Baked Falafel Recipe
Baked Falafel are the easier alternative to the classic dish. No frying involved! Once baked I tie them up in pita bread with a ton of fresh herbs and garlic-y labneh.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 6
Cost: $10
Falafel:
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 yellow onion peeled
- 1 cup packed fresh Italian parsley
- 2 to 3 fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Juice from 1/2 lemon about 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Accompaniments:
- 3/4 cup labneh or Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- Kosher salt
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- Warm pita for serve
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1/2 vine ripe tomato diced
- Italian parsley leaves minced
- Mint leaves minced
To Make the Baked Falafel:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor (you may need to do this in batches if your food processor is small), add the garlic cloves, yellow onion, Italian parsley. Pulse until the mixture is minced, scraping down the sides, as needed.
Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, juice from 1/2 lemon, baking soda, salt and chickpeas. Pulse until completely combined and the mixture is mostly smooth--but don't over do it. This mixture should have some texture.
Brush your baking sheet liberally with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the falafel mixture and roll them into balls. Place them on the baking sheet and lightly push the tops in. Brush the falafel balls with olive oil and transfer to the oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping at the halfway point (around 5 minutes) to ensure even browning.
To Assemble the Wraps:
Mix together the labneh or Greek yogurt, garlic cloves, a pinch of salt and lemon juice.
Slather a few tablespoons of labneh onto each pita wrap.
Top with warm falafel balls, slices of red onion, tomato, parsley leaves, mint leaves and cucumber. Wrap them up and tie them with a twine and eat immediately.
Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 872mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg