This baked vegan falafel is absolutely delicious and easy to make too! There is no deep-frying (or frying of any kind) in this recipe, so there’s even less work for you and the falafel will still turn out brown and crisp on the outside without all the extra oil!
It is absolutely delicious in warm pita bread with cucumber, tomato, and a drizzle of tahini dressing, and it makes the most delicious lunch or dinner. This is also a great recipe to impress anybody with your cooking skills and show them that plant-based eating can be so tasty and fun!
Ingredients
The main ingredient in falafel is always chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo beans), which is a very common ingredient throughout all of Middle-Eastern cuisine. Chickpeas contain tons of nutrients including folate, iron, phosphorus, copper, and manganese, and they also have plenty of fiber which help improve digestive health! Chickpeas contain a good amount of protein and are an absolute staple in a vegan and/or plant-based diet. As an extra plus, they are budget-friendly and can be bought canned (so even less work for you!), or dry!
The rest of the ingredients that add flavor, heat, and hold this baked vegan falafel recipe together include parsley, cilantro, jalapeño (optional of course), garlic, cumin, cardamom, pepper, salt, flour, and baking powder! The parsley and cilantro are what give the falafel it’s beautiful green color and can usually be bought in small bunches with just enough for this recipe.
Preparing the Falafel Mix
This baked vegan falafel recipe uses a food processor to blend the chickpeas, fresh herbs, and other ingredients into a cohesive dough that can be rolled into falafel balls to bake! This is part of what makes this recipe so easy and quick! You literally just put all your ingredients into the food processor, and that’s it! Just pulse it until there are no large chunks, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before baking (this will help keep the falafel together while it bakes).
Baked Vegan Falafel Recipe
The Best Baked Falafel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), soaked overnight in water
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 medium jalapeño, roughly chopped (opt.)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. To begin the falafels, drain and rinse the chickpeas that have been soaking, and add them in along with the parsley, cilantro, jalapeño (opt), garlic, cumin, cardamom, salt, and pepper . Pulse lightly until the ingredients are mostly blended together but still retain some texture. Nothing should be larger than the size of a small pea and the mixture should resemble course sand.
- Next, add in the flour and baking soda, pulsing lightly until it is fully incorporated into the falafel mix, then place the finished mixture into the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow it to firm up.
- Spray a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil and begin shaping the falafel mixture into small balls (about the size of medium/small meatballs), and spread them out evenly on the baking tray. You may have to do two batches, so don't cram all the falafel onto one tray if it is too crowded. Bake for 15 minutes on one side, removing the falafel to flip to the other side, then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until both sides have a nice crisp outside. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool before enjoying them in pita bread with tahini, cucumber, parsley, or maybe even in a nourish bowl!
Notes
Curious for more?
If you loved this recipe for baked vegan falafel, check out some of my other recipes including 5 vegan snack ideas, oat and banana pancakes, vegan breakfast scramble, Indian-inspired aloo gobi, easy mushroom risotto, and my delicious chocolate oatmeal. Plus, remember to subscribe down below to get updates when new recipes are posted, and check out my new youtube channel, ecofoodstuff! For a preview of my burrito recipe video, check out the video down below. 😀
I tried this recipe and it’s so good! Thank you, Gabi!