Baked Beet Falafel Bowls and Pita Sandwiches

Switch it up with these colorful Beet Falafel! This baked falafel recipe is perfect for meal prep. Enjoy them in a falafel bowl or a pita! In partnership with Pompeian! (Originally published March 31, 2018)

this RECIPE

Baked Beet Falafel Bowls and Pita Sandwiches

Lately I’ve been on a mission to cook through as much food in our freezer as possible. At one point we had boxes upon boxes of veggie burgers, jars of homemade veggie broth, oodles of berries, avocado cubes, tortillas, and two frozen pizzas. I would sloooowly open the freezer door in fear of everything falling out on top of me.

I’m happy to report that we have significantly reduced the ridiculous amount of food in our freezer! Which means… now it’s time to fill ‘er back up. 😄

Why do I like to keep my freezer stocked? Well, it’s basically the saving grace for any food that’s about to go bad or that I’m sick of eating. No food is wasted!

It also makes lunch packing or dinner prep really easy. What I like to do is cook big batches of beans and grains, save half to eat that week, and freeze the rest. It helps when I’m in a bind and don’t have time to cook (or straight up don’t feel like it).

That’s exactly what I did with these beet falafel! One batch makes 22-24 small patties (!!!) and only takes 30-ish minutes of prep. We went on vacation right after I made these, so I just stuck them all in the freezer! You guys loved the turmeric baked falafel I created with Pompeian last year, so I added beets to this batch for another fun, colorful version! 

Future tired Emilie will definitely thank me for the extra prep, and future you will, too. ☺️

Ingredients for Beet Falafel

My friends over at Pompeian asked me to create a recipe with Middle Eastern flavors for their #TrendingInTheKitchen campaign, and my mind went straight to FALAFEL! When I took Arabic as a freshman, our professor would always tell us how fresh the falafel is in Middle Eastern countries—I definitely have to take a trip in my lifetime.

You only need simple ingredients for these beet falafel! Of course, the usual suspects like chickpeas, herbs and flour, but we’re also using Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to hold everything together and give the falafels moisture. And what’s a Middle Eastern recipe without a healthy dose of high-quality olive oil?

Here’s everything you’ll need to make your own batch of baked beet falafel:

• Chickpeas. You’ll need 2 cans of chickpeas, or 3 cups if you prefer to make Instant Pot Chickpeas from dried!
• Cooked beets. I used a pack of pre-cooked beets, but feel free to cook your own ahead of time.
• Herbs. Fresh cilantro and parsley work together to create a delicious herby flavor.
• Red onion. I love the flavor of red onion here, but you could also use whatever onion you have on hand.
• Garlic. I’m using 4 fresh garlic cloves. Feel free to scale this up or down!
• Lemon. We’re juicing a whole lemon to add a bunch of bright flavor to these beet falafel.
• Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We’re using this in the beet falafel mix and for drizzling at the end! 
• Spices. Cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne pack in plenty of flavor.
• Oat Flour. Did you know you can make your own? Pulse up some oats in your food processor before starting this recipe to make it yourself!

How to Make Baked Falafel

These beet falafel can be made in just about 30 minutes. The whole recipe comes together in a food processor and on a baking sheet – that’s it! It’s an easy baked falafel recipe to scale up and make a big batch to stash in the freezer, so consider doubling it so you’ve got plenty of beetroot falafel for later!

1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease your baking sheet.
2. Chop up your chickpeas, beets, cilantro, parsley, onion and garlic in a food processor until you have a chunky mixture.
3. Season your mixture with lemon, Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
4. Add oat flour, starting with 1 cup, mixing it in and then adding more oat flour as necessary.
5. Form your falafel by rolling them into balls, flattening them with your hands and then place on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.
7. Broil on low for 5 minutes to get falafel extra crispy.

How to Make Beetroot Falafel Bowls

There are two ways I typically like to enjoy these baked falafels. In a big, delicious falafel bowl or wrapped up in a fluffy pita. First up are these baked falafel bowls!

Here’s how to make a baked falafel bowl:

1. Greens. Start with a bed of your favorite greens. I love arugula, spring mix or romaine, but any greens will work!
2. Grains. Next add on a scoop of your favorite grain. Rice, quinoa, farro, barley or couscous would all be delicious!
3. Veg. I typically throw in cucumber, tomato and olives, but you could also do broccoli, bell pepper, red cabbage, carrots or any other veggies you like!
4. Sauce. You’ll always see a drizzle of tahini and a scoop of hummus on my baked falafel bowls, but zhug, tzatziki, harissa or baba ghanoush would also be 10/10.

How to Make Beet Falafel Pita Sandwiches

Say you’ve had a big power bowl every day for lunch this week because you’ve got a bunch of these beet falafel in the fridge. BORING. That’s why I’m giving you TWO ways to enjoy them! These baked falafel pita sandwiches are perfect for packing and enjoying on the go.

Here’s how to make a falafel pita:

1. Pick a pita. Whole wheat, white flour, pita pockets or homemade. All are good options!
2. Pack in the greens. I like to start with a layer of greens and then build from there.
3. Add on your veggies. Chop or slice your veggies finely so that it’s easier to eat!
4. Layer on the falafel. I normally add three falafels to each pita.
5. Drizzle on your sauce. I like to do this last vs. first so that it doesn’t soak into the pita, especially if I’m making these in advance.
6. Wrap it. I like to wrap the sandwiches in foil. This helps it stay together and makes it perfect for easy grab-and-go lunches.

More Vegan Chickpea Recipes

I really hope you like these beet falafel—easy to make with simple ingredients, delicious, and very freezer-friendly! Chickpeas are one of my favorite beans, and I have so many recipes using them! Check out some of these other chickpea recipes after you try these baked falafel!

• Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Vegan Chickpea Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping
• Hawaiian Chickpea Burgers
• Vegan Sweet and Sour Chickpeas
• Chickpea Pumpkin Coconut Curry
• Chickpea Pancakes with Avocado Sauce
• Cheesy Chickpea Broccoli Rice Casserole

How to make:

Baked Beet Falafel Bowls and Pita Sandwiches

Switch it up with these colorful Beet Falafel! This baked falafel recipe is perfect for meal prep. Enjoy them in a falafel bowl or a pita!

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Author:

Emilie

Yield:

22-24 falafel 1x

Rating: 5 from 2 reviews

Print the recipe

Ingredients

For the falafel:

• 2 15-ounce cans (3 cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 ½ cups cooked beets, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup oat flour*, plus more if needed

For the bowls:

• 4 cups mixed greens
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (or other whole grain)
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
• ¼ cup hummus
• Tahini or vegan tzatziki, for serving
• Lemon wedges, for servingi

For the pita sandwiches:

• 4 whole-wheat pitas
• 4 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
• ¼ cup hummus
• Tahini or vegan tzatziki, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a baking sheet with Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, add chickpeas, beets, cilantro, parsley, onion and garlic. Pulse until chopped and well-combined, with some chunky texture.
3. Add lemon juice, Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Pulse a few times to combine.
4. Add oat flour, starting with 1 cup. Pulse until a firm dough forms, adding more oat flour if necessary.
5. Form 22-24 balls of dough, flatten them with your hands and place on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip. Bake for another 15 minutes.
7. Optional: Broil on low for 5 minutes to get falafel extra crispy.
8. For bowls: divide all ingredients evenly among 4 bowls. Top with 3-4 falafel each. Drizzle with tahini and olive oil.
9. For pita sandwiches: Divide all ingredients evenly among 4 pitas. Top with 3 falafel each; drizzle with tahini and olive oil. Roll up pita and wrap in foil to hold together.

Notes

*To make your own own oat flour, simply blend rolled oats into a fine flour using a high-speed blender or food processor.

3 falafels1765.4 g438.8 mg4.7 g0.6 g28.4 g5.8 g7 g0 mg

Thanks to Pompeian for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands whose products I really love and would honestly recommend. Thank you for supporting this blog that I love oh-so-much!