These chickpea-free cauliflower falafel are made with cauliflower, parsnips, and sunchokes, blended with parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, and cardamom. They are tender rather than crisp and crumbly like traditional chickpea falafel, but the warm spices and fresh herbs give them that familiar falafel-inspired flavor. The recipe is naturally vegan, grain-free, and lectin-free, making it a good alternative for anyone who doesn’t eat chickpeas — or simply wants to experiment with a vegetable-based falafel.
A vegetable-based alternative to traditional falafel
Having lived in Dubai, I’ve eaten some truly excellent falafel, and I won’t pretend this vegetable version has exactly the same texture as the traditional recipe. Dried and soaked chickpeas create a structure that is difficult to reproduce with vegetables, so these cauliflower falafel are softer inside.
But much of what I love about falafel comes from the seasoning: plenty of cumin, ground coriander, garlic, parsley, and just a touch of cardamom. That aromatic combination gives these vegetable falafel a warm, savory flavor that feels familiar even without the chickpeas.
Cauliflower forms the base of the mixture, while parsnips and sunchokes add substance and a subtle earthy sweetness. Almond flour helps absorb excess moisture and hold everything together.
One batch, three falafel variations
You can make the entire batch plain, or divide it into thirds to create three slightly different variations:
- Classic falafel with herbs and spices
- Sesame-coated falafel
- Golden turmeric falafel
Making all three doesn’t require much additional work and gives you a colorful platter with a little variation in flavor and texture. The sesame-coated falafel have a nuttier exterior, while turmeric gives the final batch a beautiful golden color and a warm, earthy note.
Tips for the best texture
The vegetables should be cooked until just fork-tender, but not overly soft. Steaming the cauliflower separately is especially helpful because it prevents it from absorbing too much water.
Once processed, the mixture needs to rest in the refrigerator for about 1 1/2 hours. This gives the almond flour time to absorb moisture and makes the falafel easier to shape.
Process the mixture until everything is finely chopped and combined, but stop before it becomes completely smooth. Leaving a little texture creates a better consistency.
How to serve chickpea-free falafel
Serve these cauliflower falafel with romaine lettuce, a squeeze of lemon, fresh or dried parsley, and a generous drizzle of creamy tahini sauce. I especially like them with my Tahini Orange Dressing.
You can tuck them into a grain-free pita or tortilla, serve them in lettuce wraps, or add them to a salad bowl. If you eat dairy, a spoonful of sheep or goat yogurt also works beautifully with the spices.
Enjoy!
Print
Chickpea-Free Cauliflower Falafel
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
These chickpea-free cauliflower falafel are made with cauliflower, parsnips, and sunchokes, blended with parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, and cardamom. They are tender rather than crisp and crumbly like traditional chickpea falafel, but the warm spices and fresh herbs give them that familiar falafel-inspired flavor. The recipe is naturally vegan, grain-free, and lectin-free, making it a good alternative for anyone who doesn’t eat chickpeas — or simply wants to experiment with a vegetable-based falafel.
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower, steamed or boiled until al dente
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and boiled
- 2 medium sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), peeled and boiled
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 tablespoons almond flour, or more if needed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- Avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, for shallow frying
- Sesame seeds, for coating, optional
- 1–2 teaspoons turmeric, for the turmeric falafel, optional
For serving, optional
- Grain-free pita bread or tortillas
- Romaine lettuce
- Tahini dressing
- Fresh or dried parsley
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Cook the cauliflower, parsnips, and sunchokes until just fork-tender, taking care not to overcook them. You can boil all the vegetables, but steaming the cauliflower separately will prevent it from becoming too watery, which will give a better texture.
- Add the cooked vegetables, onion, parsley, garlic, almond flour, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, cardamom, and salt to a food processor. Process until everything is finely chopped and combined but not completely smooth; the mixture should retain a little texture.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and shape it into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of mixture for each falafel. Place them on a board or plate lightly dusted with cassava or almond flour to prevent sticking, if necessary. If the mixture is too soft or watery, you can add a bit more cassava or almond flour.
- To easily make three variations, leave the first third plain. Coat the next third with sesame seeds. Mix the turmeric into the remaining third before shaping it into balls.
- Heat avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Test one falafel first to ensure the oil is hot enough, then shallow-fry the falafel in batches without overcrowding the pan.
- Fry the plain falafel first, followed by the turmeric falafel and then the sesame-coated falafel (this way the sesame seeds won’t burn in the oil). Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve with romaine lettuce, grain-free pita or tortillas, tahini dressing, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
The falafel will have a softer texture than traditional falafel made with dried chickpeas.
Avoid overcooking the vegetables, as excess moisture can make the mixture too soft and difficult to shape.
If the mixture feels too wet after chilling, add a little more almond or cassava flour.
You can make the entire batch plain instead of dividing it into three variations.
For a milder falafel, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
This quantity makes about 20 small falafels.
No Comments