Did you know that you can get crispy falafel without frying them? This crispy oven baked falafel recipe is really easy to make and tastes amazing! Chickpeas blended with onion, garlic, parsley, cumin and lemon juice. It's healthy, nutritious and budget friendly and it has so many used.
This oven baked falafel is bursting with Middle Eastern flavours and makes a tasty snack or addition to a meal. Stuff it in to a pita bread with some hummus or just dip it in to some tzatziki for a snack. If you are vegetarian, chances are you have eaten a lot of falafel, but if you haven't made it yourself then you are missing out!
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What is Falafel?
Falafel is a protein packed ball, or a flat patty, made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Herbs, spices, and onions are added to the mixture. They are traditionally deep fried. Falafel is a very popular Middle Eastern street food that is thought to have originated in Egypt, about 1,000 years ago.
Why You Will Love Them
- Baked, not fried
- Vegan
- Lots of ways to use it
- Budget friendly
Ingredients and Substitution
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Oil - Olive oil is best for this. Try to use the best quality olive oil that you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference.
- Onion - We used a standard brown onion, but you could swap it for shallots which would give it a sweeter flavour.
- Chickpeas - This is the star of the falafel. We used a tin of chickpeas to make this a quick and easy meal. But you could also soak chickpeas overnight and then cook them to make this.
- Parsley - This is a delicious fresh herb to use in falafel. You could use coriander instead if you prefer.
- Garlic - The more garlic the better we say. Fresh is always best, but you could use a jar of chopped garlic from a jar to save time.
- Lemon - This gives a real burst of freshness to the falafel.
- Cumin and paprika - These give the falafel all the Middle Eastern vibes. You can adapt the amounts depending on your preferences.
- Plain flour - This helps to bind the falafel together.
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More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook on low for 2-3 minutes until the onions has softened and then allow to cool.
- Step 2: Put the onions in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 3: Pulse until smooth, or leave a few chunks in it.
- Step 4: Form the mixture into 12 patties and put on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with olive oil and bake into the oven for 30 minutes.
Canned or Dried chickpeas?
For best results you should use dried chickpeas that have been soaked. Canned chickpeas can be used, but they contain a lot more moisture, so you need to make sure they are well drained and then dried on some paper towels. You can also counter-act the extra liquid by adding flour to the mix to dry it out, but this can reduce the flavour.
We have used canned chickpeas just to make these quick and easy. However, if you are using dried chickpeas, then you need to soak them for 24 hours and then cook them. While this considerably adds to the preparation time, this does result in a crispier falafel.
Fresher, smaller chickpeas work the best as they soak the best. The older and larger the chickpeas, the longer you will need to soak them.
Serving Suggestions
Falafel can be served simply on its own, as a snack or appetizer. Or you can put them into pitas, wraps or a sandwich as a great filling, top a salad with them or have them as part of a meze.
We served ours with our Homemade Tzatziki and and then stuffed them in to some Easy Homemade Flatbreads.
Storage
These keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days. They can be eaten straight from the fridge, but they taste better at room temperature. They can be warmed slightly in the microwave, but they will lose their crispiness.
To freeze let them cool completely, transfer them into a sealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Extra Tips
- If using dried chickpeas, soak for at least 24 hours and cook them before making the mixture.
- If using canned chickpeas, you will need to add some flour to reduce the wetness of the mixture.
- We used parsley in these falafel, however you could swap it for coriander (cilantro) or use a mixture of them both.
- Add a little spice to these with a sprinkling of red chilli flakes in to the mixture.
- You can swap the onion for shallot if you want a sweeter taste.
- They need a generous brush or drizzle of olive oil before putting them in the oven, as this really does help them to crisp up.
- Don't pack the patties too tightly, as this will make the falafel quite dense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, baking falafel in much healthier than more traditional fried falafel, as that needs a lot of oil to get them crispy. This version is therefore lower in calories and fat. Falafel is protein packed and also high in fibre.
We used parsley in this recipe, however you could use coriander or a mixture of them both. We have also made them using dill before, but this is far from traditional.
Yes, you can swap fresh crushed garlic for garlic granules instead.
You can give this falafel a green boost by blending a handful of spinach in to the mixture. Not only does it make the falafel more nutrient dense, but it makes it a vibrant green colour too.
More Middle Eastern recipes
If you’ve tried this baked falafel recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Oven Baked Falafel
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Olive oil
- 0.5 Onion - diced
- 260 g (2.5 cups) Chickpeas - canned; drained weight
- 3 tablespoon Fresh parsley
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 1 Lemon - (juice only)
- 0.25 teaspoon Cumin
- 0.25 teaspoon Paprika
- 20 g (0.33 cups) Plain flour
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Heat 1 teaspoon Olive oil in a frying pan and add 0.5 Onion. Cook on low for 2-3 minutes until the onions has softened and then allow to cool.
- Put the onions into a food processor with 260 g Chickpeas, 3 tablespoon Fresh parsley, 2 Garlic clove, juice of 1 Lemon, 0.25 teaspoon Cumin, 0.25 teaspoon Paprika, 20 g Plain flour and 1 pinch Sea salt. Pulse until smooth, or leave a few chunks in it.
- Form the mixture into 12 patties and put on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Brush with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- If using dried chickpeas, soak for at least 24 hours and cook them before making the mixture.
- If using canned chickpeas, you will need to add some flour to reduce the wetness of the mixture.
- We used parsley in these falafel, however you could swap it for coriander or use a mixture of them both.
- Add a little spice to these with a sprinkling of red chilli flakes in to the mixture.
- You can swap the onion for shallot if you want a sweeter taste.
- They need a generous brush or drizzle of olive oil before putting them in the oven, as this really does help them to crisp up.
- Don't pack the patties too tightly, as this will make the falafel quite dense.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Claudia Lamascolo says
Well I guess its time for me to try something new and this would be it never even heard of them but they sure look tasty!
Angela says
I am always looking for recipes that get away from frying foods. This baked version is great!
Aimee Mars says
Yum! I've never made falafel myself, but love this baked version, and it's one that would be perfect for lunch meal prep during the week. I'm definitely making this next week.
Erika says
This falafel recipe looks amazing! I have a can of chickpeas in my pantry that will be perfect for this!
Kechi says
This is such an easy to follow recipe, I have made falafel with this recipe several times. Thanks so much for sharing!
Katherine says
I love falafel so this is a great low-fat way to make them in the oven. Thanks!
Beth says
Oh my goodness! These are amazing and so delicious! My hubby and I love these falafels! Can't wait to make these again soon!
Pam Greer says
I love that you can bake these instead of frying! We try to avoid frying whenever we can!
angiethepirate says
First of all, love your site. I've had great success with the BBQ sauce and tortillas and I'm looking forward to making more of your recipes. I am wondering... I tried making these babies tonight and I used 15 oz dry beans. But I think you may have meant 15 oz measured when wet? I should have realized earlier than I did, but I do think that the recipe is a bit ambiguous. Mine turned out edible, but I'm sure they're much more delicious when prepared correctly. Any tips on how to measure the dry beans ahead of time to compensate for water weight gain? Thanks very much!
Dannii says
Hello - I am glad that you are enjoying the blog :)
Sorry if it confused you, it says 15oz chickpeas, presoaked and cooked. I guess that could be confusing, but I meant it as 15oz of cooked beans.
I am not sure about the conversion, as I cook up loads of beans once a week and then use them in my meals for the rest of the week.
Char says
Hi Danni,
Love what you do and write about. You are great and an inspiration to me. Going to try these minus the spicy flavors (cumin, red chilli flakes,paprika)....any thoughts? I'm thinking of herbs like rosemary or do you think something like cinnamon?
Congrats new Auntie! Tips: be active/present in that child's life. A great way to connect through the years besides spending group/family time is give the parents/mother a regular "break" from this non-stop new exhausting job and babysit...as the child grows,reading/crafts/active:exercise/snuggles....will be so sweet and a great gift to all. Have fun!
Dannii says
Hello :) Thanks for commenting.
A tiny pinch of cinnamon would work, and rosemary or thyme too.
Thanks for the auntie tips. She is about to turn 2 and I have another niece or nephew on the way :D
Stephanie says
What is the calorie content for these/ how many is a serving. I'm terrible about portion control.
Tamsin says
I think it works out around 64cals per falafel
Dannii says
Thanks :) I am still going through all the old recipes to work out the nutritional information.
Aneta says
When you say in the recipe "Brush with a little oil and turn and cook for a further 20 minutes." do you mean I should take out the muffins from the muffin pan, turn them "up-side-down" and bake for another 20 mins? 40 mins seems awful long for non-meat snacks?
Dannii says
Yes, turn them upside down. 40 minutes is a fairly long time, but it makes them a little crispy.
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count says
This recipe looks wonderful, Dannii! I'm going to give it a try. I am vegetarian and although I love falafel,as you say, it's always fried. I'm also a Weight Watchers Lifetime member, so I try to find good reduced recipes. Thanks!!!
HHHAdmin says
You are very welcome, Fran. I always try to make a batch of these once a week to keep in the fridge. They make a great healthy and quick snack.
Eleanor says
I can never eat shop falafel because of the flour but I can remember how good they are and should definitely get off my backside to make my own!
congratulations on being an auntie! I'm one, and a godmother, and it's all good :-)
HHHAdmin says
You really should make some with gluten-free flour (I think I remember reading you are gluten free?). They are amazing.
Jane says
Try using chickpea (besan) flour - works perfectly
Jessica says
These look amazing...can you sub whole wheat flour for GF flour or oat flour?
HHHAdmin says
Yes, you can definitely substitute the flour.