2.4K shares Share

Tweet

Pin

Spinach artichoke falafel. Also known as the falafel whose leftovers nearly didn’t survive the evening because they were so irresistible to snack on!

My personal belief is that it’s impossible to have too many recipes up your sleeve for cooking with leafy greens. The more greens the better, I say! This spinach artichoke falafel was inspired by spinach artichoke dip. That, and a kitchen game I play with myself, where I open the fridge, figure out what veggie needs to get used, and turn it into baked falafel. I usually keep canned artichoke hearts in the pantry, so when it came time to give our CSA spinach some love, it seemed like an obvious choice.

I based this off of my kale falafel recipe, which also packs in a ton of greens. Since spinach doesn’t have as powerful of a flavor, I amped up the spices and tahini in this version. I’m really pleased with the way the delicate flavor of the artichoke comes through, and the texture is nicely crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. That’s all without any oil, aside from a little bit sprayed on the baking sheet.

Is anyone interested in me sharing this stupidly simple whole wheat flatbread recipe? I’ve been making it a lot lately – it comes together in minutes and it’s 100% whole grain – just not sure if a plain ole’ bread recipe would bore people. The topping you see is a quick vegan tzatziki-style sauce made with vegan cashew cream cheese, a splash of almond milk, shredded cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and some chopped cilantro and scallions. To finish off these little sandwiches I added more sliced cucumber, shredded carrot, cherry tomatoes, and sliced kumquats. The kumquats might seem like a strange choice, but I honestly did love the sourness and texture they brought to the table. Optional of course 🙂

I hope you enjoy this baked spinach artichoke falafel recipe – and that the leftovers survive for longer than mine did :).

5 from 1 vote Print Spinach Artichoke Falafel Easy vegan spinach artichoke falafel, baked instead of fried and made totally gluten- and grain-free! Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Total Time 1 hour Total Yield 36 falafel Calories Per Serving 73 kcal Author Yup, it's Vegan Ingredients 4 cups baby spinach leaves loosely packed

2 shallots chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1/3 cup freshly parsley loosely packed

8 oz artichoke hearts (this is the drained weight from a 14 oz. can), rinsed, drained, and patted dry

3 cups cooked chickpeas (equal to two standard cans)

3 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

2 and 1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 pinch ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste

1/4 cup chickpea flour plus more as needed Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat-type liner, and spray lightly with oil. Add the spinach, shallots, garlic, and parsley to a blender or food processor, and combine until smooth - about as smooth as you can get it. Add the artichoke hearts, tahini, lemon juice, and spices, and blend to incorporate. Add the chickpeas and chickpea flour. Pulse until the chickpeas reach a very crumbly (but not smooth) texture. If the mixture is still too thin to shape into a ball, stir in more chickpea flour as needed. Avoid using the blender to add it so that you don't break up the chickpeas too much more. Scooping 2-3 tablespoons at a time of the chickpea mixture, form into round shapes and place on the baking sheet, then flatten slightly. Repeat until the whole mixture is used. I filled up both of my small baking sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until firm enough to flip over. Bake for another 20-25 minutes on the other side, until browned and slightly crispy on the outside. For ease of removing from the baking sheet, let cool for a few minutes first. Recipe Notes For best results, the artichoke hearts should be as dry as possible. The mixture may not taste super great before baking because of the raw chickpea flour! Nutrition Facts Spinach Artichoke Falafel Amount Per Serving (2 falafels) Calories 73 Calories from Fat 18 % Daily Value* Fat 2g 3% Sodium 240mg 10% Potassium 180mg 5% Carbohydrates 11g 4% Fiber 4g 17% Sugar 1g 1% Protein 4g 8% Vitamin A 1950IU 39% Vitamin C 12.4mg 15% Calcium 30mg 3% Iron 1.1mg 6% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Spinach artichoke falafel adapted from my kale falafel.