Easy Dinner with Fully Cooked Trader Joe’s Falafel

I’m a little obsessed with Trader Joe’s Frozen Falafel right now. With a few easy homemade touches, this frozen falafel feels like a gourmet Mediterranean meal.

I love this meal because it comes together so fast but tastes like homemade falafel! The frozen falafel from Trader Joe’s is outstanding. It has great flavor, a super crunchy texture on the outside, and it’s seriously convenient. 

I just pop the falafel on a baking sheet with some veggies, make some quick pickled onions and a lemon garlic tahini sauce, pop a bag of microwave rice (from Trader Joe’s too!) in the microwave and within 30 minutes it’s time to eat. This meal has made it into our weekly rotation and I look forward to it every time. Let’s make this super delicious, super easy dinner!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase any of the items linked in this post, I should earn a small commission. This creates no additional cost to you and helps support the work that goes into running The Fig Jar. Thank you! -Becky 

Which Trader Joe’s Falafel Should I Buy?

Depending on which Trader Joe’s location you visit, you may find two different types of falafel. Trader Joe’s has a dry mix (called Trader Joe’s Falafel Mix) that you add water to, shape, and cook yourself. 

And they have frozen, Fully Cooked Falafel. This is the kind I use most often and what is called for in this recipe. I use this particular product more because it doesn’t require any deep fryer or air fryer. According to the package, they are vegan and would therefore also be suitable for a vegetarian diet as well.

How to make this Ready to Heat and Eat Trader Joe’s Falafel

1. Preheat oven to 400F. *see note in recipe card
2. Place a few falafel balls in a single layer on a baking sheet close to the edges. On the rest of the baking sheet spread: brussel sprouts, bell peppers, and squash. Drizzle with olive oil to coat evenly, sprinkle with salt, and add a light drizzle of honey. Mix the veggies well to coat them with the oil, honey, and salt.
3. Bake falafels and veggies for about 15-20 minutes, until veggies are soft and falafel is golden brown.

The Best Sides for Trader Joe’s Falafel

Now, let’s talk about sides. The sides I’m recommending for this falafel recipe are by no means the only ones that go well with falafel, but they were chosen because they are quick, tasty, and go very nicely as falafel sides. Truly, there are a number of things that I would recommend as sides to pair with falafel. Here is a short list below.

What can you eat with falafel?

• Tabbouleh (Tabouli) – a Middle Eastern salad that is traditionally made with finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint, onion, and soaked bulgur (cracked wheat). It adds a refreshing contrast to the fried falafel.
• Pita Bread or Pita Pocket: Soft and fluffy pita bread is a staple accompaniment to falafel. It can be used to wrap the falafel patties along with fresh veggies and sauces.
• Hummus: A creamy dip made from garbanzo beans, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a little oil. Hummus adds a rich and velvety texture to the meal and is perfect for dipping your pita bread! While hummus and falafel are both made from chickpeas, I usually can’t get enough of the flavors in both hummus and falafel, so I would definitely recommend having hummus as an option on the side of falafel.
• Cucumber and Tomato Salad: A simple side salad with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. It provides a cool and crisp contrast to the warmth of falafel.
• Other Pickled Vegetables: Pickled cucumbers, turnips, or beets, also make for a tangy and crunchy companion to falafel.
• Fresh or frozen veggies: We love the frozen broccoli florets from Trader Joe’s with this meal.
• Tzatziki Sauce: A yogurt-based sauce with garlic, mint, or cucumber can add a creamy and cooling side element to balance the spiciness of falafel. These falafel do actually have a bit of spice!
• Mediterranean Potatoes with Lemon, Herbs and Feta – These go especially well with other Mediterranean-style dishes

Ingredients you’ll need to make this Trader Joe’s Falafel Meal

Pickled onions

I love pickled onions! They add an awesome sour punch to all sorts of dishes and they are very easy to make. All you need to do is place the following ingredients in a jar, shake well and allow them to sit while you prepare the rest of the meal.

They won’t be 100% pickled by the time the meal is ready (because it comes together so fast!) but they will be pickled enough. You can of course make them the night before, too. 

• Red onions (any type really, but I prefer red for this meal)
• White distilled vinegar
• Salt
• Sugar
• Water

Lemon Tahini Garlic Sauce

Omg this sauce. I could practically just eat it with a spoon. It’s garlicky and lemony and is really what makes this meal feel special. You will need:

• Tahini (affiliate link)
• Lemon juice
• Fresh garlic
• Salt
• Cumin
• Ground coriander
• Water

Veggies & Rice

This recipe makes two servings since I’m usually just making this for my husband and I, but there will be extra sauce and pickled onions so you can easily increase the amount of veggies and rice to feed more people. I just use the frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s. 

My favorite veggie combo is roasted yellow squash, bell peppers, and brussel sprouts. But feel free to use what sounds good to you!

Tried this Trader Joe’s Falafel recipe?

If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating below and let me know how it went. I’d love to hear from you!

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Easy Meal with Trader Joe’s Falafel

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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 USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 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

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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 a baking sheet near the edges. On the rest of the baking sheet spread: brussel sprouts, bell peppers, and squash. Drizzle with olive oil to coat evenly, sprinkle with salt, and add a light drizzle of honey. Mix the veggies well to coat them 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 to sit for about 5-10 minutes.
   
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.
   
4. Add the water and whisk again until smooth.
   

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.
   

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.