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Swedish Split Pea Falafel {vegan, grainfree}

Healthy, baked falafel, made Swedish -style with yellow split peas! The patties are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, high in protein, and only 68 calories each!

Swedish yellow split pea soup was a favorite in my home growing up: cheap and simple for my mother to put together, and a dish all of us (brother, sister, me, Dad) were happy to gobble up. Yellow is mellow in the world of split peas, and we balked the few times Mom had to substitute the green variety.

I posted my own version of yellow split pea soup years ago, and after sharing my red lentil kefta recipe the other week (in case you missed it, it is akin to falafel, but made with split red lentils), I had a lightbulb moment: why not do something similar with yellow split peas? I could not think of a reason, and I am so glad.

Welcome (another) new version of falafel: Swedish Split Pea Falafel!

Rather than adding traditional falafel flavorings to the split peas (e.g., garlic, ground cumin, cilantro), I opted for tastes typical of Swedish split pea soup (Ärtsoppa): carrots, onion, parsley, marjoram and a pinch of cloves (trust me on the cloves; the flavor is very subtle, but unique). The carrots up the yellow color of the peas, but also (along with the onion) add moisture and a tender texture to the otherwise crispy baked patties.

I want to note that my first attempt making this falafel was a fail, and it had to do with the peas themselves. I followed the same steps I take when making falafel from chickpeas (or red lentils): soak, drain, and then grind (uncooked) along with the vegetables and flavorings in a food processor. Sadly, my peas would not comply when I tried to press them into patties. I tried adding some binders before realizing I was making things worse. Back to the drawing board.

I knew that dried peas become thick and creamy when cooked, which boded well for patty-making. But I didn’t want to cook the peas for too long and end up with mushy bites. So in my second attempt I simmered the soaked peas for a few minutes before grinding. Bingo! It worked like a charm, and the resulting texture and flavor tasted just as I hoped: a crispy, crunchy-edged, hand-held version of Ärtsoppa.

I have been loving these straight up as a snack, but you can enjoy them as you would any other kind of falafel, too, in salads, wraps, and more.

 

You can find yellow split peas at most Indian food stores (they are used to make a variety of scrumptious dishes, including matar ki daal), health food stores, well-stocked supermarkets (on the shelves with dried beans and lentils), and online.

Happy eats, everybody!

Swedish Split Pea Falafel {vegan, grain-free}

Swedish Split Pea Falafel {vegan, grain-free}

Yield: 12 falafel patties
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Healthy, baked falafel, made Swedish -style with yellow split peas! The patties are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, high in protein, and only 68 calories each!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow split peas
  • 1 large carrot, trimmed and cut into pieces
  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 (packed) cup parsley leaves (about 1 small bunch)
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (more or less to your taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • Olive oil for spritzing tops

Instructions

  1. Place the peas in a medium bowl; fill with water to cover the peas by 1 inch. Soak at least 8 hours or for up to 24 hours. Drain.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease or spray all 12 cups of a standard size muffin tin.
  3. In a food processor, pulse the carrot, onion, and parsley, marjoram, salt, pepper and cloves until finely chopped.
  4. Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil; add the drained peas and cook for 4 to 6 minutes until softened slightly; Drain immediately and transfer food processor with the vegetables. Pulse until peas are just broken down and mixture starts to stick together.
  5. Shape mixture into 12 patties (each about 1/4-1/3 cup) and place in prepared tins. Sprtiz tops with a bit of oil.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool in tin, set on a cooling rack, for 10 minutes before removing from tin.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled falafel patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and the freezer for up to 3 months. Rewarm in 15 second intervals in the microwave.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 falafel patty
Amount Per Serving Calories 62Total Fat 0.2gSaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 105mgCarbohydrates 11.3gFiber 4.6gSugar 2gProtein 4.2g

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Lauren

Thursday 25th of June 2020

these came out PERFEKT! Thank you for helping me use up my kilos and kilos of split peas haha

Camilla

Thursday 25th of June 2020

Oh that's great, Lauren! So happy they came out well :)

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