skip to recipe

Whether you bake them or stick them in your air-fryer, these Sunflower Seed Falafels are both healthy and delicious! You can use them to make wraps, salads, sandwiches, or have them as a main served with roasted veggies.

I’m sure I’ve told you this before, but I’ve absolutely loved falafels ever since I ate my first one when I was about 16 years old. I’ve learned over the years, that the recipes vary and some aren’t nearly as good as others. This recipe takes a twist considering I don’t fry them, and I’ve clearly changed the main ingredient, garbanzo beans. Regardless of them being untraditional, I think I nailed both the flavor and consistency!

Why in the world would I not use garbanzo beans to make falafels? That’s a very good question, although some of you reading this may already have the answer, because if you’re looking at this recipe, you may need a garbanzo alternative as well.

As you may know, I make weekly prepared meals for people. Three of my customers in the past didn’t eat legumes at all. One was on a cleanse, one suffered from gut issues and legumes simply weren’t her friend, and the other ate paleo if not completely keto. While cooking for them, I needed to find an alternative to garbanzos when falafels were on that week’s menu. I then began using sunflower seeds as a replacement.

I recently started making these again because one of my current clients discovered garbanzo beans aren’t much her friend either. I also have a friend, who not that long ago ditched meat, and she came to me asking for ideas of low-carb dinner mains.

Since these days so many of us take that low-carb route, I figured this would be a good recipe to share (well, and because they’re delicious, of course!). Even better, we can still get a good dose of protein from the sunflower seeds, as well as the ground flaxseed and tahini (sesame seeds) which are also included in these Sunflower Seed Falafels.

OK, I explained the sunflower part, now why not fried? To make these healthy, of course! My customer, Gigi, has recently stopped eating added oils in her foods (I’ve been using vegetable broth for sautéing her veggies) as well as all things processed. My husband and I are also in our second week not eating any processed foods. OK, that’s a lie, we are still eating some items, such as tofu, and I do use oil at times, but I’ve cut down on it A LOT. Olive oil, as well as other cooking oils, are highly processed.

I am very curious how these turn out oil-fried, and I have wanted to give them a go simply to see how they hold up. I believe they should work just fine, being as they hold together rather well. In fact, I’m certain they’d fry well in a skillet but am only wary of straight-up deep frying these babies. If you try, please let me know in the comments below!

As you can see from the pictures, falafels are also very versatile. My favorite has always been to use them in a pita, but bread and flours aren’t always included in my or other people’s diets. I do love having them as a “meat” on my salad, also, alongside roasted broccolini and cauliflower. I do this over a bed of baby kale or spinach, topped with my Tahini-Mint Drizzle. That example I, unfortunately, do not have a picture of, but you’ll just have to trust me without a visual — it’s delicious!

The current way I’m eating does include flourless bread. Not flourless from alternative flours, but rather from bread made only from sprouted grains. The sandwich you see below, I used Ezekiel bread for, and it was incredible! To make gluten-free falafels sandwiches for my hubs, I use gluten-free bread or pitas, like these from BFree Foods.

One of the reasons I’m sometimes disappointed with other people’s falafels is the lack of seasoning. I think I got my blend of ingredients for these just perfect, and they’re loaded with cilantro and parsley — just the way I like it!

I’ve been eating LOADS of these over the last week and a half, so much you’d think I’d be sick of them by now, but to be 10 percent honest, I’m kind of craving one right now. Sadly, I ate my last two for lunch yesterday. Oh well, I will survive… I think. LOL!

If you enjoy these falafels as well, let me know by leaving a comment below, or take a picture of yours and tag me on Instagram, @veggiesattiffanis. Salad? Sandwich? Pita? How did you choose to enjoy your falafels?