One of my favorite cuisines is Greek or Mediterranean food. Traditionally, it was mostly plant based although today’s versions typically have a lot of added oil and falafels are usually fried. So when making these oil-free baked falafels I wanted them to be crispy and flavorful, but not dry on the inside as I’ve found many falafels I’ve had a restaurants to be.
What are authentic falafels made of?
Falafels are very simple! These authentic baked falafels are made with canned chickpeas, tahini, onion, garlic, and spices. They are full of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. They are naturally gluten free!
Vegan falafel meal ideas
Falafels are so versatile and can be served in many different ways.
Gyros – stuffed whole grain pitas with spinach, red onion, kalamata olives, and Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce
As salad toppers, with Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce as a dressing
Mediterranean Buddha Bowl
As a main dish, with whole grains & vegetables as sides
Sandwiches/Burgers – instead of balls, form into larger patties & bake
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I love and it helps keep this website running!
How to make easy homemade baked falafels
You’re gonna want an electric food processor to make this super fast and easy. Just add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you have a course meal. Then you form them into balls and bake them up!
If you don’t have a food processor you’ll need to chop your onions up really fine and the mash the chickpeas with a fork, then mix it all together. I highly recommend an electric food processor (a cheap one works great) – I use mine all the time!
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and creates a course meal. Don’t over blend – a little chunky is good.
Form 12 evenly sized balls with your hands. Place on the lined baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes.
While the falafels are baking, make the Cucumber Dill Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce.
Then broil the falafels on high for an extra 1 minute to get extra crispy & brown. Be careful not to burn!
Remove falafels from oven. Serve immediately with Tzatziki Sauce.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Cucumber Dill Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce
Slow Cooker Curry Red Lentil Soup
Tangy Dill Pickle Hummus
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Thai Red Curry with Tofu
Easy Hummus Lettuce Boats
Print Recipe
Easy Vegan Greek Baked Falafels Recipe
These healthy greek baked falafels are quick & easy to make! They are no oil, whole food plant based ingredients and so yummy! Done in about 30 minutes!
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
***Drain your chickpeas very well. If they are too wet, it can cause the falafels to not cook through in the middle.
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and creates a course meal. Don't over blend – a little chunky is good.
Form 12 evenly sized balls with your hands. Place on the lined baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes.
While the falafels are baking, make the Cucumber Dill Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce.
Then broil the falafels on high for an extra 1 minute to get extra crispy & brown. Be careful not to burn!
Remove falafels from oven. (if they seem too soft in the middle, bake for another 10 minutes at 350° F)
Let cool for at 5 minutes. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Facts do not include Tzatziki Sauce.
Falafels are great served with any vegetable or grain side, used as salad toppers (the Vegan Tzatziki sauce is a GREAT dressing), or stuff whole grain pitas with falafels, spinach, red onion, black olives, & Tzatziki sauce for a delicious lunch.
You can also make these into 8 larger patties to use as bean burgers. Bake for the same amount of time.
Falafels keep well in the refrigerated for about 7 days and can be served cold or reheated.
What are the ingredients? Traditionally, falafel is made from dried chickpeas and/or includes fava beans. I opted for a more simple version, using canned chickpeas so you don't have to wait for the chickpeas to soak overnight or worry about not being able to find ingredients.
They have to have enough fresh herbs and onion. Too much onion and your falafel will have a bad after taste. Too little and they won't be as moist and fluffy as they should be. It's all about balance.
Health benefits may include weight management, heart health support, and management of anemia. Baking falafel instead of frying can reduce fat content and make it healthier. Some downsides may include potential allergies and sodium content concerns.
Zozos says that the health benefits of falafel are plenty. It tends to be relatively low in cholesterol, low on the glycemic index scale, and high in protein. Also, it's full of complex carbs and fiber, which are good for a healthy gut and regular bowel movements, adds Zozos.
Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.
A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.
Baking soda and powder: Baking soda breaks down and softens the chickpeas as they soak.Baking powder, mixed in just before baking, makes the falafel light and airy. Fresh herbs: The tender leaves of parsley, dill, and cilantro bring fresh, herbal flavor and color.
Dried chickpeas (that have been soaked in water for 24 hours) are an important ingredient that will give your falafel the right consistency and taste. (Tip: I usually add about ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water to help soften the dry chickpeas.)
If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them. If you find the mixture is too wet, simply add little more breadcrumbs. The falafel mixture after prepared can be shaped by hand or with a tool called an alb falafel (falafel mold).
In essence, the ingredient profile of falafel is in the least unhealthy. In fact, compared to other counterparts of the food, including chicken shawarma, falafel tops the list to contain the healthiest amount of all ingredients that are required by the body.
Falafel has a good amount of micronutrients plus it is a good source of protein and fiber. This helps in curbing one's appetite, lowers one's risk of chronic disease, and supports healthy blood sugar. All these qualities put Falafel in the diabetes-friendly category.
Classic, plain hummus is my go-to dip here, but roasted red pepper hummus or avocado hummus are also great options. Add a salad. Tabouli, fattoush salad, and shriazi salad go well with falafel, but nearly any fresh green salad with a light olive oil dressing will work. Don't forget the olives and pickles!
Falafel is high in many micronutrients and a good source of fiber and protein. As such, it may help curb your appetite, support healthy blood sugar, and lower your risk of chronic disease. Yet, it's typically deep-fried in oil, which raises its fat and calorie content.
Go with the falafel. The gyro has more saturated fat, more calories, and (usually) more sodium than the falafel—or chicken or vegetable sandwich fillings—on most menus. Take Daphne's, a "California-fresh" West Coast chain with 56 restaurants that lists calories on its menus and Nutrition Facts on its Web site.
The raw minced mixture is sometimes allowed to rest to integrate the flavours and textures, ideally refrigerated. Use the uncooked mixture within a day: cooked, refrigerated falafel should be eaten within three days.
Is Falafel Always Vegan? Falafel is almost always vegan. But they're often served in a wrap and the sauces added may not be vegan as they are sometimes yogurt based. But the falafels themselves are vegan.
Chickpea Flour - Chickpea flour firms up as it heats - making it a fantastic binder - it's also yellow in appearance, so your senses won't get confused. Use for: Burgers, falafel, pancakes, flatbreads and scones. How much: 1 egg = 3 tbsp chickpea flour + 3 tbsp water.
Hummus is a vegan staple that allows you to have some versatility in your diet. It's an immensely popular food amongst vegans so you may have found a new favourite yourself. It's available in a wide range of flavours and is very versatile in the kitchen so you can experiment with it if you wish to.
Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002
Phone: +813077629322
Job: Real-Estate Executive
Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating
Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.