This baked sweet potato falafel, which is vegan friendly, gluten free AND oil free, won’t leave you disappointed up against your regular deep fried falafel cravings! This recipe packs all the flavour and none of the nasties, leaving you feeling full and nourished. Try out this super easy recipe for a great addition to a lunch this week!
If only all falafel was as good for you as this one is, I think I would eat it non stop. This super easy recipe uses sweet potato to add a subtle sweetness to the regular falafel ingredients, and also helps keep the inside of the falafel nice and moist, while the outside gets crispy in the oven!
By baking the sweet potato falafel instead of frying it, you get to cut out all the oil which leaves these delightful little falafels not greasy in the slightest. They are the lightest falafels I have ever tried, and yet no flavour is compromised at all. They still pack everything you could want from a falafel, from the chickpeas to the cumin and fresh herbs, without any of the guilt!
I decided to try eating these two ways, on a plate of salad with some of my homemade hummus (recipe for that here!), and in a cabbage leaf wrap, with more hummus and some homemade salsa. I can HIGHLY recommend the cabbage wrap! I never thought I could actually enjoy a wrap made out of a cabbage leaf, but the cool crispiness against the warm falafel and hot salsa? Hollaaaaaa.
If you want to see this falafel in action, be sure to watch the video at the top of this page, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel by clicking here, so you don’t miss any of our future videos!
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings |
Falafels |
- 1 cup baked sweet potato peeled
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 clovers garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- pinch salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup coriander / cilantro
- 1 cup parsley
- 1 tbsp tahini paste
- 1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ingredients
| |
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F)
- Add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything is fully combined. The mixture should still be quite chunky, so take care not to overblend it, we don't want hummus!
- Line a flat baking tray with parchment paper and scoop out balls of the mixture about 2 tablespoons in size.To shape the mixture into a little ball, I like to pass it from one hand to the other which is easier than rolling it as the mixture is quite sticky.
- Bake the falafels for 20-25 minutes, or until they are completely dry on the outside and slightly golden brown.Allow them to cool fully on the baking tray before moving them, this will help them stay together.
- Serve however you like, I put mine on a salad plate with some chopped bell pepper, red onion and a dollop of my homemade hummus, and also wrapped in a cabbage leaf. Both were absolutely delicious!
Falafel will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
About Lauren Caris
Lauren is the author and chef of the vegan food blog, Lauren Caris Cooks. She is passionate about showing people just how awesome vegan food can be with simple, delicious recipes and vegan lifestyle tips.
I’ve just come across these and they look amazing! However, coriander leaves me with a soapy taste in my mouth. Is there another herb you could suggest I use instead? Thanks! :-)
Hey! I’ve heard that can happen to some people. I would try flat leaf parsley instead. It should still be lovely!
Thank you so much! :-)
You’re more than welcome!
I tried them tonight and they tasted really good! I didn’t have any large leaves to wrap them in so just used a tortilla and added some Greek yoghurt with garlic and lemon. Really lovely, thanks for the recipe! :-)
I’m so happy you liked them!! Thanks for sharing!
These look amazing, definitely going to try these with my dinner tomorrow.
Breanne | http://www.myhealthycurves.com
Yay! Hope you love them Breanne!
Just FYI – the link to this recipe from Foodgawker is broken! It’s a bummer too, because you’re in the first spot on page 1.
I love baked falafel, but have never considered adding sweet potato. Looks lovely!
Oh No!!! Thanks for letting me know… I’ve emailed them to ask them to fix it. Hope you like the recipe :D
Sweet potato falafel sounds awesome! love that you include video in your blog its something I find so daunting to even think about implementing.
Thanks Rebecca! I’m trying to include it more, I’m aiming for a video at least once a week. It’s definitely a huge learning curve and takes time and practise, but I hope it helps me feel more connected to my readers and able to show them better how to cook the recipes!
I love this, Lauren! Sweet potato falafels sound divine, and this recipe looks so easy. I love the video, too — those slow motion action shots are killer!
Thanks Willow! They are so super easy, and amazingly delicious!