These oven-baked no-fry healthy, crispy, and delicious falafel balls, made with chickpeas and spices, are perfect for any meal. Popular in Middle Eastern and vegan restaurants, most falafel are deep-fried. This recipe can be made in advance and then baked right before you want to eat them.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry chickpeas (not from can), soaked overnight
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, stems included
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems included
- 1 small green spicy pepper, roughly chopped (use more for extra heat)
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 preserved lemon, seeded (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tahini paste
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil + ¼ cup for later
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoons coriander seed
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain chickpeas, which were soaked overnight, and pat dry using a paper towel to remove excess liquid.
- In a food processor, combine parsley, cilantro, jalapeno, onion, garlic, lemon (if using), tahini, and 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Process until ingredients are finely chopped and combined, but not liquidy (about 30 seconds, pulsing occasionally). Be careful not to over process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add salt, black pepper, baking soda, and ground cumin.
- Transfer chickpeas to the food processor and process until texture resembles cooked quinoa, about 30 seconds, pulsing occasionally. Transfer to the herb mixture.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, toast coriander seeds for about 2-3 minutes, until golden and fragrant, constantly shaking the pan to avoid burning. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and smash up the seeds but don’t grind to a powder. This could also be done with a knife, the bottom of a cup, or anything heavy that could break up the seeds. Transfer to chickpea mixture along with the tahini paste and 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Using a rubber spatula, mix well until incorporated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and layer with half of the remaining avocado oil. Create small balls of the chickpea mixture, squeezing any excess liquid with your hands while tightening the ball, and place on top of the parchment. Top each ball with the other half of the avocado oil using a pastry brush and bake for 40 minutes, turning mid way through, until golden brown.
- Serve with an Israeli salad, tahini, or in your favorite way!
Create a Middle-Eastern feast with these flavor-packed, crispy No-Fry Falafel balls, made from simple ingredients without oil or the mess of deep frying!
Falafel is so versatile. It’s the perfect side, snack, or can even be used as a hearty topping for your favorite simple salad, paired with tahini dressing and a squeeze of lemon. Make the batter up to 2 days ahead of time to make your job in the kitchen really easy and bake right before ready to eat.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain chickpeas, which were soaked overnight, and pat dry using a paper towel to remove excess liquid.
Nutritional analysis (per serving, 5 per serving): calories 261, total fat 15.4g, saturated fat 1.6g, cholesterol 0, fiber 7.3g, protein 8g, carbohydrate 24.9g, sodium 420mg, sugars 5g
