I have been a falafel lover for as long as I can remember. After several tweaks to original falafel recipes, I believe that I have finally come up with a great recipe for a super tasty beet falafel that is healthy, bursting with flavor but also quick and easy to prepare.
The falafels can be baked or fried depending on your preference. This beet falafel recipe yields 10-16 beetroot falafels. Any extra falafels can be frozen and cooked for another time helping future meal prep.
These beetroot falafels are especially delicious with pita or a salad and a bit of hummus. You can enjoy it with almost any sauce of your liking but I also included one of my favorites down below which makes a delicious pairing.
Ingredients for Beet falafel
- 1,5 cups chickpeas (15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained)
- 1 ½ cups shredded raw beetroot
- 3 cloves garlic, skins removed and minced or finely chopped
- 1 cup of fresh coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 – 3/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 Tbsp tahini
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-3 Tbsp oat flour or chickpea flour or (all-purpose flour if not gluten intolerant)
Yogurt Sauce
- 50g dairy-free yogurt
- 1 tablespoon old-fashioned mustard
- 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- A few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
- 1 small clove of garlic finely chopped
Beet falafel recipe
Step 1
Using a box grater or grater attachment on the food processor shred the raw beetroots and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add to the food processor add garlic and fresh coriander and pulse to chop into small bits. Then add rinsed chickpeas, shredded beets, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, tahini, and lemon juice, and pulse for about 15-30 seconds.
NOTE Do not over mix else there is a risk of obtaining a puree. Pulse until the falafel mixture comes together. Be careful not to overmix — the mixture shouldn’t be puréed. If too wet, you can dry it out with some oat or chickpea flour, or if too dry add some more lemon juice or tahini.
Step 3
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Adding more cumin or smoked paprika will give a more smoky texture whilst lemon will give acidity. Do not add too much lemon else the falafel mixture will become too wet and difficult to handle.
Step 4
Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to take out portions of the falafel and use your hands to form them into round flat patties. We recommend this cookie scoop. The recipe will yield 16 small or 10 larger falafels.
Step 5
BAKE
Arrange the falafel balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-30 mins or until you have a crispy beet falafel
OR
PAN FRY
Add two tablespoons of oil to a skillet over medium-high heat fry the falafels for 3-4 minutes on each side. If you prefer a crispier beet falafel you can further bake them for an additional 5-15 minutes.
Step 6
For the yogurt sauce, start by very finely chopping the garlic and parsley. Then in a bowl, combine all the ingredients together, mix well and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Enjoy your freshly baked beet falafel.
Expert Tips
Storage
- Cooked leftover beetroot falafels can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days and reheated at 350f or 176c oven.
- Uncooked falafels can be stored between layers of parchment paper and frozen if you do not intend to use them right away. Beet falafels can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month. Then defrost and cook as instructed above.
