Great family-friendly vegan and super nutritious recipe for oven-baked falafels! Falafels are the classic vegetarian patties and probably my favourite for meatless burgers and wraps!
I have skipped 1-2 of the ingredients in the video to keep the video short, but the recipe is pretty easy, as most of the recipes on the website are and the best thing about it is that you can make the falafels baked in the oven rather than fried! There is nothing wrong with gently pan-fried falafels in extra virgin olive oil but trust me, the oven-baked method is much easier, less messy and requires far less oil!
Making falafels is actually really simple as you just put all the ingredients in a food processor, blend and the falafel mixture is ready! You need to brush each of the patties with olive oil so that they get that brown/golden colour. You also need to ensure your oven is preheated and HOT before you put them to bake. This way they turn out lovely, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
Let’s face it, we love everything that is made of chickpeas, well at least most of us do. A lot of falafel recipes include quite a lot of flour but I managed to reduce this to 2 tbsp of flour and I got the perfect soft and sticky mixture for patties, full of nutritious ingredients only and most importantly a lot of chickpeas! As you probably know they are an amazing plant-based source of protein – 20 % protein! In addition, there are two full cups of green stuff in this recipe as well, the parsley and coriander (cilantro) add Vitamin A, C & K and lots of antioxidants!
My favourite wrap is made of falafels, hummus (more chickpeas), tomatoes, cucumbers and some lettuce. For a bit of a kick add some onions and chillies if you are into that.
The recipe for these delicious healthy little patties is further below, lastly here is a picture from the falafel photo shoot on instagram from a different perspective! Make sure to follow me there for more “behind-the-scenes” pictures!
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 x 400g cans/ 240g drained)
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2-3 garlic cloves to taste
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp whole-wheat flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil + extra for baking
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°C / 480° F.
- In a food processor, blend the onion until chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients, leaving out the flour and olive oil. Blend again until you get a smooth mixture, but not too smooth to avoid turning it into a puree.
- Add the flour and olive oil and blend these with the mixture as well.
- With your hands form the patties to the desired size and place each one on a large sheet of non-stick baking paper. Make sure to spray/brush the paper with olive oil before you place them on it.
- Once all the patties are done, spray them all with olive oil sprayer or brush each one with olive oil to ensure they turn out brown and crispy in the oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
I love falafel.. and this recipe is perfect because they are so healthy too! Delicious.
I haven’t ever made falafel! This looks so good!
You should try it, it’s surprisingly easy! :)
These look fab and not floury at all! Well done on cutting down on that. Nothing worse than a dry falafel.
I agree! Better have more chickpeas than flour! :)
Sounds good. Do you use chickpeas from a can or dried chickpeas and let them soak for a night?
I use 2 cans of chickpeas for this recipe as I am a bit lazy but it’s better if you use dry, soaked ones. I just realised I hadn’t added this to the recipe but I have updated it now. Thanks!
MMmm these look lovely! I love falafels but I’m not keen on frying them, so this is a great alternative!
I love falafels too, although I’ve never had a good one that’s come out of a packet. Your pictures are gorgeous and now I want falafels for lunch.
Thank you! I don’t like the store-bought ones as well. Homemade is always better! :))
Loved this receipe. Thanks for sharing :)
Glad you liked it, thanks for your comment! :)
Hi! I’m very excited to make this recipe but was a bit confused with the ingredients. Is it 1 cup of coriander and cilantro or 1 cup of either? 1 cup of coriander seems like a lot…. Thank you!
Hi June, it’s 1 cup of parsley and 1 cup of coriander, 2 cups in total. Cilantro is the more popular word for coriander in the US but it’s actually the same thing. Hope this helps, let me know how it goes! :)
I hate cilatro! Can i just use parsley.?
Yes, you absolutely can :)
I was also confused about this. Depending on which country you’re in or from, coriander could mean cilantro but in the U.S it usually refers to just the seed.
Monika,
This recipe looks fantastic-can’t wait to make it next week. What type of onion did you use? I think red is typically used for falafels but just wanted to double check. Thanks!
Taylor
Hi Taylor, I use whatever onion I have available. Red works great but if you don’t have red, white is just as good. Thanks for your comment and I hope you like them! Let me know how it goes :)
Sounds amazing! I’ve never made falafel before, but I love it. Just got a food processor and can’t wait to try this recipe!
However, you should know that coriander and cilantro, while they come from the same plant, aren’t the same thing when you’re talking herbs and spices. Coriander is the seed and cilantro is the leaf, and they taste entirely different. I’ve only really seen them used together in Indian dishes. Not trying to nit-pick– Just trying to help out :) Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Kimber, thanks for your comment! I am not based in the US but to my knowledge “cilantro” is the more popular word for the fresh herb there but it’s good to be aware of the actual difference between the two. Hope you like the recipe if you decide to try it :)
I was wondering if you could make this recipe using gluten free flour?
I have never tried it but I am pretty sure it will be absolutely fine. You can try quinoa or coconut flour (or any other gluten-free flour you have). The falafels require only 2 tbsp of flour so it’s not a main ingredient that could potentially ruin the recipe. If you try it, let me know how it went please. :) I hope you like it! Thank you!
Do you think they will freeze well before they are cooked?
Hi Sue, yes I freeze them quite often. I make a double batch and I cook one half and put the rest in the freezer. On a busy day I take them out and bake in the oven and they are just as good :)
Can they all be baked, stored in the fridge and reheated???
Doing them for a party…impossible to do everything on the day…
Thoughts???
Hi Anne, I would suggest freezing them uncooked and then just take them out and cook them. Otherwise if you cook them and then freeze them, they might be a bit dry, although I haven’t tried it so might not be so bad. Hope this helps :)
After freezing them uncooked do I need to thaw them before I bake them or can I throw em in the oven from frozen?
I would leave them out for some time for them to soften, but there is no need to wait for them to completely defrost. The oven should do the rest. Hope this helps. :)
I am so happy to have this recipe. I only have to get the cilantro and parsley and will make them for sure. Our local ethic sandwich shop make incredible falafels but they also include a simple light, creamy sauce and I am not smart enough to know where to begin to make it. Can you think of any kind of sauce that would go with this? Thank you SO very much for sharing this with us.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I like having my falafels with hummus but the sauce you are talking about might be yogurt-tahini sauce, which is quite popular with falafels. If you google it, there are many easy recipes online. Good luck! :)
Hi, do you use just parsley and cilantro leaves, or do you use also the little sticks. Sorry for my english. Hope u Unterstand.
Thx
Marco
Hi Marco, thanks for your comment! You can use the whole parsley and cilantro, the leaves and the stems (sticks) as well. They are also very nutritious so it’s absolutely fine. Just make sure they are well blended as they are a bit crunchy. Hope you like them! :)
Hi Monika, i just tried them. They tasted incredible. But one question. On the outside they were perfect, but inside they were very soft and they fell apart if you don’t take care. Do you know what the Problem Could be??? Thank you very much
Hi Marco, it’s hard to say, it’s normal for them to be soft on the inside but if they were too soft maybe you needed a bit more olive oil or flour for the mixture to stick together better. I make them quite often and I don’t normally have that problem but hopefully they were still good and you were able to enjoy them. Thanks for reaching out, if you have any other questions, let me know. :)
Ist ist possible to use chickpea flour to make ist Even more healthier? Or do you think this won’t work :-)
It should be possible and it’s a great idea but you may have to adjust the amount of olive oil as different flours absorb more or less moisture compared to whole wheat flour. I need to try it as well :)
I made these tonight. They were wonderful! Thank you so much. I have to say that I think it is so nice that you respond to all these comments and questions. I always look through the comments and it is so rare to see bloggers responding to every question and comment. Thank you for your commitment to us!
Sue, this is so kind of you! Thank you so much, it’s really nice to know that it’s appreciated. It’s hard but I aim to respond to all commemts that include a question. Glad you liked the falafels! Thanks again :)
I”m so excited to try this falafea (did I spell that right?). No. Anyway, going to try and I hope I can find this post again to let you know if I like it or not. Hugs.
Hi Cherri, thanks for your comment. Please do let me know if you like the recipe, I hope you do. You can always use pinterest to save recipes you want to try, it makes it much easier to find them later :)
These look SO GOOD! I can’t wait to try to make them! Do you think a Gluten Free flour would do well??
Hi Samantha, thank you so much! It should be possible and it’s a great idea but you might have to adjust the amount of olive oil as different flours absorb more or less moisture compared to whole wheat flour. Chickpea, coconut or quinoa flour are some examples of flours that are naturally gluten-free. Enjoy!
I purchased whole, dry chickpeas. I noticed that you said use either canned or cooked chickpeas after soaking. How long do you let the dry chickpeas soak and how do you suggest cooking them before adding them to the processor?
Hi Paul, I normally use canned chickpeas as it saves me a lot of time but using dried chickpeas is definitely the better option as your chickpeas will be freshly cooked. Here is a great article I found online that explains how to prepare dried chickpeas. Hope it helps! Thanks!
How do you make this with cooked chickpeas? The falafel falls apart! It needs to be made with dry chickpeas, which I first soak overnight.
Hi Thomas, the recipe can be made with cooked chickpeas and just pre-soaked chickpeas. If you are using cooked chickpeas you should be careful not to boil them for too long otherwise the actual chickpeas might start falling apart. Gentle boiling for about 30 minutes should be ok. I normally use canned chickpeas without cooking them because it’s easier but the cooked chickpeas are creamier and have a stronger nutty flavour. Sorry if this wasn’t clear but the recipe is the same regardless of how your chickpeas were prepared. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks!
Hello Monika – I can’t wait to try out your recipe… have always wanted to have a go at home-made falafels but not keen on the fried versions. I hope you will pardon my ignorance but exactly how much is a “cup”? Best wishes Mandy :)
Hi Mandy, I am glad you like the recipe! Oven-baked are so much better (and easier) than fried ones :) A cup is a standard tea/coffee cup (like this one), normally about 230-250 ml. I use cups as it’s easier to measure and it’s the proportions that matter the most. Even if your cup is slightly smaller or bigger than the one I use, the recipe will still work. Hope you like it, let me know how it goes! :)
Hi Monika,
I just found your site and I am looking forward to trying this recipe. I was wondering in the photo with the camera what is the dip the falafels are in that looks really good too!
Hi Denise, thank you so much! The dip in the picture is just hummus. I love having my falafels with hummus but they go well with tahini sauce as well :)
Hi hi thank you for the recipe! Can I omit the flour completely? Or rather, what is the purpose of the flour? Also would it work if I didn’t have a processor and used a blender instead?
Hi Samantha! Thanks for your comment and sorry for the late reply! Regarding your question, the flour helps the mixture bind. I know it’s not a lot but I think they might be falling apart if you skip it completely. There are some healthier gluten-free flours you can use like quinoa or coconut flour if you would prefer that. The blender might work but I suggest chopping the onion yourself rather than in the blender. Hope this helps!
This is officially the best vegetarian food I ever had! I found your recipe a couple of months ago and I was putting it off every time… Boy if I knew they’re so good, I wouldn’t have waited a day to cook them! )))))) Thanks a lot for your recipe. It’s super easy and mega-delicious!
xoxo
Jam
Oh Jam, you are so kind! Your comment made me smile. Thank you, I am glad you liked it :)
Love me some falafel! But when I use canned chickpeas the falafel comes out so soft, it’s pretty much hummus and turns into a flat mush. Think I should try adding more flour or do you have any other suggestions?
Hi Lora! Sorry for the late reply. It’s hard to say, but it definitely shouldn’t be that soft. Before you start forming the patties, the mixture should be relatively dry, but sticky. I always use canned chickpeas as it’s a bit easier, but maybe you can try changing the brand or maybe try gently boiling some dry chickpeas? If the mixture doesn’t feel that dry then definitely try adding some more flour. Hope it works out for you!
I have always been afraid to start my falafel journey. I made this today with an absolutly success! my kids loved it and want to have falafel in their lunch boxes tomorrow ;) thank you for wonderful recipes. :)
Nothing scary at all right? I am so glad you liked the recipe, thank you so much for your kind comment!
Yum! I just made these – so healthy and fluffy! Will be making again!
Hi Kelsie! So glad you liked them, thanks for your kind comment!
My hubby loves Falafels. Been looking for a good recipe for a while but didn’t find anything good. Thank you so much for this recipe.
You are very welcome, thanks for your comment! :)
These were an incredibly easy and delicious alternative to the fried version!
Thank you so much!
Hi Alicia, yes they really are! Glad you liked them, thanks for your comment! :)
Hi. Can you use oat flour instead?
Hi Bev, never tried it, but it might work.You might have to adjust the amount of olive oil as different flours absorb more or less moisture compared to whole wheat flour. Hope this helps, let me know how it goes! :)
Just made these and they turned out great! I was just wondering, how long will they last (presumably in the fridge?) And could they go in the freezer?
Hi Holly, that’s great, I am glad you liked them! Mine don’t normally stick around for long so I am not quite sure, but as they have no dairy or eggs I would say they are probably fine for a week, although they might not taste that great after some time. I also freeze them often, but I normally freeze them uncooked as I find that freezing them cooked makes them a bit dry, but otherwise it’s fine. :)
Hello,
I find your recipe and it looks so yammy :-) I’ve never made and eaten falafels. I don’t really know why, but maybe because it’s somthing new and I was afraid of my gluten intolerance. I see now that’s no probleme.
Her in Belgium we are starting March 1 for 40 day without meat. Everybody can subscribe to this challenge because it’s not required you don’t eat meat within the 40 days. Every day is a counting day for the planet.
I put myself this challenge/goal and won’t eat meat or fish for 40 days (and maybe more) :)
I’ll be looking for more recipes on your blog. Thanks for that.
Greetings from Belgium
Angeline
Hi Angeline, this sounds similar to what we do in my country before Easter. It’s great to give up meat for some time and I hope these falafels help you avoid it. Good luck with the challenge and thanks so much for your comment! :)
I tried to Make them but they broke down.
Hi Sofia, the recipe has been tested and tried multiple times by other readers, please ensure you follow the steps and use the right ingredients. If you have any questions, please let me know and I will try to help. I have just added a new video of the recipe as well, hope it helps. Thanks
These falafels look delicious! I’m putting them in pita bread with some tzatziki and I can’t wait! I have one question. I don’t have a food processor, could i use a blender or something else instead??
Hi Ella, I haven’t tried it, but you can probably try it with a blender. Might be a good idea to chop the onion and herbs yourself as the blender might struggle with it and then try to blend the rest of the ingredients or just use a potato masher for the chickpeas. Hopefully it works out! Thanks for your comment :)
I tried these yesterday and they turned out amazing! I didn’t think falafels are so easy to make, thank you for the recipe!
Glad you liked it, thanks for commenting! :)
love this recipe!!! could i substitute with coconut flour? if so how many table spoons? or almond flour?
Hi Cindy, thank you! Yes you can try, it should be fine with the same quantities, although I haven’t tried it. :)