Good-for-You and Delicious Sweet Potato Falafel Recipe (2024)

This recipe for sweet potato falafel is a win-winsituation. Sweet potatoes are not only reasonably priced and readily available, but they also have a more interesting flavor than the white potato and are good for you.

Falafelis a Middle Eastern food that's made of highlyspicedground chickpeasthat areformedinto balls or slightly flattened croquettes and deep-fried.

This recipe combines ground chickpeas with mashed sweet potatoes for extra flavor and the falafel are baked instead of fried for a lighter calorie load.

Typically, falafel is tucked into a sliced pita to be eatensandwich-style, but they also can be eatenas an appetizer withgarlic yogurtsauce, toum, and tahini sauce. Or serve them warm with a thin slice of cucumber on top, held together with a toothpick.

“Falafel can also be turned into a really good patty if you flatten out the mixture instead of shaping them into balls. I really enjoy them with breakfast topped with a fried egg, which luckily pairs pretty well with the sweet potato base these are made of.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Good-for-You and Delicious Sweet Potato Falafel Recipe (1)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 medium or 2 smallsweet potatoes, about 9 ounces total
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) canchickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
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1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Cooking spray

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 F.
Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork or the tip of a paring knife. Put the potatoes on a small rimmed sheet pan and bake until tender, 25 to 35 minutes depending on size. Allow to cool completely.
Peel off and discard the skins.
Place cooled sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mash with a fork.
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Add flour, chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, lemon juice, and salt.
Continue to mash with a fork until well combined and smooth in consistency. Alternatively, process in a food processor until smooth.
Spray a rimmed baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. Using damp hands, a melon baller, cookie scoop, or tablespoon, form the sweet potato mixture into small balls and place them 2-inches apart on the pan.
Sprinkle evenly with the sesame seeds.
Chill the falafel balls in the refrigerator to firm up, about 45 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Bake the falafel until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve alone or with dipping sauce of choice, if desired.

Tips

If you are starting with leftover cooked sweet potatoes, skip step 1 and go straight to mashing skinned cooked sweet potatoes with spices.
If you choose to flatten the balls with a fork for a small falafel patty, bake them for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Leftover cooked falafel can be saved if covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Reheat them in the oven or in the microwave.
Try using the leftovers in a green salad with tahini sauce for the dressing or in pita pockets with lettuce, cucumbers, tomato, and tahini sauce or garlic sauce.

How to Store and Freeze

If you want some sweet potato falafel ready for later use, make up an extra batch and freeze them. Once you've shaped them into balls, place on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. Pull the falafel out and place in single layers in an airtight plastic container or freezer bag. To double up the layers, place a piece of wax paper in between. Frozen uncooked falafel should last for up to 6 months in the freezer. To prepare, thaw in the fridge and bake as directed.

Air Fryer Falafel Recipe

Main Dishes
Middle Eastern Mains
Citrus Recipes
Vegetable Recipes
Potato Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
258	Calories
5g	Fat
45g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	258
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	7%
Saturated Fat 1g	3%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 430mg	19%
Total Carbohydrate 45g	16%
Dietary Fiber 10g	36%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 18mg	88%
Calcium 135mg	10%
Iron 3mg	16%
Potassium 550mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Chickpea
entree
middle eastern
family dinner

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