These paleo falafels are made without chickpeas so they are perfect for anyone avoiding legumes or just looking to try a different type of falafel. These are loaded with cauliflower, broccoli, cashew nuts and all those typical spices that make falafels so flavorful.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Middle Eastern Recipes
Falafels are one of my favorite Middle Eastern foods, and although I enjoy the authentic recipe, I’ve always wanted to make a more paleo-friendly version without the legumes. To all falafel purists out there… I know this is not a real falafel. I could call these “cauliflower, tahini and cashew patties,” but where is the fun in that?
These lovely cauliflower falafel patties are fluffy and soft, and moister than the traditional falafels. I actually find some deep-fried falafels – especially store-bought – too dry and coarse.
What I love about this version is that these falafels are filled with veggies and healthy fats (from nuts and tahini). They’re both paleo and vegan-friendly and are great for lunchbox or to serve as part of a Middle Eastern mezze. or Mediterranean appetizers platter.
By the way, kids won’t even know they’ve got veggies inside.
👩🍳 You might also like to try my quinoa falafels, my grain-free cauliflower hash browns, or my pumpkin dal (also made with cauliflower instead of legumes).
What You’ll Need
Here is what you will need to make this paleo falafels recipe. You will find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- For the bulk of the mixture – cashew nuts, cauliflower and broccoli (processed into crumbs, like cauliflower rice). Leftover cashew nuts are great for making cashew nut pesto or you could try my cashew hummus.
- Flour – Tapioca flour/starch or coconut flour can be used to bind the mixture together and to give it some density. You can find these flours in most health food stores and online. Arrowroot flour or cassava flour can be used instead of tapioca, or even some buckwheat or quinoa flour or almond meal.
- Tahini – This paste is is a little bit like peanut butter but made from sesame seeds. You can usually find it in most supermarkets and health food stores. I used the ‘hulled’ sesame tahini, which is lighter in color. Tahini is an essential flavor in falafels.
- Aromatics – onion, garlic and parsley will add gorgeous pungent and fresh flavors.
- Spices – salt, cumin powder, coriander seed powder, paprika, turmeric and cinnamon.
How To Make Paleo Falafels
Here are some brief instructions for how to make cauliflower falafels without chickpeas. Find the full recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease baking paper with ghee/coconut oil.
- Blend all ingredients (except flours) in a food processor until the mixture forms fine crumbs and starts pulling together (about 2 minutes). Scrape sides as needed. If needed, process in batches to ensure even blending. Avoid adding extra water.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl, add tapioca/coconut flour, and mix well to absorb moisture.
- Shape into small balls (about 1 tbsp each), flatten slightly, and place on a lined baking sheet.
- Brush olive oil lightly over the falafels. Bake for 15 minutes, flip carefully, reduce oven temp to 180°C (360°F), and bake another 15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
- Make the dipping sauce: whisk all ingredients together and serve on the side.
I baked these falafel balls but you can also pan-fry them in a little olive oil or avocado oil.
Recipe Tips
- The falafel mixture should be moist but not too wet. If it feels too sticky, let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flours to absorb excess moisture or add a little extra flour. If it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it holds together.
- For extra crispiness: After baking, give the falafels a quick pan-fry in a little coconut oil or ghee for a golden, crispy exterior.
- Use an air fryer: Air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway for even crispiness.
- Keep them uniform: Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to ensure even-sized falafels for consistent cooking.
- Don’t skip the oil: Brushing the tops with olive oil or coconut oil helps them develop a golden, slightly crispy crust.
- Store leftover falafels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5-7 minutes or pop them in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes to crisp them back up.
- Freezing? Let them cool completely, then store in a ziplock bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 180°C (350°F) for 10-12 minutes.
- Make-ahead tips: Blend the ingredients and store the mixture (uncooked) in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Or, roll them into balls and store them uncooked on a baking tray in the fridge. Bake when ready. Freeze for later: Shape the falafels, place them on a tray to freeze individually, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen—just add an extra 5 minutes to the cook time.
Serving Suggestions
I love eating these paleo falafels simply dipped in a little spicy dipping sauce featured in this recipe, chilli aioli, eggplant dip, or bang bang sauce. You can also wrap them in lettuce leaves with some kimchi or sauerkraut or add them on top of a salad. Or serve as a side dish with meat, fish and vegetables.
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Ingredients
For the falafels
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
- 4 florets cauliflower or fewer if they are every large
- 4 florets broccoli
- 2 cloves garlic large cloves, peeled
- 1 small red onion or white onion, diced roughly
- 1.5 tablespoons tahini light tahini is best here
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed powder
- ⅔ teaspoon coriander seed powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ⅓ cup parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, for brushing
For the dipping sauce
- 1 teaspoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce or chilli sauce/flakes
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Grease a sheet of baking paper with ghee or coconut oil.
- In a food processor, add all ingredients except for the tapioca/coconut flour. Process into fine crumbs until the mixture starts coming together, pulling away from the sides and wrapping into itself. This should take about 2 minutes, including occasional scraping of the sides. If the vegetables aren’t grinding properly, process in two batches, then combine and blend again. As the mixture processes, it will release some moisture, so avoid adding water too soon.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and sprinkle with tapioca and coconut flours. Mix well, allowing the flours to absorb moisture and help bind the mixture.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture and shape it into a small ball with your hands. Use the spoon to help shape and slightly flatten it. Place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Using a pastry brush (or your fingers), lightly coat the falafels with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully flip the falafels over and return to the oven. Lower the heat to 180°C (360°F) and bake for another 15 minutes. Once done, let them cool slightly before transferring to a plate. You can also pan-fry them.
- For the dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Serve on the side.
Notes
- The falafel mixture should be moist but not too wet. If it feels too sticky, let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flours to absorb excess moisture or add a little extra flour. If it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it holds together.
- For extra crispiness: After baking, give the falafels a quick pan-fry in a little coconut oil or ghee for a golden, crispy exterior.
- Use an air fryer: Air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway for even crispiness.
- Keep them uniform: Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to ensure even-sized falafels for consistent cooking.
- Don’t skip the oil: Brushing the tops with olive oil or coconut oil helps them develop a golden, slightly crispy crust.
- Store leftover falafels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5-7 minutes or pop them in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes to crisp them back up.
- Freezing? Let them cool completely, then store in a ziplock bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 180°C (350°F) for 10-12 minutes.
- Make-ahead tips: Blend the ingredients and store the mixture (uncooked) in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Or, roll them into balls and store them uncooked on a baking tray in the fridge. Bake when ready. Freeze for later: Shape the falafels, place them on a tray to freeze individually, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen—just add an extra 5 minutes to the cook time.
SO GLAD I FOUND THIS RECIPE!!! I love falafels but have recently figured out I’m highly intolerant / allerigic to all legumes 🙁 I’m slightly devastated but also relieved as the majority of my intense gut pain is gone. These remind me of the fresh Israeli falafels I used to get in Northcote. Thanks so much! Kids won’t eat them but hubby is a fan – still winning!
Thanks, Sab. Glad you discovered this recipe then. I get a bit of indigestion from legumes as well, so I feel your pain.
Love Middle Eastern foods and falafel is one of my favorite as well. It looks super yummy in those pictures. Planning to make it this weekend.
Thank you. Let me know how it goes and if you liked them.
Hi, thank you so much for the recipe. I made these baked falafels and they are awesome! I’m making this every week now. These are much healthier than the real thing too, and I actually liked these better than the bad ones. These definitely satisfy my craving for mediterranean food. Thanks again for sharing.
Thank you for such a lovely comment. I am glad these have become a regular on the menu. x
These look great! Can they be frozen or stored in the fridge for a couple of days?
I would probably recommend them fresh or you can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days, but not freezer.
Hello! This looks wonderful. I would really like to make these for my mom, but she recently discovered she cannot have sesame. Do you have any suggestions for a tahini substitute? I was thinking cashew butter might work.
Thank you!
Hi Claire, I think either cashew or almond butter will work well. Just add a little more garlic and cumin powder for flavour as tahini does give it that real ‘falafel’ flavour. They will still be yummy though.
Thanks so much!
They look amazing Irena!! Probably up there with your meatballs recipe I made before! Will have to try 🙂
I hope you enjoy them 🙂
Hi! You have a red onion in the image but not in the ingredients list, should I include one?
Making these for dinner tonight, yum!
Ah well spotted! Yes, it’s supposed to be in there, although it would work without as well. I will add to ingredients, left out accidentally.