I love falafel, but its traditional fried nature and my stomach do not get along. If you feel the same, I understand your pain. Rather than deny ourselves its deliciousness, let’s bake it at home. My favorite recipe so far is this one by Downshiftology. It's quite simple and packed with flavor, which I truly appreciate. I’ve modified the recipe slightly by switching up some of the spices and herbs to suit my taste, which I’ve included below. It’s so yummy and the house smells amazing when it’s baking in the oven!
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight for 8-12 hours, rinsed and drained
2 cups cilantro, roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
dash cayenne pepper
2-3 tbsp chickpea flour
½ tsp baking soda
Splash lemon juice
Directions:
The night before making the falafel, soak the dried chickpeas in water for 8-12 hours. Beans will triple in size, so make sure you cover them with about 2-3 inches of water.
In a large food processor, add the soaked, drained, and rinsed chickpeas, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Pulse the ingredients until the mixture is well combined and resembles the texture of course sand.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chickpea flour, baking soda, and lemon juice until it’s well combined. The mixture should stick together and easily form patties. Add more flour (if too wet) or lemon juice (if too dry) if needed. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (I’ve forgotten to do this step before. It’s not a big deal, but they do tend to crack more when baking if they aren’t refrigerated.)
While the dough is in the refrigerator, pre-heat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
When the dough is ready, take it out of the refrigerator and form patties with the dough, placing it on the parchment-lined baking sheet. The recipe will make about 12-14 patties.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway to brown on both sides.
Serve with your favorite veggies and top with hummus, tahini sauce, plain yogurt, or enjoy naked (which means no sauce in this context, but it’s your house, so… anything goes).
Servings: 3-4 (~3 falafel patties per serving)
I’d love to hear from you. Please comment below or send me an email if this baked falafel recipe sounds tasty and you plan on making it. (Let Downshiftology know too--it is her recipe inspiration after all!)
If you thought this recipe was delicious or know someone who would enjoy it, please like it and share it with them.
With love, Steph