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These easy baked falafel patties are sturdy with bright, fresh herbs running through them. Perfect for stuffing into pitas and drizzling with this simple, creamy tahini sauce!
*** This post has been updated with a recipe video. Check it out below! ***
My favorite restaurant in college was a hole-in-the-wall Mediterranean joint and I loved their falafel appetizer.
I also loved their crazy music, their interesting paintings and their ability to give me massive amounts of food for so very little money. College dining on the cheap, right?
But their falafel, amazing as it was, was fried. And in recent years, I don’t do fried. Plus, I moved 😉
So after much trial and error, I present my lovely homemade baked falafel patties. They are easy — just mix and form into patties – and they are sturdy and will hold together for you. 🙌
You should probably be careful not to burn your fingers as you reach for one on the pan straight out of the oven. Cannot resist. Is that just me?
These falafel are bursting with bright flavors from the fresh cilantro and parsley, and they pack a hefty, hearty flavor from all the meaty chick peas. They have a crispy crust on the outside and a soft, creamy inside.
You are going to want to eat falafel forever!
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, I’ll eat these any time of day. Doesn’t get any better than those amazing flavors all smushed up together, if you ask me.
They are perfect stuffed into a pita with lettuce and tomato and drizzled with the easy tahini sauce I’ve included in the recipe below.
They also are great topped with hummus (alone or in pita or a wrap) and I like them served over salads for a plant-based protein. I even eat these falafel patties with scrambled eggs and some salsa in the morning for a savory breakfast!
(Oh and they are vegan and gluten-free too.)
If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, I highly recommend a massive Mediterranean spread of this baked falafel along with my 5-minute homemade hummus, tabbouleh, some pita bread, a mix of olives and anything else you can scrounge up to go with it. ❤️
ALL the delicious flavors in one place. This is the stuff dreams are made of.
Now, a few tips on making baked falafel:
- Make small, thick patties. This makes them easier to flip. And then you get a big bite to sink your teeth into.
- Refrigerate the patties for a little while after you form them – this helps them firm up so they stay together when you are cooking them. This is also a great step for parties so you don’t have to fuss with them right before the guests come. (You can freeze them in a little less time if you’re too eager and want to speed things up. I know I’m impatient when it comes to falafel.)
- Spray the baking pan with cooking spray so the patties don’t stick to the pan when you try to flip them.
- Flip carefully. If a couple start to crumble on you, just smush them back together. They will firm up in the second round of baking.
- Let the baked falafel cool slightly for a couple of minutes on the pan and then serve. Once they’ve sat out, they can be a bit crumbly. That goes for any leftovers, too. But no worries. You can still stuff the crumbly bits into some pita bread, or just sprinkle it over a bowl of hummus or on a salad. 👍
Mediterranean food calls to me. It’s in my bones somehow and there’s no denying its temptation. So I submit. Happily.
I hope you will too. Enjoy!
(Also, update on the oven, which if you read my last post, is non functional. The new one is going to come sooner than we thought – next week. So excited! Maybe these falafel will be the first thing I make… 😊)
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Here’s my new recipe video for this baked falafel:
Easy baked falafel and tahini sauce
These easy baked falafel patties are sturdy and have bright, fresh herbs running through them. Goes great with the creamy tahini sauce!
Ingredients
For the falafel
- 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chickpeas (or 3 cups homemade crock pot chickpeas, rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
- 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pita bread, for serving
- Lettuce and tomato, for serving
For the tahini sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons of water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the chickpeas, red onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley in a food processor. Process until broken down but still a little chunky.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients (through baking soda). Mix well.
- Form the falafel mixture into patties. I like doing small, thick patties - it makes it easier to flip them and they hold together better. Plus, you get a generous bite!
- Place the patties on a plate, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Or, you can stick the patties in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400. Remove falafel patties and space them out evenly on a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, then flip carefully. If any of the patties fall apart a little, you can carefully use the spatula and your hand to smush them back together. They firm up by the time they are finished baking.
- Bake another 10-15 minutes, until well browned and firm.
- In the meantime, make the tahini sauce. Mix the tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water and a dash of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add an additional tablespoon of water, if needed, to get it to a drizzling consistency. (It will depend on the thickness of your tahini.)
- Once they are finished cooking and nicely browned, remove the falafel patties and let cool for a couple minutes on the pan.
- Serve in the pitas with the tahini sauce, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tahini is a sesame seed paste with a great nutty flavor. I usually find it near the peanut butter in the grocery store.
These falafel are also great in pitas with hummus if you want to skip the tahini sauce. Or just topped with hummus and eaten alone. And I love the extras, which get crumbly, sprinkled onto salads. Sometimes I even add leftovers to scrambled eggs in the morning with some salsa. So good any time of day!
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | 2 patties |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 134kcal Calories from fat 58 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% |
| Sodium 365mg | 15% |
| Carbohydrate 15g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 5g | 20% |
| Sugars 1g | |
| Protein 6g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
looks so delicious! Baked falafel is a total winner!
Thanks! It’s one of my favorites 🙂
What is the serving size? I know the recipe makes 10 – 12 but how many for the 175 calorie…2 I hope
Hi Jay! I just updated my recipe card to indicate that it’s 2 patties to make sure it was calculating correctly. It now says that it’s 134 calories for those 2 patties, plus the tahini sauce. Hope that helps!
Mediterranean food is one of my favorites!! When I was pregnant with my son I ate falafel at a local restaurant at least one a week! Yikes! 🙂 I love eating them with tzatziki! 🙂 These look awesome!!!
Thanks Laura! Once a week falafel sounds like a great idea, pregnant or not 😉 And yes, also so good with tzatziki!
I love baked alternatives to usually fried snacks. Like you I try to avoid the fryer but falafel is one of my go-to bites for my lunch box – thank you for sharing a true healthy alternative!
Thanks Emma! These would be lovely for lunching on – and yay to unfried versions of foods! 🙂
These falafel patties look absolutely delicious! I wanna grab some and dip it in that sauce!
Thanks Marsha! Dip, dunk, devour!
I have been thinking of making falafel. I love that you baked it and still got such a good crisp on it.
Do it Peter! Everyone needs falafel in their life. 🙂 And yes- I finally got a good crust. Just follow the tips above and you’ll be all set!
I’m all about reforming fried foods! These look great and I love the easy tahini sauce.
Good luck with the oven install. Breaking in new kitchen appliances is always fun. 😉
Thanks Tracy! It’s a good pairing. And I’m itching to get to know my new oven… just a few more days… 🙂
Love the baked version!
Thanks Sonal! Same great flavor but not fried – woo hoo!
Hi Kathryn, talk about college food. Even for me, this dinky little shawarma joint was the stuff of legends. And I used to love their fried falafels too. I would be making this soon, as fried food at home is not my cup of tea. And I’d perhaps make a big batch, enough to feed a party, but squirrel it away in the fridge and bake and eat them all myself. Muhahaha 😛
Love that we had the same go-to college food cravings 🙂 And that now we do it healthier and at home! I’m with you – make it all for you because you will not want to share! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!
Ah, my weakness! Falafel and of course TAHINI!!! I could so eat this every day and be totally content!
Me too Rebecca! Falafel forever!
I have never made falafel patties before, but falafel is one of my husband’s favorites. I’m so glad I found this recipe – I am definitely going to make this for (or with) him! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Falafel is the best and this is a super easy recipe – just mix, form into patties and you’re ready to go! I hope you give it a try and let me know what you guys think!
I could definitely eat falafel forever! I loved your baked version, and they *do* look sturdy! Yum!
Yay, I’m not the only one who wants falafel ALL the time 🙂
Oh how I love falafel, and these remind me that I haven’t had any in ages! I love that you’ve baked them instead of fried them, Kathryn – I do love the taste of the fried ones, but I can’t bear standing over a pan full of hot oil. Usually by the end of it I’m just too hot and sticky to have a decent appetite. And you remind me that I miss all my college (well, here we call it uni!) eating spots, too. My favourite were burritos! So greasy but SO darn good!!
You’ve got to try making it Lisa – you’ll love how easy it is! And no oil splatters or burns with this baked version 🙂 We had a burrito place in college, too – can’t beat a huge burrito for a college appetite!
Thank you for this simple recipe! The photo looks amazing as well 🙂
Thanks so much Amy!
I love falafel!! And baked? This sounds so perfect!
Thanks Cathleen! Baked is SO the way to go 😉
You know, I just love falafel (and being surrounded by food trucks here in lower Manhattan I have easy access) but I’ve never tried making it myself – you have inspired me with this great step by step post. I can do it!
Easy access to food trucks sounds so fun! But you can definitely do your own falafel Kate – it really is easy! Plus then you get to control the ingredients 🙂 Hope you give it a try!
How did u know I am obsessed with baked falafels, haven’t made them in way too long, ad was JUST talking about them the other day? It like you posted this just for me! Your falafels look faaaaabulous! And putting them on top of some eggs??! YES! Genius! Totally doing that! My favorite way to eat them is any way that involves stuffing my face, by the way. 😉 Yay to your oven arriving way sooner than anticipated! That’s fantastic news! Cheers, my dear! <3
Absolutely it’s just for you Cheyanne! Had a feeling you were overdue for some 🙂 Glad, too, you don’t think I’m crazy for eating them for breakfast! P.S. The oven is being installed as I type this – woo hoo!
I am a big fan of falafel, this healthy oven baked falafel looks great
Thanks Rahul! I’m a huge falafel fan, too, and this baked version really holds up!
These baked falafels look just perfect! And yum to that creamy tahini sauce!
Thanks Keri! They do go so well together 🙂
I love falafel but was never lucky enough to find a baked falafel recipe that I really really like. They were ok, but not as good as the fried ones. I am trying your version and really hope it works!!! It would be great to be able to eat falafel more often, I don’t do fried either. 🙂
Adina, I hope you try it and let me know what you think! I tinkered with this until I got it to where I liked it because I’m pretty particular about my falafel too 😉
Mmm, I love falafel! I’ve never even attempted to make it from scratch, though — for some reason I just have this mental block where I think I’m going to fail miserably, so I don’t even try (so unlike me 😉 ) I think this is just what I needed to encourage me… they sound so good!
You can do it Willow! You will be surprised how easy it is! (At least this baked version.) And then you can have falafel ALL the time 🙂
How fun that you had a great Mediterranean place to eat when you were in college, mmmm. We had a chicken wing place and a sub place. Okay, it was an epic sub place and in Rochester, NY all of the chicken wings are good….
I LOVE this recipe and have been hungering for some good falafel. My first low-carb attempt was an epic FAIL! I’ll have to try these because they look majorly delicious!
OK, yeah, you can’t complain about subs and wings in Rochester – you were surrounded by good eats 🙂
I have had a few falafel fails myself but this recipe has worked like a charm. Would love to hear if you try it and what you think!
These falafel look fantastic & I love that they are baked 🙂
Thanks Marla! Baked is the way to go!
I love homemade falafels, and these look amazing!!
Thanks Sarah! Hope you give them a try!
Looks just delicious – can’t wait to try these!! Stopped by to do some sharing from #FoodieFriDIY!
Thanks so much Debra!
I have always wanted to make falafel, but I don’t fry things. I will have to give these a try! Thanks so much for bringing them by Throwback Thursday.
I’m the same way – no frying – but these baked falafel are just as great (and so easy!)
These look so marvelous and I love that they’re baked and there’s not all the hassle of frying! Not to mention the obvious healthier aspect! Great recipe, Kathryn!
Thanks for sharing this with us on Throwback Thursday~
Mollie
Thanks Mollie! Baking is definitely my method of choice for falafel 😉
I love falafel – and you make it looks so easy! Thanks for sharing on the “What’s for Dinner” link up~
Thanks Helen! It really is surprisingly easy 🙂
What’s the best way to reheat these after you make them? They’re in the oven now, but I already know I’m not going to be able to finish them all!
Hi Aly! I hope you loved the falafel! I store them in the fridge for a few days and reheat in the microwave, because I’m kinda lazy and inpatient. 😉 They tend to crumble a bit that way though so you could warm them back up in the oven or a toaster oven if you want them to stay intact. They also freeze great, too! Again, they may get somewhat crumbly but you can use them that way to stuff pitas or top salads. Hope that helps!
It was delicious! They did get very crumbly, but I just made a falafel-hummus soup and everything worked out!
That sounds so yummy! 😋
i tried this recipie but sadly it was a disaster. i followed every step but the falafels never stayed as a ball. They completely fell apart even if i tried to put them back together. they were just falafel crumbs :/
i have no idea why i had such a different end result than everybody else, but i’m really disappointed.
Hi Daniela, I’m so sorry to hear that! I’m not sure if they were falling apart before or after you baked them. If before, you may just need to refrigerate for longer – that really helps! If after, it may have been that they needed to bake longer before flipping, after flipping, or both. Regardless, sorry it didn’t work for you!
Mine were way too salty. I would consider cutting the salt in half if you aren’t a huge salt lover like me.
Thanks for noting that Sara! I usually use homemade chickpeas, which have way less salt than the canned variety. And depending on the brand and how well they are drained and rinsed, that could affect the salt content too. But a good point that people could reduce the amount of salt and maybe just sprinkle with some sea salt after baking if they want more.
I made them and its to salty and I think there is to much soda. Yuk. I ruined the recipe. You have to cut half of soda and salt please.
I’m sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you! I haven’t had an issue with the baking soda or the salt level, but that can certainly be affected by your chickpeas. If they aren’t rinsed really well, they can retain a lot of the liquid from the can, which is high in sodium. But you can certainly try adjusting those two elements if you want to make them again.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. I’m really pleased to learn how to make falafel. I got as far as “spray your pan with cooking spray” though. I’ve managed to live this long without ever buying “cooking spray”. I just can’t justify the land fill or expense. A little bit of olive oil, already on hand, will do the same thing.
Thanks again
Kathryn, I made these last night and they were awesome! The kids even gobbled them up.
Oh yay! I’m so happy to hear you all enjoyed them Molly! Thanks for sharing 😊
I have to try this recipe ASAP!
I hope you do Katie! 😊
Definitely going to try these the next time we do a Greek night.
Yay, I hope you do Megan!
I love baking falafels! Healthy and delicious! These look delish!
Thanks Megan! 🙂
These are delicious! I add a bit more cilantro and parsley, (which just helps make them more fantastically tasty) – I also serve them with a yummy, garlicky tzatziki sauce and homemade turnip pickles.
I’m so happy to hear you loved them Trish! Love those pairings too – yum!
I made these today and they turned out crispy but were relatively inedible with the amount of salt. If using canned chickpeas, definitely omit the salt completely or lower the amount at the very least.
Hi Joce, I wonder if your canned chickpeas were extra salty for some reason. I have definitely used canned before for this recipe and the falafel were fine. The trick is rinsing the chickpeas really, really well to get all of the canning liquid off of them (that’s where most of the sodium is). Sorry it didn’t work this time but I hope you try them again!
Hi there Kathryn,
It’s only me in my household. I’d rather have these falafel made fresh. Would I be able to either refrigerate or freeze the extras before baking to make later?
Thanks!
Kristen
Hi Kristen, I’ve never tried that since we tend to use them up, but I think it would work. You would probably want to freeze them on a wax paper-lined baking tray until they firm up and then transfer them to a freezer bag until you are ready to use them. Hope that helps and would love to hear if you try it!
This is a good recipe and nearly exactly the way my Abuela from Zihuatanejo causes it to be I’m excited to try out some of the additional recipes Kristin! I really like your answers how everyone has gaps in their own kitchen and that you aren’t scared to step outside the box. Keep this up! For your”women” who bashed; pity you! What happened to others!