Baking falafels.. I know, genius! I didn’t come up with this myself, even though I should have. I remember several falafel-making failures, where things were too mushy, my oil was too hot, and well.. too oily! Black burnt falafels aren’t so great. Solution? Bake them up until they’re perfectly cooked.
I love that falafels are full of so much flavour, and pack a lot of nutritional value from the chickpeas, garlic, and healthy oil. These are great inside a pita, on a salad, or even by themselves as a snack!
You can use your favourite falafel recipe, or follow this one below, and bake em up.
Healthy Baked Falafels
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is2 cans Chick Peas (540mL each – low sodium), rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 egg
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon melted extra virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powderI preheated my oven to 400F.
I dumped everything except the flour and baking powder into the food processor, and pulsed until crumbly. Then I added half the flour and baking powder, and pulsed a bit more to mix. I added the rest of the flour and baking powder, and pulsed a few more times.
I scooped balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and flattened them slightly into patties.
I baked them for about 25 minutes – until slightly crispy and cooked through, but still soft in the middle.
I love this recipe, so quick and easy, delicious and handy for snacks or as a buffet pot luck.