These easy-to-make broccoli falafel are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and so tasty! Vegan & gluten-free. They only take 10 minutes to prepare, and are a great way to eat broccoli in a fun and creative way, that the whole family will enjoy!
These broccoli falafel are perfect to sneak veggies into your kids (or adults) meals. They are my favorite way to eat broccoli, and they are inspired by my vegan broccoli fritters, and they pair beautifully with my easy tahini sauce.
For more veggie balls & fritters ideas, check out these beetroot quinoa balls, these zucchini potato fritters, this vegan hash brown recipe or these potato fritters.
Jump to:
- Why you will love these broccoli falafel
- Ingredients
- Substitutions & variations
- How to make broccoli falafel
- What to serve with these vegan broccoli falafel
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tip!
- More recipes you will love
- Love this recipe? Let's stay connected!
- Healthy Broccoli Falafel Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
- See what other people think about this recipe!
Why you will love these broccoli falafel
Okay, I'll tell you one thing, these broccoli falafel might not have a "falafel-like" texture, BUT, they are SO GOOD! Somehow I was tempted to make tweaks to the recipe to change the texture, but I took my partner and friends' advice and left it as it was.
They are crispy on the outside and have a soft and almost cheesy texture on the inside. They are light and delicious!
Allergy-friendly, and suitable for those with special dietary requirements (AKA myself! haha).
Full of good stuff, they are healthy, full of vitamins and antioxidants.
Perfect for kids!
Ingredients
With a fresh and healthy list of ingredients, these broccoli falafel are perfect for everyone!
- Broccoli head chopped (stem removed)
- Canned chickpeas
- Red onion diced
- Fresh coriander or parsley
- Garlic clove finely diced or crushed
- Sea salt
- Ground coriander
- Tapioca flour
- Ground flax seeds
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & variations
- Add other spices- like ground cumin, onion powder, or garlic powder.
- Use other flour - chickpea flour or cornstarch work well.
- Brown onion or shallots - instead of purple onion, work well as well
- Add a bit of lemon zest - for a slightly tangy flavour.
How to make broccoli falafel
Making these homemade falafels is very easy and requires minimum preparation. Happy cooking!
Start by combining the flax seeds with water in a small bowl, and let it soak for 10 minutes until it forms a thick gel.
1 - Process the greens
Start by adding the broccoli and fresh coriander to the food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds or so, until the broccoli is chopped. Don't over-blend it! You want to make broccoli rice, not to form a paste.
2 - Make the falafel mixture
Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor. Combine with a spatula first, and then pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely chopped. Again, you don't want to over-blend it! If you feel like the mix is too wet, add a bit more tapioca flour. Let it rest in the fridge for 5 minutes before the next step.
3 - Form balls with the hands
Over an oven baking tray or air fryer tray, line parchment paper with a drizzle of olive oil.
Wet your hands and form medium size balls. Lay all the balls on the tray, and spray or drizzle a bit more olive oil.
4 - Bake falafels
You can cook these falafels either in the oven or air fryer. You could also fry them if you wish. I don't fry them purely because it's not the healthiest cooking method.
In the oven: bake at 220C/430F for 20-25 minutes. Flip them over halfway through. For a crispy touch, put on the grill for the last 5 minutes.
In the air fryer: air fry at 200C/390F for 20-25 minutes. Flip them over halfway through. They should come out golden brown on the outside.
Tip: it's super important to not over-blend the ingredients in the food processor. Otherwise, you will end up with a hummus-like texture, and it will be very hard to form the balls.
What to serve with these vegan broccoli falafel
I love eating these broccoli falafels with some green leaves and this easy tahini lemon sauce (omg I'm addicted to tahini sauce!).
You can also add these falafel to wraps, pita bread, or salads!! They are perfect to pack in your lunch box. If you're not vegan, add a couple of boiled eggs, some mixed leaves, and tahini sauce, and you have a complete and easy lunch!
Equipment
To make these broccoli falafel you will need:
- Knife and chopping board
- Food processor
- Air fryer or oven
Storage
Leftovers? Happy days 🥳 These vegan broccoli falafel are perfect for meal prep or a grab-me snack. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, pan, air fryer or oven.
Top tip!
It's super important to not over-blend the ingredients in the food processor. Otherwise, you will end up with a hummus-like texture, and it will be very hard to form the balls.
More recipes you will love
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Healthy Broccoli Falafel Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 falafel 1x
- Category: Appetizer, snack
- Cuisine: Australian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These easy-to-make broccoli falafel are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and so tasty! Vegan & gluten-free. They only take 10 minutes to prepare, and are a great way to eat broccoli in a fun and creative way, that the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients
1 medium broccoli head (300 grams) chopped (stem removed)
⅓ cup packed coriander or parsley
1 cup of canned chickpeas (drained)
¼ red onion diced
2 garlic cloves crushed or finely diced
½ teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
½ cup tapioca flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
Instructions
-
Start by combining the flax seeds with 3 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, and let it soak for 10 minutes, until it forms a thick gel.
-
Process the greens: Start by adding the broccoli and coriander to the food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds or so, until the broccoli is chopped. Don't over-blend it! You want to form broccoli rice, not a paste.
-
Make the falafel mixture: add the remaining ingredients to the food processor. Combine with a spatula first, and then pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely chopped. Again, you don't want to over-blend it! If you feel like the mix is too wet, add a bit more tapioca flour. Let it rest in the fridge for 5 minutes before the next step.
-
Form balls with the hands: Over an oven baking tray or air fryer tray, line parchment paper with a drizzle of olive oil. Wet your hands and form medium size balls. Lay all the balls on the tray, and spray or drizzle a bit more olive oil.
-
Bake falafels: You can cook these falafels either in the oven or air fryer.
In the oven: bake at 220C/430F for 20 minutes. Flip them over halfway through. For a crispy touch, put on the grill for the last 5 minutes.
In the air fryer: air fry at 200C/390F for 20-25 minutes. Flip them over halfway through. They should come out golden brown on the outside.
Notes
It's super important to not over-blend the ingredients in the food processor. Otherwise you will end up with a hummus-like texture, and it will be very hard to form the balls.
These broccoli falafel pair great with some green leaves and this easy tahini lemon sauce.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, pan, air fryer, or oven.
Hiroshi
This is one of the easiest nugget-type recipes that tastes great and has a nice texture. I had low expectations due to so many others not working, but this blew my mind. Big kudos, and thank you so much for this recipe. It is great as is and even more amazing with a bit of whole-seed mustard. 🙂
alicia gonzalez tome
Hi Hiroshi, your comment made my day thank-you!! Yum whole-seed mustard sounds like a great sauce option for these falafel. So happy to hear the recipe was a success for you!
Lucia
I made these broccoli falafel yesterday and they were a success!! My husband and the kids love them. I did them with the tahini sauce, such a great combo!! Will make them again for sure.