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Crispy Oven Fried Falafel

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Crispy Oven Fried Falafel! You don’t need to deep fry your falafel for a perfectly crisp and delicious crust. Check out this recipe and find out how to make homemade falafel in your oven.

Crispy oven fried falafel on a metal tray with cilantro leaves sprinkled around, a metal spoon with tahini sauce dripping off of it, and part of a blue dish with tahini sauce.

FALAFEL! What took me so long to post this yummy recipe? I don’t know, but you can thank my brother for pushing me to do it. He texted me a few weeks ago, and asked if I’d create a falafel recipe with spaghetti and sauce. Of course, I said yes, I mean, he’s my baby (not really, he’s 51) bro.

You’re not going to see any spaghetti or red sauce in this post, but if you click here, you can make some marinara to go with it. The pasta is up to you.

So how much do you love falafel? What’s not to love? Garbanzo beans, parsley and cilantro, savory cumin and turmeric, and bright lemon juice. An ingredient list made in heaven. But there is one thing I don’t love about this magical food, it’s usually fried. I don’t know about you, but I try to stay away from deep fried food. My heart and my waistline don’t need it.

Here’s the great thing about oven frying, you only need a tiny bit of oil and high heat to get a crispy, golden brown crust. There’s no need to drown your falafel in oil. Just brush a bit of extra-virgin olive oil on the tops and bottoms of the falafel patties and pop them in the oven for thirty minutes or so. They’ll get toasty brown on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Crispy oven fried falafel for dinner! This is an easy and healthier version of deep fried falafel.

A close up of the inside of an oven fried falafel with a spoon of tahini dripping onto a metal try in the background.

The flavor of these savory oven fried falafel patties is outstanding. I added onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, fresh parsley and cilantro, a quarter cup of lemon juice, cumin, turmeric, and garbanzo flour to make them gluten-free. The marriage of all of these mouthwatering ingredients in one fantastic crispy patty could induce a falafel addiction, so be warned.

As I mentioned, I put a quarter of a cup of lemon juice in this falafel recipe. The lemon really takes this recipe to another level. I loved these with a drizzle of tahini and some fresh cucumber slices on the side. The perfect light dinner. However, if you remember, my brother wanted a falafel recipe that he could put in spaghetti with a red sauce. If you want to do the same, reduce the lemon juice to 1 tablespoon. This will make it more compatible with the already acidic tomato sauce.

How to Make Homemade Falafel

It’s easy, sooooo easy!

First of all, you don’t have to soak dried garbanzo beans overnight. You CAN use canned chickpeas and get great results. Just make sure you drain and rinse them, then dry them with paper towels.

For the best flavor, toast the cumin and turmeric in a skillet to release the flavor of the dried spices. You’ll also want to sauté the onions, jalapeno pepper, and garlic, because cooked veggies are so much better than raw in this recipe.

A food processor or a high-powered blender is mandatory for this recipe. It’s the only way you’re going to get the right texture. Process the ingredients until they become a smooth and sticky mixture that you can mold into perfect little patties.

Once you’ve made your patties, brush both sides with olive oil and bake in a 400° oven until they’re a crispy golden brown on both sides.

That’s it, so easy, and so delicious!

Crispy oven fried falafel on a metal tray with cilantro leaves and a spoon with tahini dripping off of it.

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Crispy oven fried falafel for dinner! This is an easy and healthier version of deep fried falafel.
Print
CRISPY OVEN FRIED FALAFEL
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
A healthier falafel recipe. Made with fresh cilantro, parsley, and savory spices.
Course: Entree, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 12 Falafels
Calories: 136 kcal
Author: Linda Meyer
Ingredients
  • 30 oz chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 2 tsp extra-virgin olive, plus more for brushing on the falafel patties.
  • 1 small yellow or white onion finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, stems removed
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, stems removed
  • 2 tbsp garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground sea salt
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400° (204 °c) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. In a medium skillet, toast the cumin and turmeric on medium heat (stir continuously) until they release their fragrance, approximately 1 minute. Scrape the spices into the food processor. In the same pan that you toasted the spices in, heat the olive oil, or water, on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook (stir continuously so the garlic doesn’t burn) until the onion becomes translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add to the food processor.
  3. After you rinse and drain the chickpeas, line a rimmed baking pan with a few layers of paper towel and spread the chickpeas out evenly in the pan. Gently pat them dry with paper towel and put them in the food processor with the toasted spices and onion mixture. Add the garbanzo bean flour, parsley, cilantro, baking powder, sea salt, and lemon juice and pulse until the ingredients turn into a thick and sticky mixture. Scrape the sides if there are any whole pieces remaining and pulse a few more times to break them down.
  4. Remove the blade from the processor and scoop golf ball sized portions out and form them into patties. Place the patties on the parchment lined baking sheet and brush a thin layer of olive oil over the top and bottom. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes per side or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts are an estimate only.

If you don't like a strong lemon flavor, reduce the lemon juice to 1 tbsp (15 ml).

Nutrition Facts
CRISPY OVEN FRIED FALAFEL
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Sodium 202mg 8%
Potassium 300mg 9%
Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sugars 4g
Protein 6g 12%
Vitamin A 5.7%
Vitamin C 10.5%
Calcium 6.1%
Iron 13.7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Crispy oven fried falafel for dinner! This is an easy and healthier version of deep fried falafel.

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Comments

  5. veggiesdontbite says

    February 28, 2017 at 5:30 am

    I love falafel! I am a touch partial to the presoaked beans though mostly because the texture is a little more al dente which I love, and baking them is key for me! I like them SO much more baked than fried. My favorite is throwing them in a tortilla with red onion, lettuce, tomato and sauce! Never heard of putting them on spaghetti, that's awesome that he asked you to make them for him!
    Reply

    • Linda Meyer says

      February 28, 2017 at 1:32 pm

      I was going to use soaked beans for this, but I forgot to soak them and needed to get the recipe out for my brother. I was actually happy with the result, maybe because I took the time to completely dry them with paper towels? I don't know. So funny that you like them in a tortilla, because I made a Mexican spiced eggplant mixture and put it in a tortilla with the falafel and cucumbers. To die for! I'm planning on remaking and posting that recipe on the blog soon. I know, I thought that was creative. I hope he listens and doesn't add as much lemon juice if he serves them with marinara. :)
      Reply

  7. Jenn says

    February 28, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    I love crispy falafel! I have never heard of pairing it with spaghetti and red sauce though - interesting combo, but hey, to each their own! They look great, Linda!
    Reply

  17. alisamarie says

    March 4, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    I love baked falafel and your recipe looks so wonderfully herby! I remember the first time I made it and flattened into patties like this - someone laughed and said it was "so cute" how I flattened them. I had no idea there was any other way!
    Reply

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