Why You’ll Love This Falafel Recipe
Why aren’t canned chickpeas usually used in falafel recipes? Traditional falafel is typically made dry chickpeas that are soaked, so that the chickpeas don’t get too hydrated. Canned chickpeas are cooked, so they are definitely “over hydrated” in that sense, but this recipe balances that out by adding in some ground walnuts to help loosen-up the texture. The resulting recipe is lightly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfectly seasoned. Are you ready to try it?
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make baked falafel, you’ll need just a handful of kitchen staples.
Canned chickpeas. Yes, you can use canned chickpeas in this recipe! Normally you’d have to use dry chickpeas that are soaked for hours, but I’m too impatient for that, so I figured out a way to make canned beans work. Fresh herbs. Fresh parsley and cilantro make this recipe taste more authentic, which is important since we’re taking shortcuts elsewhere. Feel free to use just one or the other if you don’t have both herbs on hand. Shallot. I like the mild flavor and small size of a shallot, but you can also swap this for a 1/2 cup of diced red onion, or a few chopped green onions. Seasonings. A mix of ground cumin and coriander give this baked falafel recipe its signature flavor. You’ll also need a good pinch of salt! I use Real Salt brand, if you want to use the same one I do. Walnuts. Adding walnuts to the mix helps prevent a “mushy” texture from using canned chickpeas. I find this works better than using flour as a binder, but if you need a nut-free recipe, I’ve also used 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour as a swap. Olive oil. A little olive oil helps prevent the centers from drying out as the falafel bake (water doesn’t work quite as well, FYI, because I tried that first), and I also like to brush the outside with oil to help them crisp up in the oven.
These nutrient-dense patties are naturally gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free, and they make the perfect topping for salads and bowls, or a hearty pita filling.
How to Bake Falafel
Falafel Serving Suggestions
Wondering what goes with falafel for dinner? You can make your own “falafel bowls” with the following ideas.
Quinoa Salad Homemade Hummus Tahini Dill Dressing Cucumber Tahini Dressing Creamy Tahini Dressing Quinoa & Black Bean Salad
Curious about pan-frying the falafel? This recipe is too fragile to pan-fry as written, but if you refrigerate the dough ahead of time, it might hold together better for pan-frying. Feel free to experiment with it if you have your heart set on a crispier (and slightly greasier) result.
If you try this Baked Falafel recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too.
