Copycat Sweetgreen Falafel Salad

Ever since moving to Boston, I really like Sweetgreen since you get a salad or bowl that’s healthy and doesn’t truly break the bank. But, I’d like Sweetgreen even more if I didn’t have to leave my apartment to grab a meal. Sometimes, you just want something a bit more instantaneous. Here’s my copycat version of the Hummus Tahina Salad — Falafel Salad with Cucumber Tahini Dressing. I bought some falafels from the freezer section, tossed in ingredients for a salad and whipped up a dressing. I liked SG’s idea of adding breadcrumbs to their salad, so I added some GF breadcrumbs to act like croutons. I also like making regular tahini dressing — raw tahini, lemon, agave and water — and modified this to be the cucumber tahini version. Almost just as easy, but this one requires a bit of blending to make the cucumbers and garlic silky smooth.

Ingredients (makes 1 salad).

For the Salad:

2 c red romaine leaves, chopped
1 c spinach, chopped
1/4 c matchstick carrots
1 mini cucumber, chopped
5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 T banana peppers
1/8 c red onion, diced
1 falafel, chopped
1 T hummus of choice
1 t breadcrumbs of choice (I used GF panko)
1-2 T cucumber tahini dressing (see below)

For the Dressing (makes about 1/2 c or 8 T):

1 c cucumber, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
2-3 T raw tahini
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 t minced garlic
3 T warm water
1/2 t agave (optional)

Directions.

In a small blender or food processor, combine cucumber, 2 T tahini, lemon juice, garlic and water for dressing. Blend well until cucumbers are chopped and dressing is smooth. Adjust tahini and agave (optional) to taste.
- You can add more water to thin the dressing or start with 2 T to thicken.
- Store remaining dressing in the fridge for up to 1 wk.
In a medium bowl, add ingredients for salad. Toss well to distribute dressing and hummus. Start with 1 T dressing and adjust to taste.
Plate and enjoy!