Crispy Baked Falafel

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What is Falafel?

Falafel is a traditionally Arab food. The word falafel may descend from the Arabic word falāfil, a plural of the word filfil, meaning “pepper.” It is said that falafel originated in Egypt as Coptic Christians looked for a hearty replacement for meat during long seasons of fasting. It is also well known to be a popular vegan food in Middle East countries like Egypt.

Falafel is fully packed with protein, herbs & spices. This crispy baked falafel recipe is bursting with delicious flavor. It can be stuffed into pitas, add it to your rice and salad bowl or top it with your favorite fixings like tahini or hummus & enjoy! 

These fried vegetarian fritters are a great source of protein for people who don’t eat meat. You will need to soak dried chickpeas overnight for your falafel to turn out right; canned beans are too tender and contain too much water to achieve the right consistency. Also don’t cook the soaked beans, as cooking the beans would result in a mushier and denser falafel. 

What you’ll need to make Crispy Baked Falafel

How to make Crispy Baked Falafel with step by step photos & instructions

1. Soak the dry chickpeas overnight. Wash them and leave them in a colander for 10 minutes until all the water is drained.

2. Add chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, onion, cumin, salt, black pepper, ginger and garlic to a food processor.  Pulse until the mixture reaches a coarse crumb texture.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place parchment paper on the baking sheet. Spray oil over the parchment paper. 

4. Take the chickpea mixture into a bowl. Take 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands. Place the ball on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining mixture until the balls are done.

5. Bake 15 minutes, flip patties and bake for another 15 minutes or until falafel are golden and cooked through.

Notes

  • Do not use canned chickpeas, as they have a lot of moisture and are very tender. Only overnight soaked chickpeas give you the right texture.
  • Fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley add a lot of divine flavor to the falafel.
  • Make a coarse mixture of all the ingredients, don’t make it mushy.

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know how it turned out. Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with hashtag #daily_foodhacks.

Crispy Baked Falafel

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Ingredients
  • 1 Cup overnight soaked Chickpeas
  • 1 Cup Onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 Cup Parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 Cup Cilantro (finely chopped)
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Jalapeno
  • 3 cloves of Garlic
  • ¼ inch Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin
  • Olive oil spray
  • ¼ Teaspoon of Turmeric
  • ¼ Teaspoon of Red Chili Powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spray a thin layer of olive oil.
Step 2
In a food processor, combine the soaked and drained chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, green chillies, turmeric, red chili powder. Process until coarse mixture is formed.
Step 3
Take the coarse chickpea mixture into a bowl. Scoop out 2 tablespoons mixture into your hands and roll them into falafel balls.
Step 4
Now place them on the parchment paper.
Step 5
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, carefully flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until the falafels are deeply golden on both sides.
Step 6
Falafels taste good with pita bread, sandwiches, salads and bowls.

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