A healthy and delicious fall appetizer that everyone will love!
Hello! Not only do I have these delicious Roasted Butternut Squash Falafel Bites for you today, but we’re also having a Virtual Baby Shower for 3 of my awesome blogging friends! Yes, 3 of them are having babies soon and I’m so excited for them!
Today we are celebrating Ashley from The Recipe Rebel who will be welcoming her third daughter, Denise from Sweet Peas and Saffron who will be welcoming her second son and Kristine from Kristine’s Kitchen who will be welcoming her fourth child, whose gender will be a surprise!
Working from home on the blog can be a pretty isolating job sometimes but over the years I’ve had the pleasure to meet some amazing ladies! We bounce ideas off each other, encourage one another and even give advice on personal issues. I seriously don’t know what I would do without these ladies in my life! I’m so excited to be celebrating three of them today! Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the page for more Baby Shower treats!
Ashley, Denise and Kristine: we want to wish you ladies a huge congratulations and we’re so excited to watch as your families grow! You’re all already amazing mothers and these new babies are so lucky 🙂
I decided to go the savory route because let’s face it, desserts aren’t always my speciality 🙂 I love making different kinds of falafel and thought it would be perfect to serve them as an appetizer rather than a main dish. They’re pretty much the same as a falafel ball that you would put into a pita, but instead you eat them as an appetizer dipped in my citrus tahini sauce.
I gave them a seasonal spin by blending in some roasted butternut squash and they’re so good! It adds a nice color, some extra nutrients and a great sweet flavor. The falafel bites are small and perfect for dipping!
If you’re looking for an appetizer to bring to your next party, these falafel bites are great! They’re healthy, delicious and really easy to make. Enjoy!
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Roasted Butternut Squash Falafel Bites
Prep Time: 30 mins- Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins
- Total Time: 53 minute
- Yield: About 28 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Vegan, Gluten Free
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A delicious and flavorful appetizer that is perfect for fall!
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 6 cups) peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for brushing on top
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped white onion
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup flour, gluten free or regular, I used almond meal
Citrus Tahini Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- Juice of 1 lemom
- Juice of 1 small orange
- 1/4 cup water, or more depending on how thick your tahini is
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel butternut squash, cut in half, lengthwise, remove seeds and chop into bite size pieces. You should get about 6 cups. Place butternut squash on a large sheet pan and toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast butternut squash until fork tender, 40-45 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Place the onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley in a food processor and process for 10-15 seconds. Next, add the butternut squash, chickpeas, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Blend until mixture is combined (you may need to do it in two batches). Next, sprinkle in the flour and blend again until flour is mine in.
- Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper. Use a scooper or spoon and scoop about one heaping tablespoon of falafel mix out, roll it into a ball in your hands and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the mix is gone.
- Brush the top of each falafel with a small amount of olive oil (optional) and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping once.
- Make the sauce while the falafel is baking. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Notes
If serving as an appetizer, I like to place some salad greens onto a platter, top with falafel bites and a bowl of dipping sauce.
Check out these delicious baby shower treats!!
Maple Walnut Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes by Savory Nothings
Buttermilk Pumpkin Donuts by A Latte Food
Easy Pumpkin Danish by Pumpkin N’ Spice
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes by Live Well Bake Often
Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars by Bakerita
Mini Apple Crisps by Life Made Sweeter
Spicy Apple-Tomato Salsa by Floating Kitchen
Pumpkin Spice Latte Bread Pudding by Whole and Heavenly Oven
Cinnamon Apple Brie Crostini by Flying on Jess Fuel
Apple Pie Bars by Bake.Eat.Repeat
Honey Apple Butter Greek Yogurt Dip by My Sequined Life
Butternut Squash Hummus with Spiced Pepitas by Flavor the Moments
These falafel bites are honestly making me drool right now, Izzy! I love the sound of that roasted butternut squash in them so much! Need these in my life this fall. 🙂
Thanks so much, Sarah!! You so need them in your life 🙂
Woot woot! I love falafel anything and these sound sooo good! Perfect for game day! Or at least my kind of game day food haha
Haha, they are totally my kind of game day food too! 🙂
Are these good at room temperature? Like if they sit out an an appetizer table for a bit?
Yes!
Adding butternut squash to falafel would make them 1000 times better! I love the flavor it adds and the color makes them even more festive! These are just perfect for this lovely occasion!
I totally agree!! I love that we both went with butternut squash instead of pumpkin 🙂
These bites look amazing, Izzy! Also, love the new look of your site. Yay!
Thanks so much, Liz! 🙂
You girls did such a good job putting this post together for Ashley, Denise and Kristine! I know they would all love these scrumptious falafel bites. I wish I could reach through the screen and grab one. Yum!
Thanks, Sarah!! I hope you’re having fun on your trip! 🙂
These are the funnest little bites — I bet my kiddos would love them! Thank you ladies sooooo much — you are seriously the best!
Thanks, Ashley! Eli partly likes to eat them and partly likes to smash them in his little fingers, haha! Congratulations to you!!! I’m so excited for you and your family 🙂
You ladies are the SWEETEST! What a nice surprise to wake up to. Wish I could taste these falafels in person because they look amazing!
Yah! We’re all so excited for you guys! Wish I could send you some to freeze for after baby comes 🙂
These falafel bites look CRAZY good, Izzy! I love the roasted butternut squash! Perfect for this fall celebration!
Thanks, Kelly! It makes them so good 🙂
I don’t think I’ve actually ever had falafel. That needs to change because these little bites look so good!
OMG, it’s the best!! You would love it!
This looks so delicious! I’ve never made falafel bites out of butternut squash, so I’m really curious to try it =)
★★★★★
Thanks, Kelly! They’re so good! 🙂
Congrats to all of the expecting mamas!
What a great idea falafel bites are in general, let alone with some seasonal squash added into the mix! I love falafel in a major way.
Thanks so much, Nicole! I love it too! 🙂
What is tahini?
It’s a sesame seed paste. Kind of like peanut butter but made out of sesame seeds. You can usually find it in the nut butter aisle 🙂
These look great! Curious if you’ve ever prepped them to the ball stage and then frozen for cooking later? Or cooked and frozen to be reheated later?
I’m looking for appetizers/finger food over Thanksgiving for a crowd and the more advanced prep work I can do the better. (12 people staying for a week????)
Thanks! I personally haven’t done that but I think it would work well to freeze them at the ball stage and then bake. They might get a little dry if you cook completely and then freeze. 12 people is a lot! Good luck! 🙂
Do these need to be served hot? I’d like to make these to bring to a party, but don’t know if should be reheated when I get there, served cold, or cooked entirely there to preserve texture. Thanks
Hi Allison, I don’t think the necessarily need to be hot but I probably wouldn’t serve them cold out of the refrigerator. Room temperature would be good!
Hi Izzy, What does 3 cans of chickpeas measure to ? I am using dry. Thanks
Each can has about 1 1/2 cups, so about 4 1/2 cups dry 🙂