This easy oven baked falafel is a 30-minute meal that gives veggies a chance to be the star! These falafel are baked to give you a nice crunch without the hassle that comes from frying. After you've baked the falafel you just need a little bit of warmed or toasted pita bread and a drizzle of yogurt-based tzatziki dip. Then just pile on some of your favorite veggies - I like to add red onion and tomato - and dig right in! This recipe gives you a plant-based meal for your next meatless Monday.
Sheet pan meals are a great way to get dinner on the table quickly. Using one allows the food to get nice and crisp without frying while making both prep and cooking easy. By baking them in the oven you still get nice crisp falafel but without the mess and extra calories that come along with typical deep frying. Falafel is naturally vegan and gluten-free, and always super yummy!
Contents:
A plant-based everyday meal for two
Falafel is a great way to make a plant-based addition to your regular lunch and dinner rotations at just about any time of year. I recommend making a big batch and reheating them the next day in your toaster oven or freezing some and defrosting them when you are ready to eat! They are made with mostly staple ingredients, a lot of which you probably have in your pantry and refrigerator right now.
The main reason these falafel are so easy is that I used canned chickpeas. Often falafel is made using dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight. While soaking beans is not hard, it does take time so generally start most bean-based dishes with high-quality canned beans.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Canned chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, are the star ingredient of this dish so use a high-quality brand.
- Veggies: Red onion, English cucumber and tomato
- Fresh herbs: You need both cilantro and Italian parsley. I don't recommend substituting dried for either in this recipe.
- Lemon juice + zest: Be sure to zest the lemon before you juice it! I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice. You'll need one large lemon.
- Spices: ground cumin, dried dill weed
- Pantry staples: Garlic cloves, baking powder, olive oil, ground pepper, sea salt
Recommended tools
Food processor – This 9-quart size food processor is perfect for smaller kitchens and families. It still gives you plenty of room in the bowl to make just about anything but takes up less space and is lighter than the 14-quart version. It's a necessity for making falafel.
Large baking sheet - These rimmed baking sheets have many uses so I consider them a kitchen essential.
How to make this recipe
The full printable recipe card is below, but let’s walk through the details before you get started.
I love this dish because it’s really easy to make and that means it’s ideal for any day of the week!
Step 1 | Make the falafel mixture. You start by adding the chickpeas, onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley to the bowl of a food processor. You'll pulse the mixture several times then add the salt, cumin, baking powder, lemon juice and oil. After that, pulse it a few more times and pause to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl. Finish by giving the mixture a few more pulses until it begins to form into a loose ball. It should still be somewhat chunky.
Step 2 | Form the falafel patties. I like to use a dough scoop to form the mixture into balls as this ensures you get evenly sized falafel. Place the balls on a baking sheet - you should end up with 9-10 balls total. Using your hand or a large spoon flatten the balls into patties that are about ½ inch thick.
Step 3 | Bake. Bake the patties for 15 minutes then remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully flip them over. Put them back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until they crisp and brown on the outside.
Pro Tip
To get baked falafel crispy, you start by coating a rimmed baking sheet with avocado or olive oil. This helps you to get the fried effect in the oven without having to drench them in oil. We are also making this falafel as patties instead of the traditional round balls you might usually see. Creating patties helps them to cook more quickly and gives you more surface area to get browned and crunchy.
Meal Prep Tips
- You can make the falafel during your weekly meal prep and either keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze them if you are not sure when you are going to cook them. Sometimes I'll make a double recipe and stash half in the refrigerator and half in the freezer. Then I only need to clean the food processor once!
- I also typically make the tzatziki sauce when meal prepping for the week. It keeps for 4-5 days without a problem.
- I also typically chop veggies in advance so if you know this recipe is on your menu for the week slice the cucumber and red onion and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Both will keep for most of the week and you can use any extra in salads or rice bowls during the week.
More weeknight recipes
If you are looking for other easy weeknight meals check out these reader favorites:
- Skillet Lemon Chicken. At just over 30 minutes to make, this lemon chicken is a tasty, one-pan weeknight wonder.
- Roasted Tomato Summer Spaghetti. This is pasta is perfect for an easy, everyday meal. Tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto and pasta combine for a vegetarian dish that's ready in just under 30 minutes.
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Easy Oven Baked Falafel
Ingredients
For the falafel:
- 1 15- ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup Italian parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the tzatziki:
- ⅓ cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons grated cucumber
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
- pinch of ground pepper
To serve:
- two pita bread rounds
- tomato slices
- sliced red onion
- cucumber slices
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F and brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive or avocado oil.
- Create the mixture. Add the chickpeas, onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a standard blade. Pulse 7-8 times. Add salt, cumin, baking powder, lemon juice and oil. Pulse again 3-4 times then scrape down the sides. Pulse again until the mixture begins to form into a loose ball. It should be chunky.
- Make the falafel. Using a spoon or scoop form the mixture into balls and place onto the baking sheet. You should get 9-10 balls total. Using your hand or a large spoon flatten the balls.
- Bake the falafel. Bake the patties for 15 minutes then remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully flip them over. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until crisp on the outside.
- Make the sauce. While the falafel is baking mix the yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon juice, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat the pita. Also either warm or grill the pita bread just before the falafel is done. Slice into halves or quarters.
- Serve. Remove falafel from the oven. To serve you can either add the patties to the pita pockets or serve on top of the bread slices. Top the patties with tzatziki sauce and veggies then serve while warm.
Notes
This post was originally published in November 2018. It was updated in January 2024 with some new information. No changes were made to the original recipe.
Chelsey
This sheet pan falafel looks so yummy! I’m a huge Mediterranean food fan, so this recipe is calling my name right now. I love that you baked the falafel instead of frying for a healthier alternative! Trying this soon!