Baked Falafel Recipe
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside – this Baked Falafel recipe is packed with flavour and nutrients and provides a lighter alternative to traditional fried falafel.
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Servings: 16 falafel
Calories: 73kcal
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups dried chickpeas (this will yield ~3 cups when soaked)
- 1 bunch shallots (spring onions)
- 1 bunch flat leaf parsley (or a mix of parsley and coriander / cilantro)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp salt
- Pepper to your taste
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Add a squeeze of lemon juice then cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and soak for a full 24 hours.
- Drain the water from the chickpeas then add them to a blender with the garlic. Blitz for 5 seconds to break them down.
- Add the beans to a blender and blitz to break them down. Next, add in all the remaining ingredients then blend again to form a paste.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients then blend again to form a paste. Refrigerate in the blender bowl for 1 hour to help the mx firm up and the flavours meld together.
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC / 375ºF then remove the falafel mix from the fridge, and form into round patties. You should get roughly 16.
- Place the falafel on a baking sheet (two if needed) lined with baking paper. Brush the tops with olive oil then move to the oven and bake for 15 mins.
- Flip the falafel over, brush with olive oil again then cook for another 10 mins.
- Serve on a mezze board, in a falafel nourishing bowl, or stuffed into pita bread with some pickles, basic salad ingredients and tahini sauce. These will keep in the fridge for a few days but will taste best when re-heated.
Video
Notes
How to air fry falafel: The falafel can be air fried however; I've found they can stick in my air fryer. With this in mind, I make sure to line the trays with parchment paper. If yours has a non-stick surface you shouldn't need this. Follow the recipe above then when ready to cook 1) Brush the top of each falafel with olive oil then place in your air fryer with plenty of room around each. 2) Air fry on 350ºF/180ºC for 10-15 mins then gently flip, brush with oil, and cook for another 5-10 mins or until golden brown.
How to shallow fry the falafel: No extra steps are needed here. Simply follow the recipe above just as you're forming the falafel into patties heat enough oil to deep fry. They will take roughly 3 - 4 mins each to become a lovely golden brown.
Nutrition
Serving: 1falafel | Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 318IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg
