• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Free ebook

A Virtual Vegan

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Free ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • Free ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sides & Appetizers

    Published: Aug 22, 2017 · Modified: May 16, 2023 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 9 Comments

    Curried Carrot Baked Falafel

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN
    5 from 14 votes
    Curried Carrot Baked Falafel
    Curried Carrot Baked Falafel

    Curried Carrot Baked Falafel - A healthy twist on traditional falafel. Serve as part of a hearty plant-based meal, eat them as snacks, or pop them in packed lunches!

    a bowl piled high with curried carrot falafel

    Friends, Curried Carrot Baked Falafel just showed up, and by this I mean textured little balls of deliciousness with a really lovely light texture. They are baked not fried so naturally oil-free, gluten-free, incredibly flavourful with just the right amount of spice, and they are packed with healthy, nourishing ingredients.

    If you think they sound a bit familiar, that's because this recipe is an adaptation of my Curried Carrot Fritters. I love the leftover fritters cold the next day, so tried rolling them up into balls to make them more snack and lunch-box-friendly. With a few small tweaks it worked and here we are!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • How To Make Carrot Falafel
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Tips For Storing
    • Reheating Instructions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Carrot Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews & Questions
    2 curried carrot falafel, one with a bite taken

    Whilst they aren't like traditional falafel because there are no actual smushed chickpeas in them, I think as they are made from chickpea flour I can get away with calling them falafel.

    How To Make Carrot Falafel

    These falafel are really easy to make and the only time-consuming part is the grating of the carrots and onion. If you have a food processor though, even the grating is easy as it does all of the hard work for you in seconds. I LOVE my food processor!

    Once that's done it's just a case of combining everything in a bowl, rolling the mixture into balls, then baking.

    Serving Suggestions

    I love to build a hearty plant-based meal around the carrot falafel. We have been making the tastiest power bowls with a grain of some kind in the bottom, roasted veggies, some steamed leafy greens or crispy salad, a few of these Curried Carrot Baked Falafel, and a drizzle of tasty green sauce, hummus, vegan yogurt, or tahini. So good! They are also great for picnics, snacks, and lunch boxes, with salads, and stuffed in pita bread and wraps.

    Tips For Storing

    Once cool, store your carrot falafel in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost either overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature for 45 minutes or so.

    Reheating Instructions

    Enjoy leftovers cold, or reheat by placing them on a baking tray and baking at 300°F (150°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also air fry them at 300°F (150°C) for 6 to 7 minutes.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I cook these in an air fryer?

    I think it will be fine but I haven't personally tried it yet. If I had to guess I'd say 350°F for about 15 to 18 minutes should do it.

    More Carrot Recipes

    • a pile of healthy carrot muffins
      Healthy Carrot Muffins
    • a bowl of carrot cake overnight oats
      Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
    • a bowl of carrot ginger soup
      Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
    • a slice of vegan carrot cake
      Vegan Carrot Cake

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe

    a bowl of curried carrot baked falafel

    Curried Carrot Baked Falafel

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 14 votes
    Curried Carrot Baked Falafel - A healthy twist on traditional falafel. Serve them as part of a hearty plant-based meal, eat them as snacks, or pop them in packed lunches!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 15 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME: 25 minutes minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 20 falafel

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 large carrots , (approx 300 grams or 11 oz)
    • 1 medium yellow onion
    • 3 cloves garlic , minced
    • 2 tablespoons curry powder
    • 1 cup (100 grams) chickpea flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 big handful or ½ cup fresh cilantro , (or parsley, or carrot tops) chopped finely
    • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
    • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin , or ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon ground fennel or ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • ½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
    • ¼ cup (60 ml) water
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Grate the onion and the carrot. I use the grater attachment with my food processor. It makes the job so quick and easy!
    • To a large bowl add the onion, carrot, and minced garlic. Mix well.
    • Add everything else except the water and stir together really well making sure all the spices are distributed well. Then add the water gradually, stirring as you go. You might not need it all. You need it to become a very thick, stodgy, batter that is sticky but that can be squeezed together into balls with your hands. As soon as it reaches that stage stop adding the water.
    • Roll into tight walnut-sized balls (using an ice cream scoop to measure the batter will help keep them all exactly the same size). Place each ball on the prepared baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until firm to the touch and just starting to turn golden. 

    NOTES

    Except for the curry powder, the spices here are customizable. The blend listed in the recipe is how I like my falafel, using what I regularly have in my pantry but if you don’t have one of the spices or if there is one you don’t care for, omit it. You can use something else instead or not. They are good with just the curry powder and none of the other spices if that is all you have. 
    Store your carrot falafel in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
    To reheat place on a baking tray and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, or air fry at 300°F (150°C) for 6 to 7 minutes.

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1ballCalories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 104mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2709IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below!

    Hungry For More?

    • a bowl of coconut basmati rice garnished with toasted coconut and cilantro
      Coconut Basmati Rice
    • a bowl of braised white beans & greens with a slice of lemon and a piece of toast.
      Braised White Beans & Greens
    • meal prep with seasoned black beans, rice, tomatoes, lime and sauce
      Quick Seasoned Black Beans
    • a fork being stuck into a bowl of air fryer roast potatoes
      Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Roast Potatoes
    1.8K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Rachel says

      August 02, 2018 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      OMG, these are delicious! I'll definitely be making these again! It's great to have a new addition to the lunch box / picnic repertoire.

      Reply
    2. Scott C Ausburn says

      July 15, 2018 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the great recipe . I made these for my family picnic for the 4th of July and they were a hit.I'm always on the lookout for ways to use carrots coz they are so nutritious plus they are one of the cheapest food you can buy.With these being baked instead of fried i don't have to worry about the fat ; )

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        July 15, 2018 at 7:01 pm

        I'm so pleased you enjoyed them Scott. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    3. A Virtual Vegan says

      August 27, 2017 at 1:32 pm

      Thank you so much for your tips Marcia. I have added them to the notes in my phone so I can refer to them when we are there. Hope you enjoyed the falafel!

      Reply
    4. Sarah says

      August 24, 2017 at 8:09 pm

      5 stars
      OMG I love everything about these! Delicious! And love that we can use the carrot tops!

      Reply
    5. Dreena says

      August 24, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love these falafels! lots of flavor going on plus super colorful to boot!!

      Reply
    6. Jenn says

      August 24, 2017 at 9:53 am

      5 stars
      These cute little curry carrot falafels are excellent in my kids' lunch boxes! Thanks Mel!

      Reply
    7. Casey says

      August 24, 2017 at 8:48 am

      5 stars
      Yum!

      Reply
    8. Sarah says

      August 24, 2017 at 7:50 am

      5 stars
      Made them as soon as the email came. So good!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

    More about me →

    Trending now!

    • Perfect Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
      Perfect Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
    • Lentil Shepherd's Pie
    • Cinnamon Roll in a Mug
    • a bowl of potato soup
      Vegan Potato Soup
    • 3 slices of bread stacked on a plate. Top slice thickly buttered with a small bite taken out
      Vegan Butter
    • vegan banana pancakes on a plate
      Vegan Banana Pancakes

    ❊ GET MY COOKBOOK ❊

    Vegan Comfort Cooking Melanie McDonald

    Amazon / Book Depository / Books-A-Million / Barnes & Noble / Indigo

    Footer

    ↑ back to top


    About Me
    My Cookbook
    Privacy

    Subscribe
    Contact me
    Work With Me

    Accessibility
    Nutrition
    Media

    Copyright © 2023 A Virtual Vegan- All Rights Reserved.