Baked Falafel
There’s no arguing that falafels are deep-fried deliciousness. These balls—made of spiced and mashed chickpeas or fava beans (or both)—may be small but can pack a ton of calories.
To remake the classic Middle Eastern dish, I lightened up the ingredients and baked them instead of fried them. The finished product is a better-for-you version that’s just as indulgent. Take a taste and see if you agree!
Baked Falafel
There’s no arguing that falafels are deep-fried deliciousness. These balls—made of spiced and mashed chickpeas or fava beans (or both)—may be small but can pack a ton of calories.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dried chickpeas
- ¼ yellow onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 5 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight (12 to 14 hours), then drain.
- Preheat oven to 400˚.
- Place the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse so they’re blended but not pureed. Add the onion, parsley, garlic, salt, lemon juice and cumin, and gently pulse a few times so that everything is well combined but not pureed.
- Finally, add in the baking powder and panko breadcrumbs, and gently pulse a few final times again to form a dough-like consistency.
- Form chickpea batter into small balls (about the size of a melon ball scoop and smaller than a golf ball) and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or one that has been liberally sprayed with nonstick oil, so the balls don’t stick.
- Mist the top with olive oil spray and bake for about 15 minute. Flip, mist the top again with olive oil spray and bake for another 15 minutes, until browned and crispy.
Notes
Serve 3 falafel balls in a whole grain pita stuffed with chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and tahini or Tzaziki.
Nutrition analysis courtesy of Genesis® R&D
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories: 130Carbohydrates: 22gProtein: 7gTotal Fat: 2.5g— Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g— Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 260mgFiber: 4gTotal Sugar: 4g— Natural Sugar: 4g— Added Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe!
If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!
