Easy Baked Beetroot Falafel Recipe
Vegan and Gluten-Free
Who doesn’t love a good falafel? They’re filling, taste awesome, and can be made with a variety of ingredients to give them virtually any color of the rainbow. This baked beetroot falafel recipe is healthy, vegan, and is super easy to make. It can even be easily adapted to make this recipe gluten-free.
Baked Beetroot falafels are packed full of vitamins and nutrients and can be easily made in just 40 minutes.
This falafel recipe makes 20-25 golf ball-sized falafel balls.
Easy Recipe | Spanish | Mediterranean Recipe | Baked | Easy Dinner Recipe | Healthy Recipe | Dairy-Free | High in Protein | Low-Carb | Gluten-free Option | Made in Under an Hour
Serving:
20-25 balls
Ready in:
40 minutes
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Salad & tahini
What you need to make this beetroot falafel recipe
Ingredients
(makes 20-25 balls)
- 2 cups chickpeas (store-bought in the tin is fine!)
- 2 Cooked beets (1 cup- 60mm dia) cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 Onion, finely diced
- ½ cup Fresh parsley
- 5 Garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of Ground Cumin
- ½ cup of Bread crumbs or almond flour make the recipe gluten-free
- Salt (for seasoning)
Equipment needed
- 1 food processor
- Oven
- Parchment paper and a large baking tray
About this Recipe
- Just 94 Calories per ball
- Incredibly tasty and filling
- Quick (10 mins prep time)
- Easy to make (you just need a food processor and an oven).
- Just a few easy-to-find ingredients
- Goes with anything, from wraps and pita, to a salad or on its own as a healthy snack!
- Colorful
- Healthy and packed full of vitamins and nutrients!
- Summer vibes!!!!
Quick and easy falafel recipe
I love falafels! They’re quick and easy to make, tasty, and best of all go with pretty much everything. Throw some falafels in a pita and load it with fresh salad, and you’re good to go. Optionally, they work great when bulking up a salad or wrap, or simply a tasty and nutritious snack when you’re on the go!
Falafels are super healthy, vegan, and can be made to be gluten-free (using almond flour breadcrumbs). But, perhaps the best thing about falafels is how easy they are to make.
For this baked beetroot falafel recipe, all you need is a food processor (or some mean ninja-like chopping skills!) and an oven.
With a prep time of 15 minutes and a cook time of 25 mins in the oven, you’ve got yourself a batch of super tasty beetroot falafels that are the perfect versatile meal option in 40 minutes.
Falafel cooking options
When it comes to ways to cook your beetroot falafels, you’re kinda spoilt for choice.
- Bake – Healthiest and easiest option. Set oven at 200°C/390°F, bake for 25 minutes, and you’re done!
- Pan-Fried – Uses a little oil but yields a more crispy falafel compared to baking them.
- Deep-Fried – Least healthy but most crispy. Use vegetable or canola oil and deep-fry for around 2-3 minutes.
For us, we opted for the healthiest option and, as the title of this recipe may give away, we baked the falafels. They turn out slightly crispy on the outside that’s contrasted with a smooth texture inside. Perfect!
Baking tip: If you want a more crispy top on your falafel, brush them with a little olive oil before baking.
For those who are looking for a more crispy falafel like those you’ll find in many of the takeaway kebab shops, then deep-frying them works a treat.
How to store your beetroot falafels
Good news! The uncooked falafel mix can be prepared into balls (or disks for easier storage), lined with parchment paper, and frozen. They’ll keep frozen for up to 2-3 months, just thaw them at room temp before baking.
Cooked beetroot falafels will last a couple of days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Easy Baked Beetroot Falafel Recipe - Vegan and Gluten-Free
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 Oven
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Oven tray
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas store-bought in the tin is fine!
- 2 Cooked beets 1 cup- 60mm dia cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 Onion finely diced
- ½ cup Fresh parsley
- 5 Garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of Ground Cumin
- ½ cup of Bread crumbs or almond flour use almond flour to make recipe gluten-free
- Salt for seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas well in some fresh water.
- Pour them into your food processor along with garlic, onion, parsley, roasted beets, salt, and cumin.
- Pulse for around 3 minutes. You want a slightly coarse texture to the mixture. Slowly add the breadcrumbs or flour to thicken up the mixture as required.
- Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to measure out around a heaped tablespoon of the mixture (enough to make a 2-inch ball (golf ball size), or a 3-inch disk around ¾ inch thick).
- With damp hands, shape into balls or disks. This mixture should make 20-25 balls.
- Place balls on some parchment paper on an oven tray and bake for 25 minutes. Once ready they’ll crisp up slightly.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve in a wrap or with some tahini dip!
Video
Baked Beetroot falafels – Tips and FAQs
How do I make beetroot falafel?
Making falafels is super easy, especially when you’re baking them in the oven instead of frying them (our step-by-step recipe guide shows you how). Simply blend ingredients and spices to taste, scoop from the blender, and place on some parchment paper on an oven tray. Bake for 25 minutes at 180°C/350°F.
What goes well with beetroot falafel?
Tahini sauce works really well, as does a natural yogurt dip. Try adding your beetroot falafels to a wrap or some pita bread with some salad. Optionally, serve with some fresh greens and pickled veggies such as pickled radish, cabbage, or cucumber and you’ve got a filling and healthy meal or side dish.
Why is my falafel not crispy?
For best results, scoop directly from the falafel mixture and drop onto a baking tray(an ice cream scoop works perfectly!). Make sure you give your falafel balls enough time to cook in the oven.
Is beetroot a FODMAP?
Beetroot has a high oglio-fructan content, meaning it is considered High FODMAP.
What is the healthiest way to eat beets?
Consuming beetroot offers anti-inflammatory betalains and other phytonutrients, as well as delivering nitrates, antioxidants, vitamins, and essential minerals for a healthy body.
Can I eat Beets raw?
Yes, beets can be eaten raw and offer a fantastic crunchy texture that’s perfect in wraps, salads, and other recipes. It’s always best to thoroughly scrub the skin of your beets with some fresh water before eating raw to remove any excess grit and dirt.
What can I make with vacuum packed beetroot?
Vacuum-packed beetroot is ideal for making dips, adding to salads, or using in recipes. Vacuum-packed beetroot is pre-prepared and requires no additional cooking before use.
Is vacuum packed beetroot as healthy as fresh?
Vacuum-packed beetroot is steamed before it is packaged, meaning it is better than boiling fresh beetroots where they lose a lot of their nutritional value.
How to cook beetroot falafels?
There are three options when it comes time to cook your beetroot falafels;
- Bake – Healthiest and easiest option. Set oven at 180°C/350°F, bake for 25 minutes, and you’re done!
- Pan-Fried – Uses a little oil but yields a more crispy falafel compared to baking them.
- Deep-Fried – Least healthy but most crispy. Use vegetable or canola oil and deep-fry for around 2-3 minutes.