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Easy Meal with Trader Joe’s Falafel

trader joes falafel on plates with rice, veggies, tahini lemon garlic sauce and pickled onions

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5 from 2 reviews

This is one of my favorite vegetarian meals. Trader Joe’s frozen falafel paired with rice, roasted veggies, pickled onions and topped with a luscious tahini sauce that will have you planning when you can eat this meal again.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 Trader Joe’s Frozen Falafel Patties
  • 1 bag Frozen Brown Rice from Trader Joe’s ( )

Pickled Onions

  • 1 whole red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 2/3 cup white distilled vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Tahini Lemon Garlic Sauce

  • 2/3 cup tahini (unroasted, unsalted)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic (minced/pressed)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup water

Roasted Vegetables

  • 1 yellow squash (cut into 1/2 moon shapes about 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 bell pepper, I like yellow, (chopped)
  • 1 cup brussel sprouts (sliced 1/4 inch)
  • drizzle of olive oil to coat
  • spinkle of salt
  • drizzle of honey

Instructions

Start with the onions

  1. Place sliced onions, vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a jar with a secure lid. Shake well and place in the fridge until ready to eat.

Prepare veggies & falafel

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. *see note
  2. Place falafel on baking sheet near the edge. On the rest of the baking sheet spread: brussel sprouts, bell peppers, squash. Drizzle with olive oil to coat evenly, sprinkle with salt and add a slight drizzle of honey. Mix the veggies well to coat with the oil, honey and salt.
  3. Bake falafels and veggies for about 15-20 minutes, until veggies are soft and falafel is cooked through.

Tahini Garlic Lemon Sauce

  1. While the falafels and veggies are cooking, make the tahini sauce.
  2. Place lemon juice in a jar or spouted measuring cup. Add minced/pressed garlic and allow it sit sit for about 5-10 minutes.
    minced garlic lemon juice being pressed through a sieve
  3. Press lemon juice through a sieve to remove garlic pieces. To the lemon garlic juice add: tahini, salt, cumin and coriander. Whisk until combined, it will become very thick.
    tahini lemon garlic sauce in the very thick stage
  4. Add the water and whisk again until smooth.
    tahini lemon garlic sauce in a jar

Assemble

  1. Cook the bag of rice in the microwave to cook towards the end of the veggies and falafels time in the oven.
  2. Separate the rice onto two plates and top with falafel, veggies, pickled onions and tahini sauce. Top with chopped parsley if desired.
    two plates with rice, falafel and roasted veggies are on a baking sheet

Notes

*the package instructions say to cook the falafel at 325F, however I like to cook the veggies and falafel at the same time (400F is a more optimal temperature for cooking veggies) I just cook everything at this temperature and the falafel has always come out great for me.