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Easy baked falafel and tahini sauce (+ video)

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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!Easy baked falafel - these have a crispy exterior and soft inside with bright, fresh herbs. Also includes an easy tahini sauce to serve them with! | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

*** This post has been updated with a recipe video. Check it out! ***

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.

Easy baked falafel - just mix and shape into patties! | FamilyFoodontheTable.comEasy baked falafel - just mix and shape into patties! | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

Ways to serve baked falafel:

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).

I also like them served over salads or grain bowls 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 I should mention that they are vegan and gluten-free too.)

Tabbouleh salad | FamilyFoodontheTable.comIf 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.

Tips on how to make 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. 👍

Easy baked falafel and a simple tahini sauce - bright, fresh Mediterranean flavors! | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

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

Yield: 10-12 patties

Easy baked falafel and tahini sauce

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!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Inactive Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the falafel:

  • 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chickpeas (or 3 cups 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 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

  1. Combine the chickpeas, red onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley in a food processor. Process until broken down but still a little chunky.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients (through baking soda). Mix well.
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. Preheat the oven to 400. Remove falafel patties and space them out evenly on a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
  6. 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.
  7. Bake another 10-15 minutes, until well browned and firm.
  8. 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.)
  9. Once they are finished cooking and nicely browned, remove the falafel patties and let cool for a couple minutes on the pan.
  10. Serve in the pitas with the tahini sauce, and enjoy!

Notes

Tahini is a sesame seed paste with a great nutty flavor. I usually find it near the peanut butter in the grocery store.

You can use canned chickpeas or make your own crock pot chickpeas from dried beans.

These are also great in pitas with hummus. 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!

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Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

2 patties
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 134
Cuisine: Mediterranean / Category: Vegetarian
Easy baked falafel and a simple tahini sauce is a bright, fresh Mediterranean dish with great flavors! Serve in a pita or over a salad or grain bowl. #falafel #vegetarian #veganrecipe #glutenfreerecipe

Easy baked falafel - these have a crispy exterior and soft inside with bright, fresh herbs. Also includes an easy tahini sauce to serve them with! | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

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Comments

  2. Laura says

    February 19, 2016 at 9:03 AM

    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!!!

    Reply

  8. Shreyashi says

    February 19, 2016 at 10:17 AM

    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 😛

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 19, 2016 at 10:30 AM

      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!

      Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 19, 2016 at 9:00 PM

      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!

      Reply

  12. Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says

    February 20, 2016 at 10:36 PM

    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!!

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 21, 2016 at 8:14 AM

      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!

      Reply

  15. Kate @ Framed Cooks says

    February 22, 2016 at 7:30 AM

    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!

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 22, 2016 at 1:39 PM

      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!

      Reply

  16. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    February 22, 2016 at 7:46 AM

    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

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 22, 2016 at 1:41 PM

      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!

      Reply

  19. Adina says

    February 23, 2016 at 4:56 AM

    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. 🙂

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 23, 2016 at 6:03 AM

      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 😉

      Reply

  20. Willow | Will Cook For Friends says

    February 23, 2016 at 8:52 AM

    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!

    Reply

  21. Kim | Low Carb Maven says

    February 23, 2016 at 9:46 AM

    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!

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      February 23, 2016 at 8:41 PM

      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!

      Reply

  25. Carlee says

    March 3, 2016 at 11:01 PM

    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.

    Reply

  26. Frugal Hausfrau says

    March 4, 2016 at 5:06 PM

    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

    Reply

  28. Aly says

    April 14, 2017 at 8:20 PM

    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!

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      April 15, 2017 at 10:05 AM

      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!

      Reply

  29. Daniela Enriquez says

    May 2, 2017 at 10:32 PM

    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.

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      May 3, 2017 at 6:28 PM

      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!

      Reply

    • Kathryn says

      August 15, 2017 at 8:13 PM

      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.

      Reply

  31. Marie-Claude says

    December 18, 2017 at 4:51 PM

    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.

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      December 18, 2017 at 5:08 PM

      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.

      Reply

  32. Janey says

    January 25, 2018 at 5:41 PM

    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

    Reply

  37. Trish says

    April 14, 2018 at 1:40 PM

    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.

    Reply

  38. Joce says

    April 19, 2018 at 8:29 PM

    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.

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      April 20, 2018 at 6:29 AM

      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!

      Reply

  39. Kristen Stokely says

    August 15, 2018 at 10:24 AM

    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

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      August 15, 2018 at 5:33 PM

      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!

      Reply

  40. Melanie Ford says

    September 7, 2018 at 6:39 AM

    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!

    Reply

  41. Linda says

    September 24, 2018 at 6:26 PM

    The recipe had some nice flavor but, honestly, it needs a rework. Despite following all of the directions, tt was terribly crumbly and did not hold shape during the cooking process and fell apart into crumbles on our plates. It needs some sort of binding ingredients. I often use another ‘baked’ recipe that includes a bit of flour and an egg. In addition, as others have mentioned, it was way too salty, despite the fact that I only used 2/3 of your suggested amount. Beans were rinsed thoroughly, in case you’re wondering.

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      September 26, 2018 at 3:24 PM

      Hi Linda, I’m so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. My patties always stay together great after they’ve chilled in the fridge, but there are so many variables that could have affected yours. You could definitely try adding an egg as a binder next time to see if that helps. Also, I’ve never found these too salty myself but I am going to revise that in the recipe card since you can always add salt but you can’t take it away. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply

    • Kathryn says

      October 15, 2018 at 2:51 PM

      Hi April, yes, you can freeze the extras after you’ve baked them. I let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven. They tend to be more crumbly the second time around, but work great for stuffing into pitas or putting over a salad. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  43. A says

    November 23, 2018 at 4:55 AM

    I really must learn to read comments under a recipe before deciding if I’m going to try it. I encountered the same problems as others: Fortunately instinct told me to skip the salt. My mix was so crumbly that I couldn’t form it into anything resembling a patty. So I added two eggs and when that didn’t bind it enough I poured the whole lot into a baking tray and cut it into cubes after it was cooked. What I got wasn’t really falafal, but it was still edible and yummy in a wrap with salad.

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      November 23, 2018 at 5:41 PM

      Hi there, I’ve actually revised the amount of salt in this recipe because of some of the comments from others, so hopefully that won’t be an issue going forward. I’m sorry you had trouble with getting them to stick together. Did you refrigerate them according to the directions? That makes a big difference. (I have other tips in the post about how to get the patties to stay together and be sturdy, like mine are in the photos and video.) Regardless, I’m glad the flavor was good and you were able to enjoy them!

      Reply

  44. Melanie says

    December 22, 2018 at 9:46 AM

    Made these last night and love the recipe. Very easy! However, still too salty. I will definitely be making again but with half the salt amount.

    Reply

  45. Ali says

    January 6, 2019 at 7:42 PM

    OMG, just made the and they are soooo good!!
    Added chopped jalapeño for some spice, otherwise followed your instructions, this was my first time making falafels, and won’t be my last! I was just going to sample a tiny bit before putting them in the fridge but inhaled the entire thing.

    Thank you for this recipe!!

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      April 30, 2019 at 2:49 PM

      Hi Kristina, I’m sorry to hear that! I know it’s disappointing when a recipe doesn’t turn out. It’s hard to say what went wrong… if the chickpeas weren’t really well drained, that might have made the mixture too moist. Or if the patties didn’t get well chilled in the fridge, that could cause them to fall apart. It could also be oven/cooking temperature, which can vary a lot. Or picking them up too quickly after they’ve baked – they need a few minutes to rest to set up all the way. I hope at least you can use the crumbles – they stuff into pitas and on salads great!

      Reply

  49. Divorced Kat says

    May 20, 2019 at 12:52 PM

    Tasty but crumbly. I cut the salt in half and used dried parsley. I wonder if nutritional yeast could work as a binder?

    Reply

    • Kathryn says

      May 20, 2019 at 1:39 PM

      I’m sorry yours were crumbly! Mine always hold together well after I’ve let them set up in the fridge. Also, I think fresh herbs are key here but glad to know you still liked the flavor with the dried parsley. As for the nutritional yeast, that could possibly help as a binder if yours aren’t holding together. It’ll add a different flavor, but could be good!

      Reply

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