This legendary Middle-Eastern specialty needs no introduction. Falafel is a fantastically tasty vegan dish loved by millions, including meat-eaters. Mostly eaten as fast food in a loaf of pita bread, falafel is actually quite simple to prepare at home, and truthfully, much more healthy as a homemade meal.
Why? Even though thanks to the star ingredient – chickpeas – it bursts with all the right micro and macronutrients, falafel is traditionally deep-fried. Served in the abovementioned pita bread, it can easily pack you with unnecessary calories you can easily avoid if you opt-in for oven-baked chickpea patties. I never deep-fry any food, which is why this recipe is for oven-baked, crispy falafel which is, as intended, soft and spectacular inside.
Typical falafel baking mistakes
Well, mine 🙂 I made falafel many times, often improvising, and many times it turned out terribly. Once I dried it while baking in the oven, so it turned into dust with the first bite.
Another time, I had no time for overnight soak so I used cooked chickpeas instead of dried ones. The result was a mass that was impossible to bake. Let’s say, quite an opposite of the previously mentioned failure. So yes, this recipe for your crispy, oven-baked falafel requires soaking the chickpeas the night before.
Once I tried the air-fried version but again, I misjudged the baking temperature and timing so they lacked the inner juiciness of the falafel we all know and love.
To avoid these mistakes, make sure to know your oven well so that you can get the golden crust outside and soft structure inside. Don’t try to make a hummus falafel I did; tahini has no place inside the pattie; it’s a creamy and rich addition to the entire falafel-eating experience.
Spicing it up with your favorite veggies
Just because you should keep the tahini on the plate instead of inside the falafel pattie, doesn’t mean you can’t veggie up this legendary dish. Myself, I am a spring onion and wild garlic fan, so I added these tangy greens into my most successful falafel versions. Play with spices and herbs, too! Parsley, dill, cilantro, even dried basil will give a fantastic note. When it comes to spices, pretty much anything that is typical for Middle-Eastern cuisine, from caraway and cumin to Za’atar is, in my opinion, and taste, more than welcome.
Serve your crispy oven-baked falafel in a pita bread or with my favorite, the memorably fresh Tabbouleh salad.
The best crispy and flavourful oven-baked falafel recipe
Course: DessertsCuisine: Middle-EasternDifficulty: Easy24
patties29
minutes40
minutesLearn how to make the perfect, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside oven-baked falafel.
Ingredients
250 g dried chickpeas soaked overnight
2 spring onions
4 garlic cloves
Around 3 tbsps olive or other oil
Herbs: fresh parsley and cilantro
Mixed spices: grounded cumin, Za’ataar, coriander
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Directions
- Drain the chickpeas and transfer them into a chopper or a powerful blender.
- Add the rest of ingredients and grind until you get a consistent mass. Try to see if more oil is needed or, in some cases, a splash of water.
- The mass should be grainy and easy to mold with your hands. Once pulsed, let it sit in the fridge for around an hour, more if you have the time.
- Preheat the oven to 250C. Scoop patties using a spoon and form as big falafel as you like. Place them on the baking paper, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil if you like and bake for around 20-25 mins.
- Halfway the baking process, flip them to get the crust on both sides.
- Drizzle with tahini and serve with veggie and Tabbouleh salad.