Oh so simple and delicious! Homemade oven baked falafel is crispy on the outside, tender and full of fresh flavor on the inside. An easy blend of ingredients in the food processor with a high temp bake with a light coat of olive oil gets deep-fried results without the mess or the calories.
Are you ready for a lightened up version of a traditionally fried recipe that's going to blow. your. mind?! Homemade and crispy oven baked falafel is going to do the honors. Best of all, the recipe is simple with a great combination of pantry staples and fresh ingredients.
What you're going to love about this falafel:
- baked not fried - less mess, less grease, fewer calories
- packed with fresh herbs
- creamy canned chickpeas - easy and quick
- grated carrot - extra veggies!
- made in the food processor - super fast
The perfect balance between fresh and pantry ingredients rolled up and baked into delicious bites!
What's it made of?
Chickpeas! If you've never had chickpeas before, they're very mild and slightly nutty in flavor and belong to the legume family. Chickpeas are high in protein and make a great plant-based protein.
We make falafel out of the combination of ground chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic, and spices. In this recipe, we're also adding carrot for extra veggies and a touch a natural sweetness.
how do you serve it?
I mean...I usually eat mine right off the sheet pan because I can't wait long enough to make an actual meal with it. If your self-control is better than mine, these patties make for great appetizers served with tzatziki, top salads with tahini dressing, make a mediterranean inspired ancient grain bowl, or wrap it up in a pita with creamy whipped feta.
Other garnish ideas for falafel include fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and traditional tahini.
how to make oven baked falafel
Not only are these plant-based patties addictingly tasty, but they're super simple to make! Getting started is as easy as grabbing your food processor (affiliate link) and ingredients.
To keep the effort as minimal as possible, give the herbs a quick pulse 4 or 5 times before adding other ingredients. If you have a grating attachment to your food processor, you can use that to grate the carrot. If you want a really fine grate, use a microplane.
Other tips for making the perfect oven baked falafel:
- Having a few coarse pieces in the mixture is 100% completely fine. If you have a little trouble with the ingredients blending together, add 1 to 3 teaspoons of water (1 at a time.)
- Let the chickpea mixture sit for at least 1 hour. This allows the flour to bind with the wet ingredients.
- Make sure the oven is preheated.
- Use a piece of parchment paper when making the falafel patties to easily transfer them to the pan.
- Flip the falafel halfway through baking so both sides end up crispy.
Can I make this without a food processor?
Yes! It will just take a little more in the knife skills department. You'll need to chop all the ingredients very finely and mix them together in a bowl until it forms a coarse mixture.
Do I have to use olive oil on the pan?
No! Trying to keep this recipe as light as possible? This recipe can be adjusted and made without the pan olive oil, but the end result will not have that 'crispy fried' texture. Be sure to use parchment paper or a Silpat mat to keep the patties from sticking to the pan.
Can I make the mixture in advance?
You betcha! The falafel mix will keep up to 24 hours, covered and refrigerated.
Looking for more mediterranean inspired eats? Whip up some spicy yogurt sauce to serve alongside your oven baked falafel or make a whole platter with grilled veggies, lamb burgers, farro, whipped feta, avocado tzatziki, and toasted pita in place of a charcuterie board for an interactive dinner!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and rating below! Don't forget to share your love of food with others! Tag @hungerthirstplay on social media and post a picture on Pinterest to show off your skills.
Crispy Oven Baked Falafel
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas (15.5 ounce can)
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 medium carrot (finely grated)
- 3 large garlic cloves (chopped)
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the mix. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In the food processor, pulse the parsley and cilantro 4 to 5 times to give a rough chop. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined and mostly smooth, some roughly chopped pieces are fine.
- Sit. Let the falafel mixture sit for 1 hour to thicken.
- Preheat. Heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside. While the oven preheats, form the falafel patties.
- Roll 2 tablespoons of falafel mix into a ball then lightly press into a disk about ½ inch thick. Place on the oiled sheet tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, carefully flipping half way through. Season with a sprinkle of salt immediately after baking.
Notes
- Having a few coarse pieces in the mixture is 100% completely fine. If you have a little trouble with the ingredients blending together, add 1 to 3 teaspoons of water (1 at a time.)
- Let the chickpea mixture sit for at least 1 hour. This allows the flour to bind with the wet ingredients.
- A medium cookie scoop works grate for scooping balls of falafel mixture.
- Make sure the oven is preheated.
- Use a piece of parchment paper when making the falafel patties to easily transfer them to the pan.
- Flip the falafel halfway through baking so both sides end up crispy.
- Falafel mix can be made up to 24 hours in advance, keep in an refrigerated airtight container.
- To 'lighten up' the recipe further, these can be made with just a ¼ cup flour and baked on just parchment instead of oil. The falafel will be a little 'wetter' and less crispy but still delicious!
Raif Tawakol says
Lived in Egypt for 25 years we made Falafel with green peas instead of carrot much tastier in general because they stay very airy
Lauren says
I need to try that!