Baked Falafel
Baked Falafel is an easy and healthy appetizer that can be enjoyed as a snack or as part of a meal. It is made with chickpeas, herbs, and spices and is baked in the oven until golden brown.
Baked Falafel is an easy and healthy appetizer that can be enjoyed as a snack or as part of a meal. It is made with chickpeas, herbs, and spices and is baked in the oven until golden brown.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
- 2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- Carbohydrate 12.2009386032129 g
- Cholesterol 1.08888888667971 mg
- Fat 0.880071109960545 g
- Fiber 1.14289445798834 g
- Protein 1.78952110935904 g
- Saturated Fat 0.246618832934806 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (84g)
- Sodium 62.1468298056734 mg
- Sugar 11.0580441452245 g
- Trans Fat 0.0847522777310965 g
- Calories 60 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.
- Put in a medium sized bowl and smash with a fork.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Form into small balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and slightly flatten.
- Place onto an oiled baking pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes on each side, until nicely browned (since it’s baked, only the part actually touching the pan will be browned and crispy).
- Serve with mini pita pockets, hummus, tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and/or cucumber
Garbanzo beans do the heavy structural work in this formulation, providing the necessary starch and protein matrix to hold the mixture together without falling apart on the baking sheet. Draining the canned legumes thoroughly and removing excess surface moisture with a paper towel prevents the mixture from turning pasty during mashing. Because whole-seed hydration matters, allowing the smashed paste to rest for ten minutes before forming patties lets the flour absorb residual liquids.
Forming uniform 1 1/2-inch balls ensures even heat penetration inside a 375-degree oven, where convection airflow matters significantly more than radiant heat. Since oven baking only browns the contact surface resting on the oiled metal pan, flip the patties carefully at the fifteen-minute mark to maximize crispness across both sides. Utilizing a heavy-gauge baking sheet prevents warping at high heat, which otherwise causes uneven browning patterns across individual portions.
Leftover baked falafel stores reliably in an airtight glass container for up to three days in the refrigerator without losing structural integrity. Reheating chilled portions requires a dry skillet over medium heat for four minutes per side, which restores exterior crunch far better than a microwave ever could. Cold falafel can also be crumbled directly over grain bowls, adding dense texture and concentrated spice flavors to next-day lunches.
Kitchens lacking a food processor can easily rely on a sturdy metal fork or potato masher to break down the legumes manually. Mashing by hand provides superior textural control, preventing the mixture from turning into a dense puree that lacks characteristic bite. Standard baking pans work well, though lining them with parchment paper greased with one teaspoon of olive oil guarantees zero sticking without burning the exterior.
