If you need an eye-catching appetizer for your next dinner or game-day party, this healthy baked red beet falafel recipe is for you.
Falafel is an amazing food for many reasons besides being absolutely delicious.
Falafel is also a great to-go or street food, as it is normally served as such in the Middle East.
You can find falafel in restaurants and at food stands around your city, but it’s one of those treasures that are surprisingly easy to make at home!
📃 Why it Works
- These falafel are a great protein source for those who have decided to cut meat or animal products from their diet.
- They are vegetarian and gluten-free.
- They make a great snack and dinner - stuff them into pita bread!
- Falafel is budget-friendly and can be made ahead of time.
- They are oven-baked and not fried.
- If you love the concept of eating the rainbow, this certainly does the trick. It will be your new obsession, I promise. Plus, they're so good for you! 💪
Classic falafel most likely originated in Egypt, but it's a traditional dish of Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. I don't know who first added beets to their falafel.
Have no fear! These falafel don’t have that intense beet taste to them. They have just enough of the beet flavor to give them a little kick.
Oh, and your falafel turns a beautiful red color (it makes the perfect snack for Valentine's Day!). ❤
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
All you need is a food processor, red beets, and chickpeas. It’s almost really that simple. You’ll want some seasonings in there as well, of course!
Chickpeas: The falafel police will tell you to only use raw dried chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) that are soaked overnight for optimal results. Canned chickpeas are too moist, and falafel won't keep its shape.
However, I like shortcuts, and I've tested this recipe for you a few times until I found just the right combination and amount of ingredients that work.
🔪 Instructions
- Drain the chickpeas, peel and dice the beets, and add them to a food processor. Add the shallot, garlic, cashews, and pistachios, and pulse until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Add eggs and season the mixture with cumin, ground coriander, salt, and pepper; pulse to puree. Roll small balls out of the mass with moistened hands and place them on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.
- MAKE YOGURT MINT SAUCE: Drizzle yogurt with olive oil, add chopped mint, and sprinkle with ground coriander and black sesame seeds.
Expert Tips
- Use paper towels to pat dry chickpeas and remove as much moisture as possible. Your oven-baked falafel will be crispy on the outside and soft but not mushy on the inside.
- Wear rubber or disposable gloves when handling the beets. They will stain your hands! Rub your hands with fresh-squeezed lemon juice over your sink if that happens. Rinse and repeat. You can also try rubbing your hands with a teaspoon of salt. Rinse your hands with warm water to remove the salt and stains.
- You can add chopped fresh parsley and cilantro to the falafel mixture. Herb-tender stems hide the most flavor, so make sure to include them, too.
- Add some red pepper flakes to the falafel mixture if you like spicy food.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
You will need a binding agent, or your falafel will fall apart. Here are a couple of options:
· Aquafaba - Liquid from chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Use 3 tablespoons of this starchy bean water to replace each egg. If you’re using it as a binder, whip it slightly until foamy. Any residual bean flavor will disappear once cooked - so you can use it in sweet or savory recipes.
· Flax egg—For each egg, mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes to thicken before using. If it isn’t thickening, heat it until it does, cool it, and add it to your recipe. If you use it in baking recipes that need to rise, add ¼ teaspoon extra baking powder to provide the leavening needed.
I highly recommend serving falafel with yogurt mint sauce, some tahini sauce, or a little bit of smooth hummus. You can dip them right in and eat them like nuggets, place them over mixed greens, or put them in a pita for a whole meal.
Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, you will absolutely love the bright flavors of the beets - I promise!
If you have any leftovers (we never do), the best way is to keep them refrigerated. You can reheat them in the oven or microwave, but they are also good at room temperature or cold.
Store both unused falafel mix and cooked falafel in the refrigerator, covered, for up to four days. Pair with a light, refreshing salad for a well-rounded meal, or serve as a side to meats.
Products used for baked red beet falafel recipe:
You don't need to spend much on a good food processor. I've had this one for about 8 years, and it still serves me well. You'll find many uses for it, which will help cut (no pun intended) your preparation time by at least half. Can you imagine chopping everything into teeny tiny pieces by hand? Trust me - a food processor is your best friend. Browse to find one that suits your needs the best.
A large, versatile baking pan is a must-have in your kitchen. Great for roasting veggies, baking cookies, and falafel. This one has a fitting cooling rack, so it's a win-win. 😍
Some foods stain, like red beets and turmeric. Wearing gloves will save you the headache of removing stubborn stains from your hands. I love the tight-fitting disposable gloves and use them to handle raw meat, chop onions or garlic, and other household chores.
More yummy recipes to try
- Homemade Hummus Recipe
- Homemade Greek Tzatziki Sauce
- Everything Bagel Cheese Borekas
- Flatbread Goat Cheese Portobello Pizza
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Baked Red Beet Falafel Recipe
EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
Falafel
- 1 can chickpeas, drain and patted dry
- 1-2 small red beets, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
Yogurt Mint Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 stems mint
- A pinch of ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, beets, shallot, garlic, cashews, and pistachios until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Add eggs and season the mixture with cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse the mixture to puree.
- With your moistened hands, roll small balls out of the mixture and place them on a prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until firm on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Spoon the yogurt into a small bowl and spoon with olive oil. Add chopped mint and sprinkle with coriander and black sesame seeds. Serve as a dip alongside the falafel. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use paper towels to pat dry chickpeas and remove as much moisture as you can. Your falafel will be crispy from the outside and soft but not mushy on the inside.
- Wear rubber or disposable gloves when handling the beets. They will stain your hands! If that happens, rub your hands with fresh-squeezed lemon juice over your sink. Rinse and repeat. You can also try rubbing your hands with a teaspoon of salt. Rinse your hands with warm water to remove the salt and stains.
- You can add chopped fresh parsley and cilantro to the falafel mixture. Herb tender stems to hide the most flavor, so make sure to include them too.
- If you like spicy food, add some red pepper flakes to the falafel mixture.
- Aquafaba - Liquid from chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Use 3 tablespoons of this starchy bean water to replace each egg. If you’re using it as a binder, whip it slightly until foamy. Any residual bean flavor will disappear once it’s cooked, so it can be used for sweet or savory recipes.
- Flax egg - For each egg, mix together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes to thicken before using. If it isn’t thickening, you can heat it until it does so, and then cool and add to your recipe.
Nutrition
Kim says
Hello!
This is a terrific recipe - so pretty and tasty!
Do you know if the balls can be made ahead, frozen, then thawed and baked later?
K
Jas says
I haven't tried freezing them, but I think you should be able to. I'd flash freeze them to avoid from sticking to each other - place them (apart) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze, then put into a freezer bag. Use within three months.
Yara says
Hello! I have a doubt, do the beets need to be used raw or already cooked? Thanks 🙂
Jas says
Hello! The beets are raw. Since they are shredded in a food processor, they'll easily cook in the oven. 🙂
Nicole Branan says
Wow, the color is irresistible, what an awesome idea to add beets! I’m going to bookmark this to make for later. Thank you so much, Jas! 🙂
Jas says
You're so welcome, Nicole! Thank you for stopping in. xx
Christina Makri says
This is by far my favorite edition for falafel. I've never seen a recipe like this before so I'm going to give it a try the soonest possible. Thank you Jas for sharing with us this delicious recipe 🙂
Jas says
Thank you so much, Christina! I'm really happy that you like it. Hugs!
Kari says
Jas, I am not a beet lover but these falafel look so good. I will have to go out on a limb and try this. thank you for joining our celebrate your story link party. Kari @ Me and My Captain
Jas says
Beets are definitely an acquired taste. They're not too strong in this recipe, so I dare to say it's safe to try it. 🙂 Thanks, Kari!
Lee MacArthur says
This looks really really good. Is there a way to bind this without the eggs as I seldom have eggs around.
Jas says
That's a great question, Lee! You can use aquafaba or "flax egg". I've updated the post and recipe box to show how. Thanks for the reminder! Have a great week. 🙂
Cheryl@SewCanDo says
We love beets and falafel so this sound like a fun one to try. And it looks so pretty! Thanks for sharing this at the Craftastic Monday Link Party @ Sew Can Do.
Jas says
Thank you, Cheryl! Have a great week! xx
The Girl Next Door says
Oh, wow! Those falafel look so inviting! Love that deep, red colour and the fact that you've made them healthy by not frying them. 🙂
Jas says
Yay, I'm so happy you like them! Thank you! xx
Jhuls says
These look so pretty, Jas. I love falafels, but haven't tried anything with beets. This is such an amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday party.
Jas says
Thank you, Jhuls! xx
Kristina Tyler says
Wow I would have never thought to have used beets that way. I usually like them roasted with salt and coconut oil, but this looks good! I agree with you, eating the rainbow is a good idea 🙂
Jas says
Give them a try! 🙂
Life Diet Health says
Jas what a great idea to add beetroot... thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday.
Jas says
Thank you, Laurena!
Ron says
We're very familiar with falafels over this way. We have no less than eight falafel stands in our small town. I recently tried a beet falafel, but it was deep fried as most falafels here are and I can't say as I enjoyed it. Also, it wasn't nearly as pretty as yours. We love beets and often make oven baked falafels so I'm excited to give you red beauties a go. Fantastic colors.
Jas says
Thank you for your kind words, Ron! This was my first time making falafel and trying them with beets. I liked them, so I hope you will too. We can only get the classic falafel at our selected few local restaurants.