Crispy Baked Falafel
Makes 16 to 18 Patties or Balls
*Important: Soak your dried chickpeas the night before making the falafel.
Special Equipment: Food processor
Make crispy baked falafel your new favorite meal! Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warming spices. The mixture is finely ground, shaped into balls or patties, and then fried or baked. The key to this recipe is using dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight, not canned chickpeas which are too wet to hold their shape without adding extra flour which changes the texture into more of a "meatball".
Chickpeas aren't just for salads. In addition to being a budget-friendly, plant-protein, chickpeas have oodles of fiber which helps you feel fuller longer and does an important job of escorting excess cholesterol, hormones, and toxins out of your body.
These crispy baked falafel aren't deep fried in oil so they're deliciously low-fat. Perfect in pita bread, on a salad, or served as an appetizer on a mezzé platter, they're so easy to make and they freeze beautifully for easy meals on busy nights. Don't forget to make cashew tzatziki sauce–it's a game-changer!
Ingredients
*1 ½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight and drained
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups packed fresh parsley (or substitute half the amount with cilantro)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into big pieces
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Serve with salad, tzatziki, and pita.
Directions
*The night before, place dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl filled with water that covers the chickpeas by at least 2 inches.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drain the chickpeas. Put the chickpeas, parsley, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, oil, salt, baking powder, and cayenne into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Pulse for 30 seconds at a time, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the ingredients are all finely ground and hold together when squeezed. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in two batches.
Use a 2-tablespoon portion scoop or a tablespoon and your hands to form the mixture into 16 to 18 balls and arrange them on the baking tray a couple of inches apart. If the mixture does not hold together, it may not be blended finely enough so pulse in the processor again. Press each ball with the bottom of a small glass or the palm of your hand to create 2-inch patties or leave them as balls.
Bake for about 10 minutes then flip and bake for another 10 until golden brown and crispy outside. Remove from oven and serve. Falafel can be frozen and reheated in a toaster oven or dry pan.
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