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Rainbow Falafel
By Samira Kazan
updated November 12, 2024
This rainbow falafel 5 ways is a delightful mix of colors and flavors, quick to prepare, and perfect for any occasion.
I have already shared a post about making authentic falafel and baked falafel with a list of ways to serve them, as well as top tips for cooking them. I used a mixture of broad beans alongside chickpeas. However, this updated, modern version has a simple chickpea-only base but still tastes absolutely delicious! I decided to omit the broad beans because of the other vegetables we’ll be adding to create the gorgeous rainbow colors, so there’s no need for a complicated base mix.
With just a single ingredient addition, this falafel mix can go from normal to rainbow-tastic – a true show-stopper and perfect for entertaining! One baked purple potato turns the mix a beautiful shade of purple; beetroot creates a lovely pink; butternut squash (and possibly turmeric ) for a golden orange; and a mixture of cilantro and parsley for a gorgeous green.
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- Watch the rainbow falafel video
- Ingredients
- How to make rainbow falafel
- Recipe tips
- More falafel recipes you’ll love
- Rainbow Falafel Recipe
Watch the rainbow falafel video
Ingredients
Ingredients for the falafel base:
- Pre-soaked chickpeas
- Small red onions
- Garlic
- Falafel spice: cumin, black pepper, ground coriander, red chili powder, cinnamon (optional). I usually have homemade falafel spice ready and waiting in my cupboard.
- Salt
For different colors/flavors:
- Yellow: Use the base mixture without additional ingredients.
- Green: Add a small bunch of cilantro; optionally, include some parsley.
- Purple: Use baked purple potato.
- Orange: Use baked butternut squash; optionally, add a pinch of turmeric.
- Red: Use beetroot.
For frying:
- Baking powder
- Sunflower oil (enough to fill up your saucepan)
How to make rainbow falafel
Prepare the Falafel Base: Start by soaking chickpeas in cold water overnight. The following day, thoroughly drain and rinse them. Divide the chickpeas into five bowls to make the different falafel colors.
Prepare the color ingredients: Season and bake butternut squash and pierce purple potatoes before baking.
For each falafel color—yellow, green, purple, orange, red/pink—blend the base mixture of chickpeas (1.5 cups), onion (1 small), garlic (1 clove), falafel spice, and salt with the specific color ingredient. Use baked butternut squash for orange , baked purple potato for purple , coriander (and optionally parsley) for green, and beetroot for red/pink. Blend until smooth
Fry the Falafels: When you are ready to fry the vegan falafels, add ½ tsp of baking powder to each bowl of falafel mixture and mix well. The baking powder should only be added at the last moment before frying. This adds an “airiness” to the mix that is needed for the perfect texture.
Heat a few inches of sunflower oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it bubbles softly. Using a falafel scoop or a spoon/fork, form the falafel balls/patties and carefully dip them in the hot oil.
Fry the falafels for 3-4 minutes, then carefully turn them over. The falafels are ready when they become golden-brown in color. Lay the fried falafels on a piece of paper towel or in a colander to drain any excess cooking oil, although there shouldn’t be much!
Serve rainbow falafel on a plate with crunchy vegetables, cucumber pickles , and lemon tahini sauce for dipping. Or, stuff them into a sandwich pocket, with a drizzle of tahini sauce and serve with a side of Tabbouleh salad for a fresh take.
Recipe tips
- Soaking Chickpeas: Although you can use canned chickpeas, I prefer to use fresh ones that have been soaked overnight for the best taste and texture.
- Adjusting Texture: If the falafel mix is too crumbly, add a tiny bit of water to form a paste.
- Single Color/Flavor: If you want to make a single color/flavor, simply adjust the recipe accordingly.
- Preparation and Storage: These vegan falafels can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge/freezer. If freezing the paste, then add the baking powder to the mix once thawed and about to fry.
More falafel recipes you’ll love
Equipment
- Falafel Scoop
IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric1x2x3x
For the falafel base
- ▢ 7.5 cups pre-soaked chickpeas divided into 5 bowls (1.5 cups each)
- ▢ 5 small red onions
- ▢ 5 garlic cloves
- ▢ 1 Tbsp falafel spice ½ tsp cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional) – divided into 5 for each bowl
- ▢ 2.5 tsp salt ½ tsp per bowl
For the different colors
- ▢ for green: a small bunch of coriander; optional – some parsley
- ▢ for purple: 1 baked purple potato
- ▢ for orange: 1/2 baked butternut squash; optional – a pinch of turmeric
- ▢ for red: 1 large beetroot
For frying
- ▢ 2.5 tsp baking powder ½ tsp for each color
- ▢ sunflower oil enough to fill up your saucepan
Instructions
Prep the ingredients
- Wash the chickpeas and then soak them in cold water overnight.
- Drain and rinse well, when ready to proceed with the falafel recipe.
- Separate them into 5 bowls – one bowl for each color.
- Prepare the baked vegetables – Butternut squash: Slice and de-seed, chop into sections, brush lightly with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven at 325ºF/170°C fan assisted for about 25-30 minutes. – Purple potatoes: Pierce them a few times with a fork and bake alongside the squash.
- To make the yellow falafel , mix the base ingredients: 1.5 cups of chickpeas, 1 small onion, 1 garlic clove, ½ tsp falafel spice, and a pinch of salt. Blend them in a food processor/blender until you obtain a smooth uniform mixture.Â
- To make the green falafel, mix the base ingredients with a small bunch of cilantro and, optionally, some parsley. Blend in a food processor until you obtain a smooth, uniform mixture.
- To make the purple falafel, mix the base ingredients with the baked purple potato. Blend until a smooth, uniform mixture is obtained.
- To make the orange falafel, mix the base ingredients with half of the baked butternut squash and blend till smooth.
- To make the red/pink falafel, mix the base ingredients with a large beetroot and blend till smooth.
Fry the falafel
- When you are ready to fry the vegan falafels, add ½ tsp baking powder to each bowl and mix well. The baking powder should only be added at the last moment before frying.
- Heat up a few inches of sunflower oil in a saucepan until it bubbles softly. Using a falafel scoop or a spoon/fork, form the falafel patties by hand and carefully dip them in the hot oil.
- After 3-4 minutes, carefully turn them over. The falafels are ready when they become golden-brown in color.Â
- Lay on a piece of paper towel or in a colander to drain any excess cooking oil, although there shouldn’t be much!Â
- Serve these 5-way falafels with rainbow veggies, pita bread, and tahini dip as part of a mezze platter. It’s great for dinner parties!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Rainbow Falafel
Equipment
- Falafel Scoop
Ingredients
For the falafel base
- 7.5 cups pre-soaked chickpeas divided into 5 bowls (1.5 cups each)
- 5 small red onions
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp falafel spice ½ tsp cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional) - divided into 5 for each bowl
- 2.5 tsp salt ½ tsp per bowl
For the different colors
- for green: a small bunch of coriander; optional - some parsley
- for purple: 1 baked purple potato
- for orange: 1/2 baked butternut squash; optional - a pinch of turmeric
- for red: 1 large beetroot
For frying
- 2.5 tsp baking powder ½ tsp for each color
- sunflower oil enough to fill up your saucepan
Instructions
Prep the ingredients
- Wash the chickpeas and then soak them in cold water overnight.
- Drain and rinse well, when ready to proceed with the falafel recipe.
- Separate them into 5 bowls - one bowl for each color.
- Prepare the baked vegetables - Butternut squash: Slice and de-seed, chop into sections, brush lightly with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven at 325ºF/170°C fan assisted for about 25-30 minutes. - Purple potatoes: Pierce them a few times with a fork and bake alongside the squash.
- To make the yellow falafel , mix the base ingredients: 1.5 cups of chickpeas, 1 small onion, 1 garlic clove, ½ tsp falafel spice, and a pinch of salt. Blend them in a food processor/blender until you obtain a smooth uniform mixture.
- To make the green falafel, mix the base ingredients with a small bunch of cilantro and, optionally, some parsley. Blend in a food processor until you obtain a smooth, uniform mixture.
- To make the purple falafel, mix the base ingredients with the baked purple potato. Blend until a smooth, uniform mixture is obtained.
- To make the orange falafel, mix the base ingredients with half of the baked butternut squash and blend till smooth.
- To make the red/pink falafel, mix the base ingredients with a large beetroot and blend till smooth.
Fry the falafel
- When you are ready to fry the vegan falafels, add ½ tsp baking powder to each bowl and mix well. The baking powder should only be added at the last moment before frying.
- Heat up a few inches of sunflower oil in a saucepan until it bubbles softly. Using a falafel scoop or a spoon/fork, form the falafel patties by hand and carefully dip them in the hot oil.
- After 3-4 minutes, carefully turn them over. The falafels are ready when they become golden-brown in color.
- Lay on a piece of paper towel or in a colander to drain any excess cooking oil, although there shouldn’t be much!
- Serve these 5-way falafels with rainbow veggies, pita bread, and tahini dip as part of a mezze platter. It’s great for dinner parties!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe on Alphafoodie: https://www.alphafoodie.com/easy-rainbow-vegan-falafels-5-ways/
