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Cava · Burrito Bowl

Cava Bowl: Extra Falafel, No Rice (~790 cal)

By Alec Zakhary

TL;DR

A Cava bowl with extra falafel and no rice (greens base, double falafel, hummus, tzatziki, cucumber-tomato salsa, lemon herb tahini) runs about 790 cal and 28g protein — fully vegan. Greens base saves ~150 cal vs rice.

Illustration for Cava Bowl: Extra Falafel, No Rice (~790 cal)
1 vegan bowl (greens, double falafel, hummus, tzatziki, cucumber-tomato salsa, lemon herb tahini) (480 g)
790
cal
≈ 40% of 2000-cal daily reference
1 USDA verified3 Brand-claimed7 User-reported (11 sources — see below)
Macro Per serving Per 100g % DV
Protein 28.0 g 5.8 g 56%
Carbs 75.0 g 15.6 g 27%
Fat 38.0 g 7.9 g 49%
↳ Saturated fat 5.0 g — 25%
Fiber 16.0 g — 57%
Sodium 1700 mg — 74%

Daily-value percentages reference a 2,000-calorie diet (FDA 2020).

What customer reports show

Beyond the brand-claimed numbers, here's what aggregated customer reports and independent investigations turned up:

My take

Extra falafel + greens base = ~790 cal / 28g protein vegan bowl. Falafel is calorie-dense for what it gives — fine for variety, but black lentils + tofu hits more protein per calorie if that matters.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories in a Cava bowl with extra falafel and no rice?

About 790 calories for the standard vegan build: greens base (25 cal), double falafel (540), hummus (60), tzatziki (50), cucumber-tomato salsa (25), and lemon herb tahini dressing (90). Macros: 28g protein, 38g fat, 75g carbs, 16g fiber. Drop the dressing for ~700 cal.

Is the extra falafel build at Cava actually vegan?

Yes, if you skip the dairy add-ons. The base build (greens, falafel, hummus, lemon herb tahini, salad veggies) is 100% vegan. Tzatziki contains dairy — swap it for additional hummus or skip. Most Cava locations also stock vegan-labeled feta substitute on request.

Why no rice instead of brown rice or grains?

Greens save about 150 cal vs the rice base for the same volume. If you're already eating 540 cal of falafel, dropping the rice keeps the bowl under 800 cal. If you want grains, brown rice + falafel is more protein-dense per calorie than white rice — both add around 180-200 cal.

How much extra does "extra falafel" cost at Cava?

In 2024-2025, most Cava locations charged a $3.79 upcharge for "extra protein," which applies to falafel just like chicken or steak. Not a free modifier. The upcharge is fixed regardless of which protein, so doubling chicken (28g → 56g protein) is a much better protein-per-dollar move than doubling falafel (9g → 18g).

Falafel vs lentils — which is better for vegan protein at Cava?

Lentils per gram of protein are more efficient: black lentils base = 18g protein at ~270 cal (15g per 100g protein-to-calorie ratio). Double falafel = 18g protein at 540 cal (3.3g per 100g). Lentils win on macro efficiency; falafel wins on flavor variety. Stack both for ~36g vegan protein in one bowl.

Sources

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