Easy Oven Baked Falafel
Falafel is a great way to way to give veggies the chance to be the star at mealtime! These falafel are baked to give you a nice crunch without the hassle and extra calories you get from frying.
Servings: 9 -10 patties
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
Leftover falafel patties can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to a month.