Make the best spicy vegan baked falafels made from dried chickpeas! Crispy outside and moist on the inside, no one will know that they are secretly healthy and gluten-free too! Easy to make and is freezable, making it perfect for meal prep.
It is actually really easy to make your own homemade vegan baked falafels at home! Minimal prep work is needed, and you will only need simple ingredients that are probably already in your pantry.
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🥙What are falafels
Falafels are popular Middle Eastern delicacy that consist of chickpeas or fava beans, herbs and spices that are ground and formed into small patties or balls. They are then being deep fried and are usually served in pita sandwiches, as an appetizer or on top of salads.
In this version, we will be baking them instead of frying. The result? Equally delicious and crispy falafels that are healthier, lower in fat and lower in calories!
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Taste AMAZING - You will be surprised by how good these spicy falafels are, considering that they are baked! Crispy on the outside yet moist, soft and tender on the inside, they will be enjoyed by both vegans and omnivores.
- Healthier and lighter - These vegan baked falafels are made from wholesome ingredients and packed with tons of fresh herbs.
- Easy and quick to make - The hardest thing is to remember to soak your dry chickpeas. 😉 Minimal prep work needed and only requires 15 minutes of active cooking time.
- Freezable and great for meal prep - Do remember to double, triple or even quadruple this recipe so you will have falafels ready to go at all times!
🧄What you will need
📓Notes / substitutions
- Chickpea flour - Can be substituted with all purpose flour.
- Garlic - Can be substituted with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Chili powder - To make these vegan baked falafels less spicy, use less or omit it totally.
- Oil-free - Use 2 tablespoons of tahini in place of olive oil.
🔪How to make
The night before, place dried chickpeas in a large bowl covered with plenty of water, at least 2 inches above the chickpeas. Soak for at least 6 hours, or up to 12 hours. When ready to use, drain chickpeas and pat them dry using a kitchen towel.
In a food processor, add in all ingredients including chickpeas. Pulse until the mixture is finely grounded. It should be pretty crumbly, but will still hold its shape when being pressed together.
Transfer mixture to a container and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200C / 400F. Scoop up about 2 tablespoon of mixture and form into a small patty, them place it on a lined or greased baking tray. Repeat until falafel mixture is all used up.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, gently flipping them halfway, until they are slightly browned on both sides. Serve and enjoy your vegan baked falafels while warm!
✔Helpful tips
- Make sure to use dried chickpeas. Using cooked or canned chickpeas will yield falafels that are dry, crumbly and fall apart easily.
- Chill falafel mixture for at least 20 minutes, or up to an hour. This will firm up mixture, hence making it easier to shape. Plus, falafels will be less likely to break apart.
- If you are not a fan of cilantro, omit and use 1 cup of parsley instead.
- Baking powder makes a fluffier and lighter falafel. But if you do not have any on hand, feel free to skip it.
🥗How to serve
- Serve vegan baked falafels as an appetizer alongside sauces and dips like hummus, tahini, tahini sauce and baba ganoush.
- Make falafel pita sandwich with them.
- Pair spicy falafels with some salad greens and tahini sauce to make falafel salad.
- You can also make some falafel bowls by serving them with brown rice, hummus, Israeli salad and raw veggies of choice.
- Lastly, simply shape them into larger patties to make yourself some falafel burgers!
❔Commonly asked questions
If you find that your falafel mixture is too moist to be shaped, add in more chickpea flour, about a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture can stick together better.
You will need to soak chickpeas for at least 6 hours, or up to 12 hours to make falafels. If you plan to soak them for longer than 12 hours, refrigerate it. You will know that chickpeas are ready to be used when they double or triple in size.
Store leftover vegan baked falafels in the fridge for 4-5 days in a sealed container. They are freezable too and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To freeze, simply transfer them into zip-top bags or storage containers of choice before placing them into the freezer.
To reheat frozen spicy falafels, let them thaw completely in the fridge overnight or on countertop for a few hours. You can then reheat them in an oven preheated to 180C / 350F for 10-12 minutes, or until they are thoroughly heated. Or, you can simply reheat them in the microwave.
🍽More recipes with chickpeas
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Spicy Vegan Baked Falafels (using dried chickpeas)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk green onion
- ½ cup cilantro leaves loosely packed
- ½ cup parsley leaves loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour or all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder omit if sensitive to heat
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½-1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- The night before, place dried chickpeas in a large bowl covered with plenty of water, at least 2 inches above the chickpeas. Soak for at least 6 hours, or up to 12 hours. When ready to use, drain chickpeas and pat them dry using a kitchen towel.
- In a food processor, add in all ingredients including chickpeas. Pulse until the mixture is finely grounded. It should be pretty crumbly, but will still hold its shape when being pressed together.
- Transfer mixture to a container and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200C / 400F. Scoop up about 2 tablespoon of mixture and form into a small patty, them place it on a lined or greased baking tray. Repeat until falafel mixture is all used up.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, gently flipping them halfway, until they are slightly browned on both sides. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Please use dried chickpeas, not canned or cooked!
- If you are not a fan of cilantro, omit and use 1 cup of parsley instead.
- Baking powder makes a fluffier and lighter falafel. But if you do not have any on hand, feel free to skip it.
- If you find that your falafel mixture is too moist to be shaped, add in more chickpea flour, about a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture can stick together better.
Reheating - To reheat frozen falafels, let them thaw completely in the fridge overnight or on countertop for a few hours. You can then reheat them in an oven preheated to 180C / 350F for 10-12 minutes, or until they are thoroughly heated. Or, you can simply reheat them in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Wayne says
If I didn't want to buy dried chickpeas, how could I make this with canned chickpeas?
Meesha says
Sorry, canned chickpeas will not work in this recipe.😅
Ilana says
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 😉)
meesha says
Glad to hear that ! 🙂 Enjoy !