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.
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!
Baked Falafel Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on the ingredients in this vegan falafel recipe, as well as possible substituions.
- Chickpeas. I recommend using canned, drained rinsed chickpeas. If you cook your own, you will need about 1 ¼ 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.
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.
Add Spices
Next, add spices and process until the mixture is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout). At this point I recommend tasting the mixture and adjusting the salt/spices to your liking.
Grease a baking sheet well
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 TBS 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.
Portion & Bake
Form about 2 TBS portions of falafel mixture into thin patties and place on a greased baking sheet! Bake for about 20 minutes, flip them over & bake for 10 more (or until golden brown).
Serve
Lots of people also ask, "What do you eat with falafel?" Here are some of my best suggestions!
- I always serve it with this homemade tzatziki sauce, it's seriously the best combination ever.
- Serve it on top of your favorite salad recipe, like this Greek salad recipe, roasted vegetable quinoa salad or this burrata salad!
- Serve it wrapped in a warm pita!
- Eat it plain!
Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze:
- Let the falafel cool to room temperature.
- Place baked falafel in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer to "flash freeze"
- After 3 hours, transfer frozen falafel to a freezer-friendly, airtight container.
- Simply reheat in the oven when ready to eat!
FAQs about Baked Falafel
Here are some frequently asked questions about making this baked falafel recipe!
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!
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.
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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Healthy Baked Falafel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup white onion finely diced
- 1 cup fresh parsley lightly packed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro lightly packed
- ½-1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 TBS ground flaxseed
- 1 TBS olive oil for greasing your pan
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 TBS 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
Store:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.To freeze:
- Let falafel cool to room temperature.
- Place baked falafel in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer to "flash freeze"
- After 3 hours, transfer frozen falafel to a freezer-friendly, airtight container.
- Simply reheat in the oven when ready to eat!
Ingredient substitutions
- Chickpeas. I recommend using canned, drained rinsed chickpeas. If you cook your own, you will need about 1 ¼ 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 TBS ground flaxseed.
What to 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.
Nutrition
Photos in this post are by the talented Jamie from Dishing Out Health!
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Amanda
Hey, should you cook the canned chickpeas? The ones in the can are never completely cooked and are a bit hard.
Laura
I don't cook the canned chickpeas.