Falafel with black beans! Yeah, we’re kind of crazy about falafel over here and always looking for more ways to enjoy it.
If you’re a falafel lover like we are, you must try this black bean version! It’s baked instead of fried, oil-free, and big on flavor! Let’s do this.
Origins of Falafel
The origin of falafel is an ongoing and heated debate. Some would say it’s a quintessential Israeli food, while Palestinians claim its Arab roots, and still others claim it originated in Egypt, Lebanon, or Yemen.
While we claim no expertise on the origins of falafel, we do know we absolutely love its crispy texture and rich flavor. Falafel is traditionally a fried ball or patty made from fava beans, chickpeas, or both. What’s not to love?
Those looking for a deeper dive into the much-debated history of falafel can find more information here and here.
This version is not traditional in terms of ingredients or flavors, but mimics the incredible texture we love so much about falafel! For a more traditional version of falafel, check out this recipe from Tori Avey, or this recipe from The Kat Chef.
How to Make Black Bean Falafel
This 10-ingredient recipe is easy to make, and it comes together in 1 hour from start to finish.
It starts with cooked and cooled quinoa and black beans that have been baked. Baking the beans is key, as it dries them out and makes the falafel crispy instead of mushy – a trick I learned from a friend! The quinoa adds moisture and nutrition, and pumpkin seeds add a bit of crunch.
The rest of the ingredients are all about flavor: garlic, tomato paste, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce*, coconut aminos, cumin, coriander, and sea salt.
*Note: learn more about chipotles in adobo here.
The result is a smoky, savory falafel dough that’s perfectly seasoned, and it easily forms for baking.
The beauty of this recipe is it’s oil-free and doesn’t require frying! They crisp up perfectly in the oven. Swoon!
I hope you all LOVE these falafel. They’re:
Crispy on the outside
Tender on the inside
Easy to make
Smoky
Savory
Healthy
& SO tasty
These would make the perfect addition to Mediterranean- and Greek-inspired meals, like Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes, The Ultimate Mediterranean Bowl, Greek Goddess Bowls, or even this Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Bowl. They’re also delicious atop a green salad with tahini dressing, hummus, or baba ganoush.
And if you like falafel, also check out our Easy Vegan Falafel, Traditional Vegan Falafel, and Better-Than-Restaurant Falafel.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Baked Quinoa Black Bean Falafel
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa (make sure it’s cooked and completely cooled before using)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed, drained, dried)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted)
- 5 cloves garlic (skin removed and crushed)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (omit for less spicy falafel)
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- If you haven’t prepared your quinoa yet, do so now (make sure it’s cooked and cooled completely before use).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Add rinsed, dried black beans to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until beans appear cracked and feel dry to the touch (see beans in food processor photo). Remove beans from the oven and then increase oven heat to 375 degrees F (190C).
- Add black beans to a food processor along with pumpkin seeds and garlic (see photo) and pulse into a loose meal. Then add cooked/cooled quinoa, salt, cumin, coriander, tomato paste, coconut aminos, chipotle pepper in adobo, and nutritional yeast (optional). Blend to combine until a textured dough forms (you’re not looking for a purée).
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more coconut aminos for saltiness/depth of flavor, adobo sauce for heat, cumin for smokiness, or salt for overall flavor.
- Scoop out 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts (using this scoop or a Tablespoon) and gently form into small discs using your hands. Add formed falafel to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then flip to ensure even baking and bake for 10-15 minutes more or until golden brown and crispy on the edges.
- These falafel are delicious with hummus, garlic dill sauce, baba ganoush, or tahini sauce. Try garnishing with chili garlic sauce for extra heat. Serve over greens or in pita, or enjoy as is!
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. To freeze, either freeze once baked and cooled OR before baking. Then add to a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a 375 degree F (190 C) oven until warmed through.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 falafel without extra sauces or sides.
Noel says
Hi there! Really want to try this recipe but I don’t have any coconut aminos. Is there anything I can use as a substitute? Thanks!
Hi Noel, we would suggest tamari- but use half as much (or less). Let us know how it goes!
Michelle Hirschberg says
This looks amazing! Is there a substitute for the chipotle pepper in adobo?
Hi Michelle, maybe chipotle chili powder plus tomato paste? We haven’t tried it though!
ashwini says
Made this the other day and subbed “Right Rice” for the quinoa and it turned out perfect!
Stelina says
I made this recipe and it turned out great! It’s the first time I make falafel and it was delicious!
Based on the comments, I made a small adjustment – added three instead of two tsp of tomato puree (not paste). Texture was great – soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Sara says
I don’t know if you will see this before I try this, but figured I’d ask anyways, could I sub couscous for quinoa? Just ran out of quinoa (the last time I made these actually, so good) but can’t get more and want to make these again… I checked the comments, and others subbed it for other stuff but no comments on couscous. Thanks!
Hi Sara, we haven’t tried it with couscous, but sounds promising. Let us know if you try it!
Sara says
I did try it! They were dry but that might have been because I think I put too many almonds (instead of pumpkin seeds) in it this time. But I think it would work out otherwise as a good substitute. I will have to try it again sometime.
Thanks for sharing, Sara!
Emily Wolfe says
I am a big falafel fan, so I was excited to try this recipe and these turned out really great for me! These are pretty filling so they make for a nice hearty meal. I made them with the Glarlic Dill Sauce suggested above and it was delicious!
Sarah says
Made these the other day to change up my usual lunch now that I’m a bit more…and love how easy it was! However, don’t make the same I did and substitute liquid aminos for coconut aminos. I forgot how much saltier they are and these are now even too salty for my taste. But besides my mistake, really great and I’ll be making again!
Betsy Ellis says
This is so yummy! The tomato paste, cumin, and garlic make it especially savory and appealing. Only three out of 13 fell apart when I flipped them over. I sprayed them with olive oil, with “meh” results, to make them a little crispy on the outside. Super easy to make, though with only a 4-cup food processor I ended up dumping everything in a bowl and mixing it by hand. Thank you for something different during this time of “shelter in place!”
Corina says
Super easy with ingredientes already in my pantry! Made some bigger ones into burgers and added BBQ sauce instead of tomato paste and a bit of fresh cilantro. Delish! Thank you!
Sandy says
This was delicious and easy to make! Making falafel has always seemed like too much trouble, but this recipe called my name. I had every ingredient on hand, and the black beans, quinoa and chipotle pepper seemed like such a great combination. It was! I served it with lemon tahini sauce and will make it again, for sure.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sandy! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
C W says
Oh my god—this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Followed the recipe to the T and it was perfect.
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Shaunna says
Tastes great, but was really sad that most of mine fell apart ? I really took my time forming them because falafel always seem to fall apart when I try to make them, but I still must have done something wrong. I used a reusable baking mat instead of parchment, not sure if that had anything to do with it. Other than that I followed the recipe very closely. Any ideas for keeping my precious falafel from falling apart would be appreciated!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the flavor! If they were crumbly, perhaps you could add more coconut aminos or tomato paste / chipotle pepper to bind?
Jessica says
I love this recipe! It makes a good sized batch so it’s perfect for meal prepping. They’re great for an addition to salads, wraps or even just snacking. It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan or not- this should be a go to recipe in your repertoire!
Take the time to dry the beans, it does make a difference. Also to save time in your week, cook a big batch of quinoa and pop it in the fridge, it makes this recipe go even quicker
Kym says
These are so delicious! I serve them with dairy free tzatziki and rice plus salad. I just have to double the recipe to feed my family. One of my favorite meals. Thank you!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and great idea, Kym. We are so glad you enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Mamalala says
Oh my goodness this was so good! I’m so glad I made a double batch and frozen the patties before cooking in the oven. I think next time I’ll make them I will add chopped cilantro. Thank you for a filling and wholesome recipe that was super easy to make. I’m new to plant based and finding your recipes to be super user friendly.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
KATHLEEN says
is it 1 cup cooked quinoa or 1 cup quinoa, cooked, which makes more that 1 cup
It’s 1 cup COOKED quinoa.
Dagne says
I made these last night and they were delicious – will double next time. I served with greens, tomatoes and cucumber in a pita. I made your hummus and then the garlic dill sauce. I will cut back on garlic in all 3 recipes next time as it was way too garlicky. I am still rating it as a 5 but recommend if you are using the recommendation of the garlic dill that you cut back on garlic.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Dagne! We’ll give that garlic another look.
Stelina says
If using raw black beans and boiling them, what’s the equivalent quantity? I was wondering if the 425 grams can is the weight incl. liquid or is it 425 grams of cooked beans? Thanks a lot!
Hi Stelina, 425 grams is the amount written on the can. Cooked amount would be ~1 1/2 cups or 258 g.
Stelina says
Thank you!
Madhuri says
What is the nutrition info on this? It’s not showing up… Thank you for the hard work you put into all of your recipes!
Sorry for the inconvenience! The issue should be resolved. Give the page a refresh and it should be there.
Carla Ensink says
So good! I double them and freeze the excess for quick lunches.
This recipe coordinates nicely with OSG holiday soup for the soul as they both use quinoa and black beans.
Clean your hands often and have them damp when forming the shapes.
Cathy Mahoney says
The flavour was delicious but my felafels were very crumbly. What could I add to make them bind better.
Hmm, sounds like they need a bit more moisture. Try some tahini or a flax egg.
Laurie Wiederhold says
I’ve probably made this recipe more than any of your recipes. There are so many good ones. I’m munching on one as I type. This last batch I made I used a little more of the peppers in adobe sauce to make them a little spicier. I love this recipe because I can use these in a variety of ways. I’ve used them topping salads and stuffed in a pita. I throw some lettuce in with it, hummus, pico de gallo and garlic aoili. So easy and quick to throw together for a lunch. Thank you for your delicious recipes!!!
Thanks, Laurie!!
Linda says
A little crumbly, but a delicious alternative to frying falafel. I like the black bean twist. I’m wondering if I could swap the tomato paste for tahini? Maybe thinned down a bit with water? Hmmm. Think I’ll give that a try next time! Anyone else swap any ingredients?
Thanks for sharing! I do think tahini would swap well for tomato paste! Just adjust flavor as needed as it will be impacted.
Linda says
Thankful s!! I’ll give it a try. As much as I like tomatoes, they don’t entirely like me., sometimes giving me a skin rash. So when I can I try to replace them. Thanks for all your great recipes. I refer my patients to your website quite frequently for plant based recipes!
Isabelle says
Thank you Dana for such excellent recipe. Easy to prepare and so tasteful. I’ve tried so many recipes before… and always deceived by the taste or the aspect…. these falafels are just perfect. Thank you for sharing. Isabelle
Pascal says
This is probably the 15th recipe I’ve made over the past two years from you but my first comment. I thought why not? Others feedback helped me, too!
So I made this from dried beans (soaked/cooked/cooled). I substituted the quinoa with cooked and cooled buckwheat because it’s a fair, cheaper and regional alternative. My crumbly batter felt a bit dry so I added an extra 2 tbsp. of tomato paste. Also subbed sunflower for hazelnuts cause that’s what I had.
I did this in a blender (vitamix) and split it into three portions so that it wouldn’t turn into a mash/purée.
They came out great! I made a sauce in my blender with this containing hemp seeds, water, nutritional yeast, lemon, curcuma, mustard, dried date-meal and herbs. Fresh Dill would have been BOMB. It was good though :)
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Pascal!
Sahara says
Yepeee, my first time making home made falafels. I just made these with what I had on hand and they turned our amazing.
I used dry soaked black beans (250g), skipped the seeds and tomato paste, added HOT sauce instead of chipotle and tsp of smoked paprika spice and a bit of fresh parsley. I “baked” them in air fryer (don’t have an oven) on 200 degrees Celsius about 10min on each side.
I always wanted to try falafels at home but always had such a respect ? I am so excited and will be playing with the recipe ?
Cass says
I made this recipe with your ranch dressing recipe & plan on using it to top off a southwest salad! Corn, tomato, jalapeño, avocado, lettuce, ranch & these babies? DELISH!
Birger says
Love the flavor but doesn’t hold together any tip?
Glad you enjoyed them, Lauren! If they were crumbly, perhaps you could add more coconut aminos or tomato paste / chipotle pepper to bind?
Matt says
three questions :) just baking these beauties.
– does it go in the middle of the oven?
– which heating method is used best
– Quinoa at 185 gramms is before or after cooking??
Thanks a lot in advance for your comments and keep up the great posts/ receipts
Megan says
This meal is so delicious, like so many others I have tried on your site, and I can’t wait to make it again! I will be forever grateful to you for giving me the tools to make my family so many healthy and great tasting recipes, it is truly a gift and you are extremely talented.
Many many thanks, Megan
Laura says
Made this a few weeks ago to use up some extra cooked quinoa, and froze it uncooked. Baked it tonight and it was great! Made pita sandwiches with some curried lentil hummus, greens, tomatoes and onion tossed in vinegarette, and pickled turnips. I was out of nutritional yeast so I left it out, but I bet it would be great to include next time. Next time I’ll make a huge batch to freeze because they freeze really well and are easy to reheat. Thanks!
Samta Varia says
Made these today for the first time. They’re delicious. LOVE that they’re baked, not fried and simple ingredients that I already keep at home on the regular. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Sam says
Holy cow are these good! I’m just starting down a plant based path and I thought I’d give these a try for lunches. I didn’t have a chipolte pepper, but subbed in a jalapeño and it worked just as well. Not sure what I will be enjoying these with (probably an assortment of veggies), but I think this will become part of our regular rotation. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Bethany Saunders-Medina says
These were absolutely delicious! I subbed out the chipotle for some paprika since I can’t have spicy foods, but they still turned out amazing! We ate them over some kale/broccoli salad and topped with some green goddess dressing, which complemented the flavors of the falafel beautifully.
Allan Straughan says
This recipe works! And it was my first attempt at falafels- both eating and making them Delicious!
Yay! Glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Allan!
Lauren Chant says
Great recipe! I subbed quinoa for rice to use up leftovers, and sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin (what I had on hand). Very delicious! Used in a wrap with hummus, cucumber, shredded carrot, greens and hot sauce. So tasty!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your subs, Lauren!
Kim Miller says
As always this recipe is a winner. I made it today and am so excited to make my falafel salad tomorrow. The ratio of ingredients is perfect, I didn’t need to change a thing. Thank you for helping me step out of my comfort zone I hadn’t cooked with coconut aminos or pumpkin seeds before and I’m excited to try something else.
Woot woot! Thanks for sharing, Kim!
Sarah L says
SO GOOD! I put these on top of a salad and found they crumbled quite a bit, but that could have been because I only had one tablespoon of tomato paste. Regardless, they were delicious and easy and I’m looking forward to eating them again tomorrow.
Penny says
Love these! I followed the recipe exactly other than substituting ground chipotle chili for chipotle in adobo. So much flavor. Thanks Dana!
Rashmi says
Can I replace black beans with canned Garbanzo beans ?
Hi Rashmi! We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure. If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Debby says
Very tasty and easy to make! I prepared the beans and quinoa the evening before so I could have these ready for lunch. I didn’t know where to find a chipotle pepper over here, so I replaced it with 1 tbsp of spicy harissa, which worked well.
Michelle says
Can I replace the canned black bean by dry uncooked green lentils? Do I need to cook it longer?
Thanks!
Michelle
Not sure as we haven’t tried, Michelle! If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Alex says
Could the mixture be made in a vitamix?
lindsay says
from experience, it works, but blend it at a low speed for a longer time with the tamper to avoid pureeing
Patty says
Hi, I would like to know what’s the recepie for the sauce you put on top? Plz. Thnx for the delicious recepies!
Hi Patty! We use our tahini dresssing on top and it is delicious!
oceanile says
Hi! As I usually make falafels out of soaked and I cooked beans, I did the same for gisnone but stuck to the proportions otherwise. It was very maneuverable and the quinoa kept everything from crumbling. I paired it with hummus, harissa, and tzatsiki for thlunch sauces and some salad and threw them all into coriander tortillas since it’s difficult to come across good whole wheat pita bread. I also was short on time so I could not wait for the quinoa to cook completely. But that just bound everything up better since my beans are dry! Thought I should share the modifications in case anyone was going to make it not from canned beans. Thank you for the inspiring post!
oceanile says
Uncooked, sorry!
oceanile says
Sorry so many typos and autocorrect:( I meant uncooked beans, cooked quinoa but not completely cooked since I did. It have time
Thanks for sharing your changes, Oceanile!
Sharon says
Can I make the mix ahead of time and refrigerate until I want to bake them off?
Yes!
Debi says
Wow, genius!!! Didn’t realize my pumpkin seeds went bad, so substituted with walnuts and a few tablespoons of hemp seeds as suggested in a previous comment. Was out of ground coriander so used fresh cilantro, and opted to use the nutritional yeast just because why not?? Simply delicious. Thanks for another great recipe!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your subs, Debi!
Efrat says
It was fabulous!!! The whole dish was amazing and very well liked by my friends. Thank you!
Jamie says
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds is 32g not 16g. I went with 1/4 cup for the recipe as 16g was not very much.
Hi Jamie! Nope it is correct, but feel free to add more if you prefer!
Dina says
Made this recipe and glad it was so easy. I substituted the pepper for some smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, and turned out great. Doubled the recipe to have all week for lunches.
thank you,
Dina
Katelyn says
I recently had to give up gluten, egg and dairy for an allergy issue with my baby and was struggling to find flavorful vegetarian recipes. I was so excited to try this recipe and it did NOT DISAPPOINT- IT WAS AMAZING!!! My husband and I loved these- the falafals were bursting with flavor, had great texture and bonus for being easy to make! :)
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Katelyn!:D
Debbie Larsen says
I followed the recipe pretty much as is and they turned out perfect and delicious! I love that they are baked and not fried and will look for more baked falafel recipes. I served mine in a wrap with greens (kale), matchstick carrots, diced cucumber, fresh cilantro and your Garlic Herb Sauce using tahini (my new favorite condiment). Definitely a keeper!
Sophie says
So flavorful! I made these with a combo of quinoa and brown rice, 2 chipotle peppers, and did use the nutritional yeast. I ate them over some greens with cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and tahini dressing. So good! I might leave out the salt next time since it already has the coconut aminos. Thank you again!!!
Smart!! Thanks for sharing, Sophie.
Lauren T says
Flavours were 100% perfect. I can’t believe they are oil free. They were really crispy and crunchy. However, they were a bit crumbly and a few fell apart in the oven. Do you think I could add a flax egg to bind them better? x
Glad you enjoyed them, Lauren! If they were crumbly, perhaps you could add more coconut aminos or tomato paste / chipotle pepper to bind?
Cassie Thuvan Tran says
Ooh YES, falafels! They’re easy for me to overdo, however. I might eat the entire batch of these falafels if I don’t stop myself beforehand, haha! They look way too amazing :)
Suanne hirschman says
Delicious ? Followed the recipe just as is. I usually add more garlic to recipes but not on this one. Mine do not look as uniform as yours although tasted yummy ?
Anna Parsons says
Would you use any other beans for this? I love it so much and want to try some different beans for flavor but don’t want to mess it up!
Anna, thanks for the question. I’d guess that pinto, kidney, and even chickpea would work! Let us know if you do some experimenting.
Anna Jacqueline Parsons says
This is absolutely incredible. I made it earlier in the week and am making more I loved it so much. Easy to reheat in the toaster oven. I server with a tahini ginger dipping sauce … delicious
I also added the zest of a lime to the dough and it was PERFECT.
Thanks Dana, the best blog in the world. xx
Ah, thanks Anna! xoxo
Dextosterone says
I just tried these but unfortunately they were way to crumbly and crunchy. I didn’t use canned beans so maybe they were dried to much in the oven. If I do these again I will dry the beans for less time probably half the amount of time in the oven.
Sorry to hear you didn’t have success with this one! Less time should help.
Renee says
Hi Dana,
Since having my gallbladder removed I cannot eat garlic–it causes extreme abdominal pain. Do you have any suggestions of something I can use in place of it in this recipe? Would appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks
yulca says
Just leave it out! My husband can’t have garlic, either, so we do that all the time. Makes all those other great flavors pop even more :).
Yes, just leave it out!
Jk says
Yum! My background is Middle Eastern and I have to say I loved this healthy and easy spin on falafel. No soaking or frying, and uses ingredients I usually have in my pantry. I did not have chipotle pepper so I omitted it, but they still had lots of flavour.
I wonder if these can also be made using a waffle iron?
Love your recipes!
Ah, thanks JK! I bet they’d be really tasty in a waffle iron. Let us know if you give that a try!
Lauren says
These came out perfect! Crispy on the outside, moist in the middle. The chipotle added a great flavor. Prepping the quinoa and black beans ahead of time are crucial to saving time. Next time, I’m making a double batch, because these babies are ADDICTING!
Excellent! Thanks for sharing!!
Daniela says
What can I sub for coconut amino?
Tamari will work!
Beth Ann says
Thank you Dana, So Flavorishious! I love how crispy these are without frying. You also totally have the texture nailed between the quinoa and pepitas. My husband says next time we need to do a double batch for freezing. Used the smoked paprika instead of chipotle in adobe, and played with the spices to create perfection! ?
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Laurie says
Once again, another fantastic recipe! So delicious…I’m eating the batter while shaping to bake….ugh, the struggle. Made the recipe as written, except for salt…didn’t need it IMO. Taking these to Great Wolf Lodge for hubby and I to eat instead of the junk the kids enjoy. Thanks Dana!
Yay, thanks Laurie!
mary says
This was absolutely delicious! Just happened to have everything I needed to make it! I made it with your lemon tahini dressing since I didn’t have what i needed to make a taziki sauce. My patties were on the crumbly side, (maybe I over-dried the beans?) but the flavor was on point. Thank you!
Great! If they were crumbly, perhaps you could add more coconut aminos or tomato paste / chipotle pepper to bind?
Anja says
Amazing recipe. I made them last night. So good!!! I left out the garlic and did not have tomato paste so I used 2tbsp of strained tomatoes. Worked very well. Thank you for coming up with this one!!!
Smart! Thanks for sharing!
Megan says
Hi, Can I use brown rice in place of the quinoa? Hoping to make these tonight. Thanks!
Hi Megan! Others have had success using brown rice, so that should work!
Rebecca Murphy says
Could i use kidney beans instead of black beans?
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but I would think that would work. If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Yulca says
I just made this recipe, and because black beans are awfully hard to get over here, I used kidney beans instead – tasted great!
Thanks for sharing!
Brittney says
These are absolutely amazing. They truly taste like restaurant quality. I definitely required more than 1 hr…I’m particularly slow in the kitchen haha, but they are so worth the extra time. Also, I do not avoid oil, but I seriously did not miss the oil from not frying.
Thanks for sharing! xo
Amanda Bevill says
Looks delicious!
Chelsea says
Dana, thank you + love this! Oil free and nut free- such a bonus! Adding nutritional yeast is always scrumptious, thanks for the recommendation. I am such a fan of all your recipes :)
Chelsea
Thank you for sharing!
Nancy says
Do you think these can be frozen?
Yes! To freeze, either freeze once baked and cooled OR before baking. Then add to a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a 375 degree F (190 C) oven until warmed through.
Marie says
Made these tonight for supper and plated them on top on baby spinach with baby tomatoes, cucumber, green grapes and red onion. Topped it off with tahini. JUST AMAZING!!! Thank you soooooooo much!! ??✊??
Susan P says
These look so good! Now I just have to go food shopping!
Juli Martin says
I just made these and they are delicious! Taste is spot on. I will be adding these to my monthly make list.
Thanks Juli!
romina says
Never boring! You post always something really new!
Thanks so much, Romina! Beautiful name, btw.
Kinsey says
Do you have a recipe for the yummy looking dressing on top?
Thanks!
Yes! We use our Tahini Dressing.
Aubrey says
I made this tonight and it was super tasty! Thank you!
Thanks Aubrey!
Kelly Smith says
I made these. Absolutely delicious. The only thing I changed was Tamari for coconut aminos and That was pretty expensive … over $7. I did make the error of cooking a whole cup of quinoa and I mixed it all together before I realized what I did. But it did not matter. I made four and ate three. The rest of the mixture is in the fridge to make tomorrow for lunch. I wish I could post a picture.
Kelly Smith says
So flavorful! So so good! The only thing I would say is do some prep ahead. Makes it easier.
Thanks for sharing!
Skye Holyfield Anderson says
Absolutely delicious! Excellent paired with the hummus and fresh parsley! Yum!!
Fifi says
I really love your wooden salad bowl. Where did you purchase it? Thank you.
I believe World Market.
Ella Pires says
I love cooking most of your recipes! Can’t wait to try these soon!
Thanks for all the inspiration!
Marisa Benson says
Thank you for this recipe. I substituted brown rice for the quinoa, and almonds for the pumpkin seeds. I also omitted the coconut aminos. This falafel turned out absolutely delicious, with such wonderful flavor! Thanks again!!! :)
Yay! thanks for sharing!
Luann says
I made this tonight and it was delicious and easy. I made a double batch but wish I had made a quadruple batch!!! I thought the seasoning quantities were perfect, by the way!!! I served them for my family in pitas with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus, and your easy tahini sauce. I made myself a bowl, subbing quinoa for the pita! We also liked your idea to add the chile garlic sauce for some extra heat! Thank you, Dana!
Lovely – thanks for sharing!
Molly K says
Hi Dana..I love how you keep your recipes evolving to become better and healthier!
If I can’t find the amino at any local store, what is a suitable sub? (I can tolerate gluten, nuts, etc. So not a lot of restrictions although I try to avoid most dairy and red meat– but eat vegan or vegetarian several times a week and you are my FAVORITE recipe source!)
I look forward to your guidance…
Sincerely,
Molly K
Krista says
Bragg’s liquid aminos are soy based, and you can find them at pretty much any grocery store! :)
Yes, liquid aminos (I think) would work. Otherwise I’d suggest tamari (although it is soy-based).
Victoria (cook2lean) says
Hi Jane – this looks so good! Really want to try prepping these for my lunches next week. Question – do you have to soak the dried black beans overnight before baking them? I’ve only worked with canned black beans before. Thanks! I am enjoying your coconut curried lentils for lunch this week :)
To clarify: the black beans (I used canned) are already cooked and THEN they are baked. This dries them out so they don’t make the falafel mushy.
0oo_jackie_oo0 says
I swear Dana you are like Midas but with food!
Thanks!
xo!
Nikita says
Do you think cooked and cooled millet would work instead of quiona? I cooked too much millet on the weekend and need to use it up!
Thanks,
Love all your recipes!
I think that would work. Let us know how it goes!
Kate says
My daughter is allergic to pumpkin seeds – what would be a good alternative?
I think sunflower or hemp seeds would be great. Or even pecans or walnuts.
beth says
This looks delicious! I have everything on hand except pumpkin seeds — do you think sunflower seeds would work as a substitute, or should I wait until our next grocery run to try this?
Oh, totally! Hope it goes well.
Narez says
I love your recipes. I tried most of the granolas and the kids loved them.
I’m planning to make these too but what could be a substitute for black beans? because we are allergic to legumes!!
HI Narez, that’s tough since the black beans are central to the recipe. No other substitutes come to mind at the moment!
Mary Stevenson says
What else could you substitute for Chipotle pepper in Adobe sauce? I cannot find any that are kosher
I’d suggest a little more tomato paste and some cayenne pepper!
Barb says
I used 1 tsp mild chilli powder, 1/4 tsp dried chilli peppers and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. I have just tasted the patties before baking and they have a nice kick.
Lizzy says
Hi Dana, First I would like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all you do.. you are my favorite food resource. Have you tried soaking the black beans over night and putting in the processor with all other things without cooking. I recently took a cooking class and made authentic falafels and thats how we did it with the chick peas.. best falafels I have ever had.
Again thanks, I have tried at least 10 of your recipes.. and have love them all.
Lizzy
So kind! I don’t think that would work personally. Uncooked black beans would make them crunchy and would also make them hard to digest.
Katy says
Dana do you also feel that the traditional way of making chickpea falafel (with soaked dry chickpeas) is difficult to digest? The crunchy warning confuses me since chickpeas actually take longer than black beans to cook from dried, yet they don’t have that problem? Would love further thoughts, thanks!
Cheryl Winters says
In Step 2 you say to increase temperature of oven to 375. How long do we leave the beans in the oven at this point?
You remove the beans from the oven, THEN increase the heat. I’ll clarify in the instructions so that’s more clear!
Rithvik says
Hi Dana, I just wanted to thank you so much for making all your more recent, newer recipes oil-free or modifiable to be oil-free! I can confidently say it makes it much easier for everyone who follows a whole-food plant based diet to make and enjoy your recipes and I’m sure they (including myself) appreciate your wonderful recipes now even more (much more) than before! It just makes it so much easier now to make your recipes when you don’t have to prepare substitutions for (almost) every recipe! SO thank you, thank you, thank you!
So kind! Love providing options. xoxo
Kacie says
What would be a good substitute for chipolte in adobo? it’s too spicy for me.
Thank
Liz says
Smoked paprika :)
Leave it out or sub a little more tomato paste! Or yes, paprika might be nice.
Josh says
Hey! Quick question: why you bake the beans before blending and baking the final falafel?
It dries them out and prevents the falafel from being mushy! I use this method in an upcoming veggie burger recipe as well as it’s BOMB.
Josh says
Great technique – looking forward to trying this out tonight! Keep up all the awesome work!
miss kim clark says
Always knew I would like falafel but cant quite believe I waited until I’m sixty to get around to trying them.
I am so delighted that this was my chosen first recipe.
Thank you.
Absolutely delightful, I’m somewhat lost for appropriate words that make any sense. I love these and I love you.
Thank you, you angel.
Eliza.
xoxo!
Karina says
Hey! This recipe is reaaally tasty. It’s the 2nd time I make it, but it still comes out too dry. I like it this way, but not all falafels stick together. What am I doing wrong? (i use all recommended ingredients & none of the optionals)
I’d say cook for a little less time, or cook on the stovetop (brown on both sides) vs. baking!
Samantha says
YAY! So excited for these black bean falafel’s! I can’t tolerate the traditional chickpea version so this is a welcome delight :)
Rhonda @ Change In Seconds says
Looks amazing!
Barb says
Hi Dana,
Love all your recipes. Planning on making for dinner tonight. Do I start with 1 cup dried quinoa and then cook and cool?
Thanks
Susie says
Hi Dana, I’m a little confused about the quinoa too. Do I measure one cup of dry quinoa and then cook and cool it, then use all of it?
Susie
CB says
Looks like you need the cooked volume to be 1 cup. I think that’d be 1/2 cup or maybe a bit less uncooked.
The COOKED volume is 1 cup, so yes, start with 1/2 cup dry. Sorry that was unclear!
christine says
whoops!! well i am baking them right now but used all of the cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked). oh well. i guess a little extra quinoa never hurt anyone!! they smell delicious :). thank you for all the wonderful recipes!