

Melty Falafel Quesadilla

Thanks to Girard’s Salad Dressing for sponsoring this post!

I’ve been in a salad dressing rut, so I was so excited to work with new-to-me Girard’s Salad Dressings to develop a recipe. It seems like so many options on the store shelves taste like straight-up vinegar, and I’m super bored with balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese. Sometimes you just need a change, know what I mean? Girard’s had so many flavors that spoke to me right off the bat: Champagne, Caesar, Chinese Chicken Salad, Greek Feta Vinaigrette, Olde Venice Italian, Original French, Spinach Salad, Raspberry, Vin Rouge, White French and White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

I was especially up for trying the Greek Feta Vinaigrette because I figured it’d be the perfect base to create a new Mediterranean-inspired recipe, and I was so right! The tangy pepperoncini peppers and feta flavor notes in the dressing had me dreaming of pairing it with crispy falafel to create a fabulous side dish.

These Melty Falafel Quesadillas start with easy pan-fried falafel patties. Pan frying gives them a nice crispy exterior without the mess of deep frying. You can also bake the patties if you’d rather decrease your oil intake.

You build the quesadillas with a generous drizzle of Girard’s Greek Feta Vinaigrette, crumbled feta cheese, the pan-fried falafel patties, and more feta! I used a big cast iron skillet to toast my quesadilla with my heavy cast iron panini press on top, but if you don’t have a panini press, you could also just use a second heavy skillet or pot on top.

I love condiments and dips, so I whipped up a quick tahini sauce and tomato-parsley salad (from this post) and some baba ghanoush (recipe coming soon!) to serve with the quesadillas. Some garlic hummus and/or some extra Girard’s Greek Feta Vinaigrette would also be a great dipping option! This recipe would certainly make a delicious light lunch, but I envision it as the perfect side dish for some chicken shawarma!

The dressing worked just like I hoped it would: adding a tangy zing with Greek notes to the crispy savory falafel patties and melty feta. I can’t wait to try the other flavors now that I know I enjoy the brand — maybe in other quesadilla flavors!

One year ago: Giant Skillet Lemon Sugar Cookie

Two years ago: Lemon Cream Pie Bars

Three years ago: Bailey’s Hazelnut Chocolate Tiramisu (and Photographing FOOD)

Four years ago: Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Orange Rosemary Butter & Goat Cheese

Five years ago: Mini Apple Pies with Cheddar Crusts

Six years ago: Chocolate Sheet Cake