Posted Jul 22, 2020, Updated May 26, 2024 I’ve mentioned before that I’m a veggie-lover living with a family of carnivores…so when I create a vegetarian recipe that my meat & potatoes husband loves, you know it’s really good. I spent years perfecting this healthy baked falafel recipe. It’s made with chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic, onion and spices so it’s flavorful and delicious. Plus, it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free! This easy falafel recipe only takes 5 minutes to whip up in the food processor, making it the perfect vegetarian weeknight meal. They freeze beautifully, making them a great meal-prep recipe! Serve them tucked in a pita with some crunchy roasted chickpeas and slathered with the best homemade tzatziki sauce and you will be in heaven! Or serve them over the best Greek Salad with a side of tabbouleh.
Baked Falafel Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on the ingredients in this vegan falafel recipe, as well as possible substituions.
Chickpeas. I recommend using canned, drained rinsed chickpeas. If you cook your own, you will need about 1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas. White onion. Any onion works well in this recipe. I have used red, white, and yellow all with great results. Fresh Parsley & Cilantro. Fresh herbs are definitely the best choice when making this recipe. However if you have freeze-dried or frozen herbs those can work well too. Garlic powder. Fresh minced garlic can be used in place of garlic powder. Coriander and Cumin. There really are no substitutions for these two critical spices in this falafel recipe. Olive oil. Any neutral oil works well to grease the pan. I recommend olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil. Ground flaxseed. This is the binding agent in this recipe. You can substitute 1 egg for the 2 TBS ground flaxseed.
How to Make Falafel
This easy falafel recipe comes together in mere minutes in the food processor with just a handful of ingredients. We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Process Chickpeas, Onions & Herbs
I suggest making this vegan falafel recipe in the food processor. Start by processing the chunkier ingredients (chickpeas, herbs, & onions) until a coarse mixture forms.
Add Spices
Next, add spices and process until the mixture is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout). At this point I recommend tasting the mixture and adjusting the salt/spices to your liking.
Portion & Bake
Add about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil onto the pan and use a spatula (or your fingers) to spread it around. This ensures that there is a sufficient amount of oil to crisp the falafel and make it easy to flip halfway through baking. Form about 2 Tablespoon portions of falafel mixture into thin patties and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, flip them over & bake for 10 more (or until golden brown).
Serve
Lots of people also ask, “What do you eat with falafel?” Here are some of my best suggestions – we serve it with our favorite Mediterranean recipes!
I always serve it with this homemade tzatziki sauce and homemade hummus, it’s seriously the best combination ever. Serve it on top of your favorite salad recipe, like this homemade tabbouleh salad, Greek salad recipe, Mediterranean chickpea salad, roasted vegetable quinoa salad or this burrata salad! Serve it wrapped in a warm homemade pita or with a side of yellow rice. Eat it plain!
Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze
Here are some frequently asked questions about making this baked falafel recipe! If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
