Pumpkin is the secret ingredient that your falafel has been missing. This fall-inspired falafel is perfect in a salad, stuffed inside pita, or on its own!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs OR ½ cup chickpea flour
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice about ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon sriracha sauce, or to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons water, as needed
- Lettuce, or greens of choice
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sliced cucumber
- Sliced red onion or scallions
- Pita bread
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Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a baking sheet or oven-safe skillet with about ½ tablespoon of olive oil.
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Place the chickpeas, panko or chickpea flour, pumpkin, lemon juice, onion, garlic 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cilantro, parsley, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade.
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Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped and well-mixed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't overblend. Taste-test the mixture and adjust the seasonings to taste, if needed.
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Form the mixture into 16-20 balls or small patties. The mixture will be soft, so handle it gently and use wet hands to avoid sticking.
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Arrange the falafels on the baking sheet or skillet and brush them with the remaining olive oil.
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Bake for about 35 minutes, turning halfway through.
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Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, thinning with as much water as you need to achieve the desired consistency.
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Stuff in pita bread, use as a salad topper, or serve the falafels alone with maple tahini dressing.
The falafel mixture can be prepped in advance and refrigerated for a few days or frozen before baking.
Nutrition information is for falafel made with panko breadcrumbs and dressing. It does not include accompaniments.