This baked falafel recipe is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside without the frying step! Made with simple pantry ingredients, it's a great weeknight dinner, and works well for meal prep!
This crispy baked falafel recipe is one of our favorite vegetarian weeknight meals that is quick and easy. Want to save even more time? Cook them up as crispy air fryer falafel, in under 10 minutes!
We've cracked the code on the ultimate crispy baked falafels, with perfect texture and flavor! They are soft in the middle, crispy on the outside and so easy to make.
Best of all, there's no hot oil required for these crispy baked falafel! Combine the ingredients in your food processor, shape, bake! You can enjoy these crispy delights on a salad or alone, but I love a falafel sandwich with hummus, fresh herbs, red onions, lettuce, and a pinch of feta!
Reasons you'll love this recipe
- perfectly crispy on the outside, but fluffy and tender on the inside - these falafel are so tasty!
- they are made from affordable pantry (and fridge) staples
- no bowl needed, just whip it all up in the food processor
- no frying, meaning these falafel are much lighter in calories
What Are Falafel?
Falafel are small chickpea balls or fritters that are mashed or blended together, then deep-fried. While the origins of the falafel is a contentious topic of debate, they are generally associated with the Middle East.
With a base of chickpeas, you can put your own spin on falafel by adding a variety of spices, garlic, onion, parsley and other herbs. If you are looking for authenticity, check out these easy authentic falafels!
ingredient notes
- dried chickpeas- you absolutely need dried chickpeas for this recipe; canned or cooked chickpeas come out mushy and do not have the right texture. Soak 1 cup of chickpeas overnight before blending the mixture together.
- egg - the egg in this recipe helps bind the falafel together; I do not know if a flax egg would work the same. Drop us a comment below if you give it a try!
- cayenne - this gives the falafels a little heat, if you plan to serve to children, you might want to reduce or omit it.
- baking powder - helps to make the falafel light, tender, and fluffy on the inside
- garlic - we used fresh minced garlic cloves for lots of flavor
step by step directions
Soak Chickpeas
Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in 4 cups of water overnight.
Prepare chickpeas
Preheat the oven to 400°F. After soaking the chickpeas, drain the liquid and transfer the chickpeas to a 7-cup food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Pulse for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture resembles the image above. It should be processed into small pieces but not completely pureed. Add the minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, baking powder, salt, pepper, and egg. Process using the pulse function on the processor until all ingredients are well mixed in.
Shape
Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, form disk-shaped patties, patting them into shape with your hands and arranging on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Note: Falafels will be delicate, so be careful. Having slightly damp hands helps form them into shape.
Bake
Carefully brush tops with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400ºF, until lightly golden. VOILA!
FAQ
We have only tested with the egg, and can't say if the recipe would work with a vegan egg replacement. That being said, some readers have reported back that a flax egg worked perfectly to bind the ingredients together. If you try, please report back and let us know how it turns out for you!
Yes! Though they do lose their crispiness, they retain their delicious flavor. They keep for up to 4 days in the fridge and may be frozen as well.
No, dried chickpeas are what we recommend for best results with this recipe. Canned chickpeas yield mushy falafels, unfortunately.
Storage
Although they may dry out slightly after storing in the fridge, crispy baked falafel can be cooked ahead and reheated.
- Cool completely, then store in an air tight container.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat at 350°F in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes, until warmed through and crisped back up.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Crispy Baked Falafel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked at least 12 hours
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing tops
Instructions
- Soak - soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in 4 cups of water overnight.
- Prepare - After soaking, drain the liquid and transfer the chickpeas to a 7-cup food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse for 1-2 minutes, until it resembles the image above. It should be processed into small pieces but not completely pureed. Add the minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, baking powder, salt, pepper, and egg. Process using the pulse function on the processor until all ingredients are well mixed in.
- Shape - Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, form disk-shaped falafels, patting them into shape with your hands and arranging on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake - Carefully brush tops with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400ºF, until lightly golden. VOILA!
Tips:
- Cool completely, then store in an air tight container.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat at 350°F in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes, until warmed through and crisped back up.
Nutrition Information
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Elsa says
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe, this will be a part of my meal rotation! Such a keeper and healthier too!
Rosemary F Foster says
You can also cook them in your waffle iron. (Daniel Shumski's Will It Waffle? book). I've tried it, it works great. No heating the oven.
Denise Bustard says
I love that idea! So fun, thanks for sharing, Rosemary!
Poly says
I use fground flax seed 'egg' to bind the ingredients together. Works perfectly
Denise says
Hi Poly, thank you so much for reporting back! That is so helpful!
Teresa Sumpter says
I used canned chickpeas, and the texture was very soft and crumbly. However, they were yummy. Next time I will try with soaked dry beans.
Denise says
Hi Teresa, yes unfortunately canned chickpeas will not give the right texture in this recipe. THey are so soft! I hope you try with soaked dry chickpeas, it is definitely worth the extra effort 🙂
Jennifer Baldes says
I think for meal prep you could freeze them before they are baked then air fry them when you want to use them...I'll they it and let you know!
Nancie Erhard says
Jennifer, have you tried this yet? I'm thinking of doing the same thing.
Melinda says
Can you use an air fryer instead of baking?
Denise says
I bet that would work, but it might be tricky to get the falafels in and out of the air fryer. If you try, I would love to hear how it goes!
Caroline says
Can you use canned chickpeas in this recipe?
Denise says
You can, however the texture of the falafels is just not great. Very soft. If you're ok with that, then go for it!