MINI BEETROOT FALAFELS

Name: MINI BEETROOT FALAFELS
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 cups soaked chickpeas; 1 cup shredded beets; 1/2 large chopped onion; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; 1/4 cup chopped parsley; 4 garlic cloves (minced); 6 tbsp flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp sea salt; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional); vegetable oil for frying

February 14, 2016 By Tania Sheff 30 Comments

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These flavorful and moist Mini Beetroot Falafels make a healthy lunch and a wonderful vegetarian dinner. Serve it with some fresh salad or a spoonful of yogurt.

There are plenty of falafel recipes out there, but I have something special for you today: falafel with beetroot! You’re probably wondering: “Why beetroot?” Well, beetroot makes the falafel juicier and prettier . It gives it that special extra flavor and a beautiful hue. It is a MUST TRY for any falafel lover.

About a year and a half ago, my husband and I decided to cut down on the quantity of meat we consume and adopt healthier, animal-friendlier eating habits. We decided to eat meat/fish on weekends only and stay vegetarian the rest of the week. It is pretty hard to wake up one day and decide to become vegetarian, but, gradual, slow changes are easier to stick to — that is why we came up with this system. It is working really well for us, although I must admit that sometimes we “break” the rules (this usually happens if we are on vacation, or when we are away from home and I cannot cook). I always try to spice our menu up with new and exciting vegetarian dishes. That is how these colorful, meatless little falafel cutlets came to life. I hope that you’ll give it a try.

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It is important that you don’t use canned chickpeas in this recipe because they add a different texture to the falafels, and it’s not good. Just buy regular, dried chickpeas that are sold at every supermarket. I buy the chickpeas from Amazon and they are the best I’ve ever tried in my life. Seriously. They are amazing.

Once you’ve bought the chickpeas, soak them overnight in plenty of cold water. They’ll be ready to be used the next day.

To prep the falafel mixture, just place all the ingredients in the food processor (I’ve had my good ol’ Cuisinart Food Processor for many years) and blend until well processed but not pureed. The mixture should look like this.

Using a tablespoon as a measure, form small balls out of the mixture and place them on parchment paper or plate. You may need to dip the spoon in clean water if the mixture gets stuck to the spoon.

Press these balls slightly with your fingers to give them a nice cutlet form. Now, these mini flavor-packed bombs are ready to be fried.

Fry these in a small amount of vegetable oil on a non-stick pan for 2-3 minutes on each side. Your falafels should have that nice, crispy crust and remain moist inside. Serve these with some fresh salad, your favorite salad dressing (I used Thousand Island), tzatziki sauce, or simply a spoonful of yogurt. Enjoy!