Baked Falafel Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Jul 22, 2020, Updated Mar 28, 2024

5 from 48 votes

91 Comments

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This baked falafel recipe is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic onion and spices make this easy falafel recipe flavorful and delicious. Plus this healthy falafel recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Serve them stuffed inside a pita or over a salad for a delicious meatless meal.

Baked Falafel Recipe (2)

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a veggie-lover living with a family of carnivores…so when I create a vegetarian recipe that my meat & potatoes husband loves, you know it’s really good.

I spent years perfecting this healthy baked falafel recipe. It’s made with chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic, onion and spices so it’s flavorful and delicious. Plus, it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free!

This easy falafel recipe only takes 5 minutes to whip up in the food processor, making it the perfect vegetarian weeknight meal. They freeze beautifully, making them a great meal-prep recipe!

Serve them tucked in a pita with some crunchy roasted chickpeas and slathered with the best homemade tzatziki sauce and you will be in heaven! Or serve them over the best Greek Salad with a side of tabbouleh.

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Baked Falafel Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are some notes on the ingredients in this vegan falafel recipe, as well as possible substituions.

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  • Chickpeas.I recommend using canned, drained rinsed chickpeas. If you cook your own, you will need about 1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas.
  • White onion.Any onion works well in this recipe. I have used red, white, and yellow all with great results.
  • Fresh Parsley & Cilantro. Fresh herbs are definitely the best choice when making this recipe. However if you have freeze-dried or frozen herbs those can work well too.
  • Garlic powder.Fresh minced garlic can be used in place of garlic powder.
  • Coriander and Cumin.There really are no substitutions for these two critical spices in this falafel recipe.
  • Olive oil.Any neutral oil works well to grease the pan. I recommend olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil.
  • Ground flaxseed.This is the binding agent in this recipe. You can substitute 1 egg for the 2 TBS ground flaxseed.
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How to Make Falafel

This easy falafel recipe comes together in mere minutes in the food processor with just a handful of ingredients. We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Process Chickpeas, Onions & Herbs

I suggest making this vegan falafel recipe in the food processor. Start by processing the chunkier ingredients (chickpeas, herbs, & onions) until a coarse mixture forms.

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Add Spices

Next, add spices and process until the mixture is smooth and hom*ogenous (uniform throughout). At this point I recommend tasting the mixture and adjusting the salt/spices to your liking.

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Portion & Bake

Thoroughly Grease Baking Sheet

To keep the healthy Baked Falafel from sticking to the pan, you need to grease it with olive oil (not nonstick spray), very generously.

Add about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil onto the pan and use a spatula (or your fingers) to spread it around. This ensures that there is a sufficient amount of oil to crisp the falafel and make it easy to flip halfway through baking.

Form about 2 Tablespoon portions of falafel mixture into thin patties and place on a greased baking sheet.

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Bake for about 20 minutes, flip them over & bake for 10 more (or until golden brown).

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Serve

Lots of people also ask, “What do you eat with falafel?” Here are some of my best suggestions – we serve it with our favorite Mediterranean recipes!

  • I always serve it with this homemade tzatziki sauce and homemade hummus, it’s seriously the best combination ever.
  • Serve it on top of your favorite salad recipe, like this homemade tabbouleh salad, Greek salad recipe, Mediterranean chickpea salad, roasted vegetable quinoa salad or this burrata salad!
  • Serve it wrapped in a warm homemade pita!
  • Eat it plain!
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Store

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freeze

  1. Let the falafel cool to room temperature.
  2. Place baked falafel in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer to “flash freeze”
  3. After 3 hours, transfer frozen falafel to a freezer-friendly, airtight container.
  4. Simply reheat in the oven when ready to eat!
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Baked Falafel Recipe FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about making this baked falafel recipe!

Is baked falafel healthy?

Yes! Baking instead of frying reduces the amount of fat and calories in this healthy falafel recipe! With protein and fiber rich chickpeas and loads of fresh herbs, these baked falafels are a great healthy meal!

Can you use canned chickpeas for falafel?

Yes! That is what this vegan falafel recipe calls for and what I use! I don’t have time to cook dried chickpeas, so I always used canned. Just be sure to drain them well.

What can you serve with falafel?

Serve it with a dollop of the best homemade tzatziki sauce.
Stuff some crunchy roasted chickpeas into a pita with falafel.
Serve them over this greek salad with the best greek dressing.

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Baked Falafel Recipe (13)

Baked Falafel Recipe (14)

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Healthy Baked Falafel Recipe

Laura

This baked falafel recipe is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic onion and spices make this falafel recipe flavorful and delicious. Plus this healthy falafel recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Serve them stuffed inside a pita or over a salad for a delicious meatless meal.

5 from 48 votes

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 16 falafel

Calories 38.1

Prep Time10 minutes minutes

Cook Time30 minutes minutes

Total Time40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  • Add chickpeas, onions, parsley and cilantro to your food processor fitted with an “S” blade. Process until well combined (but still chunky).

  • Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, baking powder and flaxseed. Process until well mixed and fine. (mixture will ball up in the processor).

  • Generously grease a large baking sheet with oil (olive or canola).

  • Roll about 2 Tablespoons of falafel mixture into balls and then flatten into discs and place on baking sheet evenly spaced.

  • Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, flip and bake on second side for 10-15 minutes (until golden brown)

  • Remove from oven and serve with tzatziki sauce, in a pita, or on a salad!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Chickpeas.I recommend using canned, drained rinsed chickpeas. If you cook your own, you will need about 1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas.
  • White onion.Any onion works well in this recipe. I have used red, white, and yellow all with great results.
  • Fresh Parsley & Cilantro. Fresh herbs are definitely the best choice when making this healthy falafel recipe. However if you have freeze-dried or frozen herbs those can work well too.
  • Garlic powder.Fresh minced garlic can be used in place of garlic powder.
  • Coriander and Cumin.There really are no substitutions for these two critical spices in this falafel recipe.
  • Olive oil.Any neutral oil works well to grease the pan. I recommend olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil.
  • Ground flaxseed.This is the binding agent in this vegan falafel recipe. You can substitute 1 egg for the 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed.

Store

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Freeze

  1. Let falafel cool to room temperature.
  2. Place baked falafel in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer to “flash freeze”
  3. After 3 hours, transfer frozen falafel to a freezer-friendly, airtight container.
  4. Simply reheat in the oven when ready to eat.

Serve

  • Serve it with a dollop of the best homemade tzatziki sauce and hummus.
  • Stuff some crunchy roasted chickpeas into a pita with falafel.
  • Serve them over this greek salad with the best greek dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1falafel | Calories: 38.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.4g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 1.4g | Potassium: 64.4mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

Try these recipes

Greek Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

Homemade Hummus

Tabbouleh Recipe

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

White Bean Hummus

Baked Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is baked falafel good for you? ›

Is baked falafel healthy? Yes! Baking instead of frying reduces the amount of fat and calories in this healthy falafel recipe! With protein and fiber rich chickpeas and loads of fresh herbs, these baked falafels are a great healthy meal!

How do you know when falafel is done? ›

Bake the falafel patties in the oil on the baking sheet, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, 20 to 25 minutes.

Why does my homemade falafel fall apart? ›

Simply mix until you have a paste-like consistency but it does not need to be perfectly smooth. A few rough bits are completely fine. If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them.

Is baking soda or baking powder better for falafel? ›

Baking soda and powder: Baking soda breaks down and softens the chickpeas as they soak. Baking powder, mixed in just before baking, makes the falafel light and airy. Fresh herbs: The tender leaves of parsley, dill, and cilantro bring fresh, herbal flavor and color.

Does falafel raise blood sugar? ›

Whereas falafel is a complex carbohydrate, which contains fibre, vitamins and minerals that take longer to digest. Fibre slows down sugar absorption, which helps to control blood sugar levels.

Can you eat too many falafels? ›

It's a good source of fiber, an amazing source of proteins, and chickpea fiber; it helps manage blood sugar levels by slowing down carbohydrate absorption. Too much falafel can never be bad for your health, conditional to the fact that you're not deep-frying it every time.

Why can't you use canned chickpeas for falafel? ›

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

What is the best binder for falafel? ›

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

Should falafel be soft in the middle? ›

The best authentic falafel recipe you can make at home using dried chickpeas, fresh herbs and some basic spices! They are crispy from outside, soft from inside and super delicious!

Do you have to refrigerate falafel before cooking? ›

You can bake or fry all of the falafel patties at one time, but we prefer to refrigerate the unformed mixture (minus the baking powder) until we're ready to bake or fry them.

What is the shelf life of homemade falafel? ›

Use the uncooked mixture within a day: cooked, refrigerated falafel should be eaten within three days. Bought ones should be kept refrigerated and heated and eaten strictly according to printed instructions.

Can you eat raw falafel? ›

As you know Falafel is made from soaked raw chickpeas, which is indigestible to the human body causing stomach pain, gas, and other adverse symptoms. Raw chickpeas have antinutrients and toxins that can harm your digestive system, from discomfort to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What if I forgot to soak my chickpeas for falafel? ›

The second option, and the one best for nights when you forgot to soak the chickpeas, is to quickly boil the chickpeas and then set them aside to soak for an hour. The chickpeas should be tender enough to break apart with your fingers, but still have a bite to them.

Why use baking soda instead of baking powder? ›

When to use which one. Baking soda is used in recipes that also include an acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, buttermilk, or citrus juice. Conversely, baking powder is typically used when the recipe doesn't feature an acidic ingredient, as the powder already includes the acid needed to produce carbon dioxide.

What does baking powder do in oven? ›

Baking powder simply adds carbon dioxide to the equation, providing a more forceful pressure that encourages a dough to spread up and out. Without the well-developed elasticity of a bread dough, the strands of gluten in cookies would sooner snap than stretch, cracking along the surface.

Are falafels considered healthy? ›

Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.

How many calories are in baked falafel balls? ›

4 pieces of baked falafel (Fabalish) contains 120 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 64% carbs, 23% fat, and 13% protein. This has a relatively low calorie density, with 128 Calories per 100g.

What is baked falafel made of? ›

Falafel are flavorful balls of ground chickpeas, herbs, and spices. In Middle Eastern cooking, they're typically fried, but here, I bake them for an easy homemade twist. Serve them in a pita wrap with all the fixings, or find more serving suggestions in the post above.

Is falafel healthy carbs? ›

Carbs. A falafel patty contains a little more than 5 grams of carbohydrates, the majority of which come from the chickpeas or fava beans. The food is high in complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber—the type of fiber that helps lower LDL cholesterol (known as the "bad" cholesterol).

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