Authentic falafels that also happens to be vegan, gluten-free & healthy. Super crispy on the outside yet moist on the inside, making it a perfect meatless meal !
Once upon a time, my falafels always turn out to be dry and crumbly. As I never had falafels before ( expect my homemade dry ones ), I always assumed that this is how falafels taste. After getting to try restaurant falafels for the first time, I was shock at its texture. It is something that I never had before. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, it is simply one of the most delicious food that I ever tasted !
So, I went back and did my research ( Google is your best friend )! And here is what I found out :
The key factor in creating the perfect falafels is by using raw chickpeas! Not gonna lie, I was a bit skeptical at first. I know that raw chickpeas ( actually all beans and lentils ) had a weird taste that I simply cannot tolerate. I will say that it taste like raw bean sprout. ( For people that eat raw bean sprout handful by handful, how did you do that ?! ) But actually, after baking them, the taste is magically gone.
Jump to:
❔ What are falafels ?
Maybe you happened to stumble upon this blog post but have no idea what falafels are. Well, let me introduce you to this little patties of goodness ! Falafels are a traditional Lebanese cuisine, and they are mainly made from soaked raw chickpeas together with herbs and spices like coriander, parsley and cumin. They are traditionally deep fried, but in this healthier + less messy version, we are baking it instead. They are commonly served in salads, stuffed in pita breads or in sandwiches.
🍅 What you will need
- Lemon juice can be substituted with other kinds of acids like lime juice and rice vinegar.
- Use 1 tsp of garlic powder in place of the garlic.
- If you want your falafels to taste extra herby, feel free to add in more parsley and cilantro then what is recommended.
- You can add in other spices that compliment the flavours of falafel like cumin and paprika.
✅ Top tips
- Use dried chickpeas instead of cooked - I had made the mistake of using cooked chickpeas the first few times making them. Using canned ones often results in dry and crumbly patties.
- Using baking powder - Baking powder is what makes the falafels nice and fluffy on the insides.
- Letting the dough rest - Letting it rest for at least 10 minutes aids the process of forming the patties. If you find that the patties are still not holding up well after 10 minutes, let them rest for longer for up to an hour.
- Do not overprocess the dough - You are making falafels, not hummus. 😜 Blend it until a fine powder forms, but do not overdo it.
- Using a food processor - I really recommend using a food processor to make this recipe !
Storing + Freezing
Falafels can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for 3 months.
To reheat frozen falafels, simply let it thaw and reheat it in the oven for 10 minutes at 200c. It is then as good as the freshly made ones !
How to serve them
- Make falafel salad ! Pair it with some salad greens and some tahini dressing and you are good to go.
- Falafel sandwiches if you are feeling FANCY. This falafel pita sandwich by The Spruce Eats is a good place to start.
- Pair it with some roasted veggies and grains to make yourself a hearty nourish bowl.
- Or just simply have it as it is with some tahini or homemade hummus !
Commonly asked questions
Yes, you totally can ! But I would recommend swapping it with tahini instead of omitting it altogether.
Yes, as chickpeas are naturally gluten-free. Some package falafels may contain gluten due to the added flour. But as we are using chickpea flour in this recipe, it is free of gluten.
As we are baking the falafels instead of frying them, they are actually quite healthy and also heart-friendly. Plus, chickpeas are a great source of protein and fibre , which is definitely a plus !
🍽 More chickpea recipes
- Vegan Sweet and Sour Chickpeas
- Peanut Butter Roasted Chickpeas
- Vegan Flourless Salted Caramel Chickpea Blondies
📖 Recipe
Vegan Oven Baked Falafels
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas ( soaked for at least 8 hours )
- 1 large stalk green onion
- ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
- ½ cup packed parsley leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, minced *
- 1 tablespoon olive oil**
- 2 tablespoon chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon chili powder ( optional )
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200c.
- Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas.
- Place all ingredients in a high speed blender / food processor. Pulse until a crumbly dough forms.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon at a time and form it into balls.
- Bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of falafels are slightly golden.
- Serve it with some pita, salad greens or whatever you like !
Notes
I recently discovered that I like falafel and was looking for an easy recipe and delicious recipe. This was both!! (I made a couple of changes - I left out the cilantro (not a fan), used garlic salt and garlic powder instead of minced, and tahini instead of oil. Yummy and I will be making it again soon (possibly tomorrow 😉)
Glad to hear that ! 🙂 Enjoy !