These golden, crispy little vegan falafel made of sweet potatoes, chickpeas and spices are addictive. Stuff them into fresh bread with hummus, dressing and snow pea shoots, or just layer them on top of a fresh salad.
Fancy falafel!
Falafel is one of those foods that I could eat every day. And no I’m not a vegetarian or vegan.
It’s something about the crispy outside and the nutty, satisfying centre. Falafel tastes like something naughty, but of course it’s packed full of healthy chickpeas and other goodies.
But do you know you can make falafel with sweet potato? Well, you sure can, and it’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredients in sweet potato falafel
This is all you need to make these delightful little sweet potato fritters:
- a sweet potato, roasted or microwaved (!) until soft (I sometimes use regular, and other times purple sweet potato (your choice!)
- a can of cooked chickpeas
- a finely chopped onion
- garlic and various yummy spices such (cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika)
- flour, baking powder and salt
- lemon juice
- sesame seeds (optional!)
Just a few ingredients. And vegan!
How to make vegan sweet potato falafel
In 4 super easy steps!
- Cook your sweet potato in the microwave! (so easy!) If you’d rather though, roast in the oven.
- Roughly mash with all the other yummy ingredients.
- Let the mixture chill out in the fridge for a while before molding it into little nugget-shaped falafel.
- Shallow pan fry for about 5 minutes on each side.
Prefer to air fry?
Lately I air fry everything! Well, almost!
But seriously, these sweet potato falafel are perfect candidates for cooking in your air fryer. Air fry for 15 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket and falafel lightly with olive oil and cook for 15 minutes, turning half way.
Mmmm…. delicious, and even healthier!
That’s it – really! Now how do you eat them?
How to serve sweet potato falafel
Apart from the fact that it’s addictively delicious, the amazing thing about this recipe is that it makes around 30 falafel.
Which means there doesn’t have to be JUST falafel wraps on the menu.
When I make this recipe, this is what I make.
Falafel wraps!
Yes, these easy sweet potato falafel are incredibly delicious stuffed into fresh crusty Mediterranean style bread with some kind of greens or other salad and hummus and/or sauce.
My favourite way to do this is to stuff Turkish bread or Italian ciabatta with:
- a big handful of snow peas (Have you tried them? Delicious!)
- chopped tomatoes and spring onions
- hummus (my go-to recipe is this one – you have to try the 2-ingredient flatbread too!)
- tahini dressing (oh my goodness, this 5-minute dressing is so awesome!). If you don’t have any tahini, Greek yogurt works great as a makeshift dressing, too!
Falafel salad!
Another option is to serve the falafel on top of the pea shoots and with all the little accompaniments and condiments on the side, like so:
Pro tip: Try drizzling over this 5-minute tahini sauce. Incredible!
More amazing Mediterranean recipes that you must try!
- Our favourite Greek baked eggplant with tomato and feta
- These life-changing fried halloumi bites (perfect appetizers for guests!)
- Crispy fried chickpeas (great on salads or soups!)
- Ever made a proper Spanish omelette, otherwise known as a tortilla de patatas? Prepare to have your mind blown!
- Another Spanish one… try this traditional ‘pan con tomate’ or Spanish bruschetta. It’s incredible, and unbelievably easy to make!
- Did you know you can fry olives, and that they’re delicious? You do now!
Or browse all my Mediterranean recipes here
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Sweet potato falafel (vegan, with air fryer version)
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
For the falafel
- 1 medium to large ish sweet potato (or 2 small ones!)
- 1 can of cooked chickpeas 9 ounces/250 grams net weight
- 1/2 a medium onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1/2 of a lemon worth of juice
- sesame seeds for scattering over
optional ‘accompaniments’
- chopped tomatoes & spring onions/scallions pitta bread or another type of fresh bread, hummus, Greek yoghurt or tahini dressing, snow pea sprouts
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cook in a microwave for about 10 minutes or until soft. (you can roast them if you prefer for about 45 minutes or so or until soft)
- In the meantime, pulse the chickpeas a few times in a food processor until still a little bit chunky.
- Mash the pulsed chickpeas and sweet potato together with all of the other ingredients apart from the sesame seeds. Cover the mixture and chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.
- Take spoonfuls of mixture about the size of a walnut and form into balls. Flatten the balls into a patty and press a few sesame seeds into them on both sides.
- Heat up a layer of oil in a skillet/frying pan until quite hot, then fill the pan with patties. Let them cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy.
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately with fresh bread and accompaniments of your choice.
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
This looks so delicious! I am so hungry. I need to move away from the computer and get something to eat. I so wish I had one of these sandwiches right now 😀
Helen says
Haha … I know the feeling. That happens to me every day when looking at different blogs! Hope you had something lovely for dinner!
Samina | The Cupcake Confession says
Ahhh… I’m so sorry that you had a tough weekend Helen :* But I’m prettttty sure these beautiful falafels with those delish sweet potato patties made up for it! These look incredible and those tomatoes and the snow pea sprouts look so amazing! I could eat this every single day!!!!! <3
Helen says
Ah, now that’s a compliment! I think I could eat these every day, too!! So glad you like them so much! 🙂
lori @ TheHealthMinded.com says
I’d say that rough start to your weekend ended beautifully with this really creative recipe, Helen! And the ingredients are nutrient-packed. Those purple sweet potatoes are cancer fighters, digestive aides,immunity supporters, etc. And those snow pea shoots are delicious! I had never had them until our local Chinese restaurant introduced me recently. Fantastic flavors here — a must pin!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Lori! I’m so happy that you’re so excited about this recipe! And thanks so much for the nutrition info, too. Wow, it sounds like this was a bit of a ‘super lunch’ – just the business when you’re having a ‘blah’ weekend. Hope you have a great weekend!
P.S. Yes, snow peas are just delicious, aren’t they? Definitely buying those again!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
This sandwich is amazing!
Helen says
Thanks, Jocelyn!!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Hopefully this week will be a little better for you, Helen! I am so impressed by this falafel! It looks absolutely amazing! I love all of the ingredients, especially the chickpeas. Definitely pinning to try out. Have a great weekend, Helen!
Helen says
Aw, thanks so much, Gayle! I’m so happy that you like it! Thanks for the pin as well and I really hope you do get around to trying this out. It really was delicious!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
These sound delicious and I’m sure my step son will enjoy them as he loves sweet potatoes. Hope this weekend is better 🙂
Helen says
Thanks so much, Tandy! Hope you have a great weekend, too!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I love Friends, it makes me nostalgic 🙂 Love the sweet potato/chickpea combo, and these falafels look delicious!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Denise! Yes, I think I could still sit down and watch Friends for a whole day. Definitely makes me nostalgic!
Eva says
Cette recette est top ! Tu as fait tout, le pain, la sauce, elle paraît très bonne! J’aime aussi les recettes d’ Ottolenghi. La dernier fois que je suis allée à Londres, on a mangé un jour las bas, c’était très bon!
Moi aussi j’adoré voir Friends 😉
Helen says
Ooh, je savais pas qu’Ottolenghi a un restaurant a Londres! J’y irais tout de suite quand je retournerai en Angleterre!!
Je suis ravie que tu aimes la recette, Eva! 🙂
Chrissy says
These sounds so much better than regular falafals! Can’t wait to make them!
Also, I love Friends and having been in the mood to watch them, have had my DVD set on constantly every night this week. And I can’t help but clap every time that part comes on in the song 🙂
Helen says
Ha! So it’s not just me that likes that line! So happy you like the falafels. I’ll definitely be making them again!
Ambar says
This recipe sounds so amazing! So creative!
Helen says
Thank you so much, Ambar!
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg says
There’s nothing like falafel to give us a boost. I like how creative this is , Helen. A new way to make falafel.
Helen says
Thanks so much, Norma. I think falafel has got to be one of my all-time faves, so I thought I’d give it a bit of twist. So glad you like it!
Laura says
Maybe I’m just not a very imaginative person, but I’m really trying to figure out how this would taste! And I can’t!! I guess that just means I’ll have to make it myself…. love sweet potatoes and would think this dish is just bursting with all sorts of luscious flavor. Where do you get these ideas? I guess there’s no microwave popcorn in your house!! But your probably the 10th person to suggest making my own hummas to me, so maybe it’s time to get a move on!
Helen says
Oh, Laura, I’ve been buying supermarket hummus lately because I had sort of ‘forgotten’ how easy hummus is to make, but honestly it’s SUPER easy. Just give it a go once to see what I mean!
And thank you once again for your lovely complimentary comment. Your comments always make me blush and smile!! Have a wonderful weekend, Laura!
Allison says
Ha, that certainly hasn’t been a good time. But this would make me feel much better! I love the Jerusalem cookbook so much! It’s one of my faves. Makes me feel very worldly to cook from 🙂 I’m making these, by the way! These are my kind of flavours. Super bold and hummus makes everything better! Yum. Also, that bread looks beautiful. I want to tear off a piece for a snack right now!
Helen says
I honestly can’t stop reading my new book, Allison. It’s just so beautiful in every day … ahhh (wistful look).
I’m also smiling from ear-to-ear right now that you like these enough to make them. I really hope you like them!
Ashley says
Aw, yeah I know that feeling when it’s just not your day (or weekend!).
And yes, I do now have the friends song stuck in my head but that’s not a bad thing! haha These sound awesome – I can never ever get enough sweet potatoes and this would be such a different way for me to use them!
Helen says
Oops, sorry about the song getting stuck in your head, Ashley! I hope it’s gone now!! (and this doesn’t remind you again and put it back … haha!)
So glad you like the recipe – I love both sweet potatoes and chickpeas so I thought I’d try putting them together to see what happened. 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I adore falafel, but I haven’t made it with sweet potato before. Definitely going to make this. Going to share it with my followers on Twitter too 🙂
Helen says
Aw, thanks so much for the share, Dannii! 🙂
And I always always get excited when someone says they’re going to make my recipe. So glad you like it! Have a wonderful weekend!
[email protected] says
Never thought of using sweet potatoes for falafel! Totally doing it now!
Helen says
I hadn’t until this point, Ami, but I’ll definitely do it again. So glad you want to try making them!
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
I definitely can commiserate on having a few “off” days in a row, Helen. That happened to me recently, where nothing I cooked turned out right, I spilled just about everything I touched, I wasn’t a happy camper, etc. It’s such a great feeling when the gray clouds part (both literally and figuratively)! But I can certainly see how these falafel would be the bright spot of your weekend. I love falafel, and never thought of adding sweet potatoes to them. They look delicious!
Helen says
Aw, thanks Alyssa! I’m hoping for a better weekend this time around. It’s going to be lovely and sunny for a start, so that should help!
So glad that you like the falafel. I was really pleased with how they turned out and will definitely be making them again!
marcie says
I’m sorry to hear that you had a blah few days there, Helen, but what a way to bounce back! These sweet potato falafel look amazing, and it was one brilliant idea you had making those. These look absolutely delicious! 🙂
Helen says
Thanks, Marcie! I reckon if those are my only problems then I’m not doing too badly … haha!
So happy you like the falafel … I really enjoyed making them!
Melanie @ Bon Appét'Eat says
Oh dear Helen, you are trouble! I need to book a day of vacations to try a bunch of your recipes! This one is a total yes! I have sweet potatoes at home already!
I keep thinking of that phyllo and cheese recipe you have too!
Beautiful pics!
PS: Dummy question: how do you put your avatar/picture on your comments when you comment on other blogs?
Helen says
Hi, Melanie! Oh, that’s not a dummy question at all! It’s really easy. You just go to the site gravatar.com, set up a wordpress.com account if you don’t already have one and then they guide you through the process, as I remember. I just had to upload a photo and I was set up within a really short time. Let me know if you get stuck and I’ll try to give you more specific instructions.
Also, thank you SO much for your really lovely, complimentary comment about my recipes. Honestly, I am blushing right now! I’m particularly happy that you still remember the feta cheese in filo pastry. You should definitely give that one a go – it’s so easy and delicious! Have a great weekend, Melanie! 🙂
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
Wow… This looks AWESOME, my dear! This looks heavenly. There are so many good things in this!! I need to try these ASAP.
Helen says
Thanks, Olivia! I’m so happy you like these falafel and hope you do give them a try some time!