Beet Falafel Pitas with Ginger Tahini Sauce [Vegan, Gluten-Free]
Servings: 6
Calories: 125kcal
These Vegan and Gluten-Free Beet Falafel Pitas are most definitely needed on your Meatless Monday meal plan. Serve with a homemade ginger tahini sauce in a pita and this recipe is super satisfying!
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Ingredients
for the beet falafals:
- 1 13.5 oz canned chickpeas no salt added, rinsed and drained (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 4 small cooked Love Beets 4oz
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 6 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 yellow onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour blend* or regular all-purpose
- oil for frying I used avocado
for the ginger tahini sauce:
- 3 TBS tahini sesame seed paste
- 2 1/2 TBS coconut aminos
- 1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 + TBS coconut milk or other non-dairy milk
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
for the pitas:
- gluten-free pitas or regular
- greens
- shredded cabbage
- shredded carrots
- avocado
- fresh cilantro
- hummus
Instructions
- Gently pat dry rinsed chickpeas and cooked beets to soak up some moisture.
- In the bowl of your food processor, combine chickpeas, cooked beets, cilantro, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Pulse until chickpeas and beets have broken down – careful not to over-process. The falafel mixture should still have some chunks left. Add in minced garlic and diced onion, pulsing a couple of times.
- Next, start adding in flour 1/4 cup at a time, pulsing until combined. I used a full half cup. If trying another flour blend, you may need more or less. Dough should not be too sticky. If it is, add more flour 1 TBS at a time.
- Transfer falafel dough to mixing bowl and chill in fridge for 45 minutes. I tested both chilled and un-chilled dough. Both work, but I found chilling makes the dough easier to handle.
- Once the falafel has chilled, use a rounded tablespoon to scoop dough onto lined baking sheet.
- Heat large skillet to medium heat (I like a cast iron here) and pour enough oil in to coat pan. Allow oil to get hot before adding in the falafel.
- Start adding falafel into the pan (don't overcrowd) and cook for about 2 minutes on one side before flipping to brown the other side. Flip again once more gently pressing the falafel into the pan to flatten slightly. Make sure the falafel is a nice golden color before removing from pan. Place cooked falafel on plate lined with paper towel, covering with lid to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining falafel.
- While falafel is resting, you can quickly whisk together the ginger tahini sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Serve falafel pitas with your choice of toppings listed above. Enjoy!
Notes
*I have not tried this recipe with other flours like almond or coconut. You will likely only need 2-3 tablespoons if going with coconut flour, as it is more absorbent than other flours. Let me know if you try it!
Falafel should keep in an airtight container, stored in fridge, up to one week, or tightly wrapped in freezer for about one month. Recipe adapted from https://www.justataste.com/homemade-falafel-with-tahini-sauce/
Nutrition
Serving: 1beet falafel | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 610mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g