We love Mediterranean food in our house and falafels are our favorite thing to order when we go to a Mediterranean restaurant. It’s made mainly from chickpeas, spices, and parsley. It is traditionally deep fried, but this homemade version is pan fried, using a lot less oil. It is healthier, but still has that great flavor and taste you get at the restaurant. We love pairing it with this golden rice which comes together so easily in the instant pot! Our favorite toppings include tomatoes, avocado, hummus, and spinach. You can also eat it wrapped in a pita or naan. This is a super easy falafel recipe and you basically just throw everything in the food processor. It’s great for meal prep too! I love all the bold flavors and it’s packed with fiber and protein! This falafel recipe was adapted from the amazing Minimalist Baker. The golden rice is made with turmeric, which is a great anti-inflammatory spice. The flavor of the rice is so delicious, I could eat it plain. This dish is flavorful, so tasty, healthy, gluten-free, vegan, and comes together easily! This is one of our favorite meals to make and eat!

Ingredients

Falafels

1 15 oz can chickpeas (rinsed and well-drained)
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley (I used close to half a bunch)
1/3 cup cilantro (I used close to half a bunch)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp raw sesame seeds (or any finely chopped nuts)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
pinch of cardamom
4-6 tbsp all-purpose flour or oat flour
2-3 tbsp avocado oil for cooking

Golden Rice

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1 3/4 cups + 2 Tbsp water or vegetable broth
1 tbsp avocado oil, olive oil, or vegan butter
2 tsp ground turmeric
3/4-1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

In a large food processor, add chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and cardamom. Mix/pulse until combined into a crumbly dough, not a paste. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Start by adding 4 tablespoons of flour and pulse until combined and no longer super wet. You want the dough to be moldable without it sticking to your hands. I used about 4 Tbsp when using all-purpose flour and if using oat flour, I used close to 6 Tbsp.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You want the flavor to be bold! Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 45-60 minutes. Start making the golden rice (instructions below).
Once chilled, scoop out about 1.5 tablespoons of dough (I used a cookie scoop) and gently form into balls and flatten slightly to make disc like shapes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat with about 1.5 tablespoons of avocado oil. Swirl to coat. Once oil is hot, carefully place half of the discs onto the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, check to see if bottoms are browned. Once browned, flip and cook for 2 more minutes or until a nice golden brown. Place on a plate and repeat the cooking process for the last half of the discs. Make sure to put more oil in the pan!
Serve with golden rice, avocado, tomatoes, hummus, spinach, and/or pita or naan. Enjoy!
To make the golden rice, rinse rice under cold water for one minute to remove all the extra starch. Place in the instant pot.
Add the rest of the ingredients into the pot. Stir to combine well.
Turn on the instant pot and use the “rice” setting. Allow it to natural release for 10 minutes, then manually release any leftover pressure.
Fluff and serve!
(If making this on the stovetop, you’ll need about 3 cups of water.)

Servings: 4

Author: valeria.chao

Best Easy Falafels with Instant Pot Golden Rice (vegan,gf)