Bursting with wholesome ingredients and bold flavors, this vegan and gluten-free sweet potato and chickpea falafel is a healthy and delicious alternative to the traditional version.

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Falafels are something we really enjoy making. They are a great dish to make for dinner or something that can be prepped ahead of time to have during the work week. They are even a great lunch meal prep. The options are endless, and apparently, so is the flavoring!

After working hard on our original falafel recipe, we decided we wanted to experiment even further by adding sweet potatoes into the mix.

Why Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are high in nutrients, really good for you, readily available and reasonably priced, and have a more interesting flavor than plain white potatoes.

This recipe combines ground chickpeas with mashed sweet potatoes for extra flavor.

Serve the Sweet Potato and Chickpea Falafels with your favorite dipping sauce or tahini dressing.

Dressings you can use:

• Tahini Lime Dressing

• Dairy-Free Tzatziki Sauce

• Avocado Tahini Dressing

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Tips and Variations:

• If you prefer baked falafels, preheat your oven to 375°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the shaped falafels on it. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden and crispy.

• Customize the spices to suit your taste preferences. Try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat or some ground cinnamon for a sweet and savory twist.

• Leftover falafels can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven or microwave before serving.

The Sunday Cookbook

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 cup baked sweet potato, peeled and diced

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• ½ cup dried parsley

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or minced

• 1 small onion, roughly chopped

• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional

• 2 to 4 tablespoons garbanzo flour or all-purpose flour

• Oil, for frying

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Directions

1. In a food processor, add all ingredients up to the lemon juice. Pulse the mixture until it breaks down, but make sure not to pulse too much. You don't want to make hummus. You still want to have tiny chunks running throughout.

2. Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and add the sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir to combine. If the mixture still feels wet and isn't holding shape, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.

3. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes before forming into balls or patties.

4. Heat an inch of oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is heated, place 4 to 6 patties or balls into the oil at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Do not overcrowd the pan as it will become very difficult to rotate the falafels.

5. Let the falafel cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your falafels, you may need more or less time. Our cooking tip is to cook a test one in the size you are planning to make all the falafels and taste it to make sure it’s crispy on the outside and cooked through on the inside. Make any adjustments necessary to the batter if needed.

6. Remove from the oil, and allow to cool on a wired cooling rack or in a plate lined with paper towels.

7. Assemble your falafels and enjoy!