This Lentil Falafel recipe has a short ingredient list, fresh carrots tucked inside, and a baking method that’s straight-forward. Plus, each is soft enough for little ones to pick up and eat and they store and reheat well for future meals!

lentil falafel on purple plate with couscous

Lentil Falafel

Making lentils for baby or your toddler can be more than just Lentil Soup and these easy to eat patties are a fun way to change up how you serve them. Lentils are rich in vegetarian protein and iron and are a really satisfying vegetarian dinner when baked into falafel!

how-to-make-lentil-falafel-step-by-step

Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe you’ll need these ingredients:

TIP: You can cook the lentils from dry yourself or purchase fully cooked ones from your supermarket.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s an overview of how to make the recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.

  1. Add the ingredients except the flour to the food processor. Grind well.
  2. Pulse in the flour.
  3. Portion out 1 tablespoon balls of the batter into a bowl of bread crumbs. Coat and flatten.
  4. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom and serve warm.

TIP: The batter is very moist, but coating it in breadcrumbs helps make it possible to flatten it into a disc. You may need to wash your hands halfway through making.

lentil-falafel-on-purple-plate

What goes well with this Baked Falafel?

We usually have these with a grain like rice or couscous and simple veggies like cucumbers or Roasted Carrots. I like mine with a Tahini Sauce (I usually leave out the garlic to simplify) and the kids prefer theirs with ketchup. You could also serve them on small slider-size rolls as a veggie burger.

Best Tips

  • You can cook the lentils from dry yourself or purchase fully cooked ones from your supermarket.
  • The batter is very moist, but coating it in breadcrumbs helps make it possible to flatten it into a disc. Push each spoonful of batter into the breadcrumbs and coat before pressing flat. You may need to wash your hands halfway through making.
  • Serve with a favorite dipping sauce like Tahini or ketchup.
  • Use panko-style breadcrumbs instead of regular for a crispier outer coating.
  • To make gluten-free, use gluten-free cup for cup flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
  • You may also like my Italian Lentils, Lentil Soup, and One-Pot Lentils and Rice.

I’d love to hear what you think of the recipe so please comment below to share!

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lentil-falafel-with-couscous-and-strawberries

Lentil Falafel with Carrots

These have the flavors of traditional falafel, but are made with iron-rich lentils. They're a nice vegetarian main dish option.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Course Dinner
Calories 305kcal
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fully cooked lentils
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander (optional, but recommended)
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano (optional, but recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (optional, but recommended)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and coat a baking pan with nonstick spray.
  • Place all ingredients except the flour and breadcrumbs into a food processor. Process until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container as needed, for about 1 minute.
  • Pulse in the flour just to combine.
  • Place breadcrumbs into a bowl. Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to measure the batter into balls. (The batter will be very moist.) Use your finger to push out each portion of batter into the breadcrumbs.
  • Coat each ball of batter in the breadcrumbs and flatten slightly. (You may need to wash your hands halfway through.) Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with rolls, with a side of rice or another grain, or over a salad for mom and dad.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to serve.

Notes

  • You can cook the lentils from dry yourself or purchase fully cooked ones from your supermarket.
  • The batter is very moist, but coating it in breadcrumbs helps make it possible to flatten it into a disc. You may need to wash your hands halfway through making.
  • Use panko-style breadcrumbs instead of regular for a crispier outer coating.
  • Serve with a favorite dipping sauce like Tahini or ketchup.
  • Gluten-free, use gluten-free cup for cup flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 709mg, Potassium: 575mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 5391IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These were a hit with our whole fam (7 month old, 3 year old + parents. I’ll be whipping up a large batch for the freezer this weekend. They’re great plain and I’m going to add them to a red sauce as a meatball replacement too. Yum!

      1. So I tried the falafel with chick peas instead of lentils and they were a little gummy and dense. I used canned chick peas and included some of the liquid from the can, but I might add it all next time.

  2. Hi1 Thanks for the recipe. Cooking for 14 month twin boys. We love lentils so can’t wait to try this recipe out. Is it 2 cups cooked lentils or uncooked?

    1. It’s 2 cups cooked (according to package directions). I will clarify that and I hope they enjoy them!

    1. Let them cool and then freeze them in a single layer or in layers with parchment in between in a zip top freezer bag with as much air removed as possible. They should be fine that way! They might be a little more delicate when you warm them from frozen.