

Step 1: Prepare the crispy baked falafel

Make sure you make your favorite falafel while the bulgur is cooking (step 2). Here is my falafel recipe.

 

Step 2: Cook the bulgur

In a dry skillet, toast ½ teaspoon each of fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds until fragrant (1). Cook bulgur in water according to package directions. Add the spices and cook. Let cool a little and fluff with a fork (2). 

 

 

Step 3: Make the harissa dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together harissa, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt (3). Set aside.

 

Step 4: Prepare the salad base

In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, mint, red onion, cucumber, and slightly cooled bulgur. Toss gently with the harissa dressing to coat. Start small, give it a taste, and see if you want more of the spicy dressing (4).

 

Step 5: Assemble and decorate

Divide the salad base among four plates or bowls. Top each with pomegranate arils, dates, pistachios, olives, and labneh balls. Add 4-6 falafel per serving, either on top or to the side.

 

Serve with hummus and batbout bread or pita bread.

 

Substitutions

 

There are endless possibilities when it comes to a salad. Here are some suggestions:

 

• The green: Switch it for arugula, kale, or romaine. Keep in mind it will have a different flavor and mouthfeel.
• Grain base: Use couscous, quinoa, or freekeh instead of bulgur.

• Nuts: Try walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds instead of pistachios.

• Labneh: Substitute with cream cheese or feta cheese if needed.

• Dates: Use raisins, dried apricots, or figs for a different kind of chewy sweetness.

 

Variations

 

• Add protein: Top with grilled halloumi or boiled eggs for extra protein. Or chicken if vegetarian is not that important here. I love this harissa chicken!

• Make it vegan: Skip labneh or use a plant-based alternative.

• Spicy version: Double the harissa or sprinkle chili flakes on top.

 

 

Equipment

 

You will need a saucepan for cooking the bulgur, a small skillet to toast the seeds, a chopping board and knife, mixing bowls, and serving plates or bowls. All basic stuff!

 

If you make the crispy baked falafel from scratch, you will also need a food processor. 

 

Storage

 

This salad is definitely best on the same day, but if you want to store it you can do it this way:

 

It is best to keep the salad base separate from the falafel especially. Refrigerate leftover salad (without falafel) in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

 

Falafel can be stored separately and reheated in the oven or air fryer for crispness.

 

Labneh balls can be stored in oil in the fridge for up to a week or whatever it says outside of the store-bought jar.

 

 

Expert tips

 

The way I make this falafel salad is by making some of the elements from scratch (because it's always better), but then because of time constraints, I buy some.

 

This time I bought harissa, even though my homemade harissa is better, and I bought hummus and labneh balls. 

 

I had homemade batbout in my freezer (recipe coming), and made the crispy baked falafel from scratch. I often find store-bought falafel to be dry and bland, so I try to prioritize making them from scratch.

 

Other tips

• Dry roast spices just until fragrant - they burn quickly.

• If you want the spinach to not wilt, let the bulgur cool completely before mixing it with greens. For it to cool quickly, pour it into a shallow plate.

• Don't overdress the salad - a little harissa dressing goes a long way.

• Falafel stays crisp if added last - especially if serving warm. All the other ingredients can be tossed together, but keep the falafel separate as they tend to break easily too. 

 

 

Recipe FAQs

Enjoy!

 

 

Did you like this recipe? Here are more filling salads I think you would like:

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