These pumpkin falafels are absolutely INCREDIBLE. I was a little apprehensive that any homemade version of falafel could possibly be as good as traditional fried falafel you’d order in a restaurant, but I was wrong. This homemade version gets just as crispy and delicious without even frying it!!!! All of the tips and tricks and step-by-step photos in this blog post. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

I am so excited to bring another savory recipe to you today!! A little back story on this recipe…I LOVE falafel. However, I honestly haven’t had it many times in my life as there aren’t many restaurants close to where we live that have it on the menu. So, I decided to try making it myself…while also putting a fun fall twist on it and including PUMPKIN!! ?

What is falafel?

So, what is falafel anyways?! If you’ve never had it before, it is fried, crispy golden brown balls or patties made up of chickpeas!! Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish. Obviously, most falafel doesn’t have pumpkin in it…but even if you don’t like pumpkin, I honestly think you’d like this recipe as there really isn’t much pumpkin at all in this recipe and it doesn’t have a strong flavor. It does add a fun orange color and helps bind the ingredients together though!

Ingredients to make Falafel  

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are the main ingredient in falafel! Many homemade versions rely on dried chickpeas to ensure the falafel doesn’t end up with a mushy texture. But to be honest, I have zero desire to spend time soaking and making dried beans.? ?‍♀️ Canned beans are just as nutritious as dried beans and are a great plant-based source of protein and excellent source of fiber! In order to ensure a perfect interior texture, I do take an easy step of baking the chickpeas in the oven first to dry them out a bit before adding them to a food processor with the other ingredients.

Walnuts

Honestly, I don’t think traditional falafel has nuts in it but since we’re putting a different spin on a pumpkin version anyways why not switching things up a bit. ? Just like with these homemade salmon burgers, I decided on walnuts to go with the pumpkin falafel. However, you can definitely sub most any other nut here instead. I think pepitas (pumpkin seeds) would be a fun idea to use to go along with the pumpkin theme. Almonds or pine nuts would also work well, or maybe pecans!

Onion

This IS an ingredient found in most traditional falafel recipes to give delicious flavor!

Parsley

Another traditional falafel ingredient. In fact, a lot of falafel is very green on the inside due to the large amounts of fresh parsley used. I didn’t use a ton of parsley in this recipe, and if you don’t have fresh parsley on hand I’d try substituting 1-2 tablespoons dried. I don’t always have fresh herbs on hand, and I think this would still work ok if you use dried instead!

Spices

While garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and lemon juice are fairly commonly seen in falafel, I also added smoked paprika (SO GOOD) and cinnamon to this pumpkin version!! These pumpkin falafel are definitely not lacking in flavor. ?

Flour

Just a tiny bit of flour is used to bind all the ingredients together. I used homemade oat flour, but many other types of flour will work here (all-purpose, gluten-free blend, etc.). I just recommend starting with the lower amount and adding more only as needed to help bind the ingredients together!

Serving Suggestions

As shown in the photos, I loved serving these falafel with my pumpkin vinaigrette dressing served on a bed of greens and chopped apple and pepita seeds! Delicious fall salad with a good balance of carbohydrates and fiber, protein, and healthy fats! It’s also a delicious combination of different tastes and textures. I also enjoyed this pumpkin falafel dipped in my sweet potato or honey mustard hummus! Chickpeas on top of chickpeas ?