Vegan Curry Spinach Falafel

Get excited, because your meal prep is about to get a whole lot easier with curry spiced spinach falafel. This baked falafel takes just a few minutes of prep and is loaded with aromatic flavor.

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I’m always looking for ways to take my favorite recipes and mix them up a bit, like I did with these chickpea curry wraps. Spinach falafel is such a staple in the world of meal prep, but sometimes I want something a little different. J

This recipe, like most of my recipes, came to fruition because I was running low on food and had to rely on the dredges of my pantry. I am a lazy grocery shopper – I refuse to go to the store until I really need to go. Thankfully, the ingredients for vegan falafel are pantry staples.

How to make 

The base of traditional falafel is chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Chickpeas are a great source of plant based protein, fiber, and iron.

Bean based dinners are usually my first stop when I’m trying to get the creative juices flowing. Beans, especially chickpeas, are a wonderful blank slate for flavors.

I ditched a few of the traditional ingredients (such as cilantro and parsley) and amped up the flavor with some different curry inspired ingredients:

• Curry powder
• Turmeric
• Lime

These three ingredients pack so much flavor and take an ordinary vegan falafel recipe to the next level!

Recipe tips

I use chickpeas cooked from dry because that’s what I usually have on hand. This recipe works just as well with canned chickpeas.

If you’re using canned chickpeas, make sure to pat them dry to remove excess moisture – this makes the mixture stick together better. And don’t forget to reserve the aquafaba (chickpea juice) for raspberry chocolate mousse!

New to vegan falafel, or plant-based patties in general? Use spinach curry falafel in a grain bowl, on a sandwich (just make the patties a little bigger before baking), or in a salad. They’re super versatile and go well with most meals.

If you’re looking for similar recipes you might like my avocado chickpea salad or red lentil curry. This instant pot chickpea coconut curry has similar flavors and also works well for meal prep!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Curry Spinach Falafel

These baked curry spiced spinach falafel are vegan and gluten-free. They are easy to make, healthy, and bursting with flavor.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LDN

Ingredients

• 2 cups (or one 15 ounce can, drained) chickpeas
• 1 heaping cup fresh spinach, packed (about one large handful)
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
• 1 tablespoon tahini (can be subbed with oil)
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend into a chunky mixture. The ingredients should be mostly broken up, but not turned into a paste. It will be hard to form into balls if it gets broken down too much, so be careful not to overblend.
• Divide the mixture into 12 balls. Flatten the balls into discs with the palm of your hand. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. The falafels are very delicate, so be careful when flipping.  
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Falafel is delicate. You can add 1/4 cup all purpose-flour to make them less delicate (flour helps with binding), but I prefer to omit this step. You can also let the mixture rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours prior to shaping, so that the dough firms up. I am impatient, so I usually bake right away. 

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Serving: 4falafelCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSodium: 191mg