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This baked falafel recipe with canned chickpeas is easy and healthy! It’s such a fun way to whip up falafel on moments notice. Eat it with dips, in a pita, on a salad, and more.
Want to make falafel at home but daunted by frying? Here’s the recipe you need: baked falafel with canned chickpeas! This spin on classic falafel distills the traditional flavors into a shortcut that works for weeknights, without the need to remember to soak chickpeas the night before!
Bake up these tasty balls of savory, herby goodness and dunk them into dips like tzatziki or tahini sauce, throw them in a falafel sandwich, or add them to a falafel bowl or falafel salad. They save well, making them perfect for refrigerating or freezing for quick and easy meals! They’re also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
A baked falafel recipe—with canned chickpeas
Falafel is a Middle Eastern ball of chickpeas, herbs and spices that’s deep fried. Classic falafel is always made with soaked dried chickpeas, which gives them the ideal crispy texture. The only problem is—you have to remember to soak the chickpeas overnight. If you have time and can think ahead, try the classic version! It’s worth it for the flavor, and you can make it baked: go to classic falafel.
This baked falafel recipe is a shortcut for when you didn’t think ahead and don’t want to mess with frying. So, it’s not a traditional authentic recipe—it’s a variation for weeknights so you can enjoy similar flavors! It’s made with canned chickpeas, which you bake in the oven instead of frying them.
Tips for this easy baked falafel recipe
Ready to try this baked falafel with canned chickpeas? Here are a few tips for how to make this easy falafel recipe:
- A food processor is key. It’s easiest for chopping everything for the dough. (If you’re ambitious and don’t have one, you could try using oat flour, finely chopping the veggies, and mashing the chickpeas with a fork.)
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat them dry. Because you’re using canned chickpeas, you’ll want to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Be careful not to over-process the dough! Be careful not to over-process the dough: you’ll want it uniform and shape-able with a little texture. See the photo below.
- Pat the dough into disc shapes (a cookie scoop is helpful). This makes them easy to bake, versus ball shapes which don’t get evenly browned. Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop if you have it, which helps to portion the dough evenly.
Leftovers save well: try a double batch
This easy baked falafel recipe is ideal because leftovers save very well! Because of this, we recommend making a double batch and saving the leftovers: especially if you’re feeding hungry eaters. You’ll need a large food processor. Here’s the recommended storage info:
- Store baked falafel refrigerated for up to 1 week. They’re easy to throw into lunches or onto salads!
- Or, freeze for up to 2 months. Then defrost in the refrigerator prior to enjoying. You can reheat them or eat at room temp.
- To double the recipe, use the 2x button on the recipe below! This makes it easy to double the quantities.
Ways to serve baked falafel
There are so many fun ways to eat baked falafel! We make classic falafel on special occasions, but this baked version is more of an everyday style recipe. Here are a few ideas for how to serve it:
- As an appetizer with dips like tahini sauce, lemon tahini dressing, avocado sauce, tzatziki sauce, or one of these falafel sauce recipes.
- On a sandwich like this falafel sandwich.
- In a salad like falafel salad.
- In lunch boxes for kids or adults, with a dipping sauce or hummus.
Dietary notes
This easy baked falafel recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Baked Falafel
This baked falafel recipe with canned chickpeas is easy and healthy! It’s such a fun way to whip up falafel on moments notice. Eat it with dips, in a pita, on a salad, and more.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer or Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 15-ounce can chickpeas
- ½ cup Old Fashioned rolled oats (or use ½ cup oat flour)
- ¼ cup red onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed (or fresh parsley)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Serve with: Tahini Sauce or Avocado Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Dab the chickpeas with a paper towel to remove extra moisture and set them aside.
- Place the rolled oats in a bowl of a food processor. Process 30 seconds to 1 minute until they are the texture of flour. Pour into a separate bowl and set aside. (If using oat flour, skip this step.)
- Roughly chop the red onion and peel the garlic. Place them into the food processor with the cilantro and pulse until finely minced, stopping and scraping down the bowl once. Add the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, cumin, coriander, baking powder, salt, and pepper and process until combined, stopping and scraping the bowl once. Then add the oats and pulse until a uniform dough forms. (Try not to over-process the dough: you’ll want it uniform and shape-able with a little texture.)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use your hands to roll the dough into 16 balls that are 1 ½ tablespoons each, then flatten them into discs (it’s helpful to use a size 40 cookie scoop, if you have it). Place the discs on the baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil.
- Bake the falafel for 15 minutes until golden brown, then flip. Brush the tops with more olive oil. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown on the other side. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before eating. (Storage info: The baked falafel store very well. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. Consider making a double batch and storing leftovers.)
Notes
*Makes 16 small falafel: consider making a double batch and storing leftovers.
More Mediterranean diet recipes
This recipe is a great idea for a filling vegan dinner or Mediterranean diet meal! Here are a few more great Mediterranean recipes to try:
- Try Hummus Bowls or a Falafel Burger instead.
- Try quick and easy Mediterranean Tuna Salad.
- Go for simple Chickpea Soup with Rice.
- Mix up a Mediterranean Bowl and add falafel, or make a Mediterranean salad.
Do you have a recipe for falafels in a microwave or fry pan?
Here you go! https://www.acouplecooks.com/classic-falafel/
How cool! Every time I’ve tried to cook falafel has been a disaster :( Will defo try this recipe!
Looks very good and healthy. Any idea on how much sodium? I might be just missing it in nutrition facts. Any idea if this could be cooked in batches in the air fryer at 400? I might give it a go.
High! Our nutrition analyzer doesn’t do well with sodium because brands of broth, chickpeas, etc have vastly different amounts of sodium. We always call for kosher salt which has has 1,920 mg of sodium per teaspoon (or 1440 for this recipe of 3/4 teaspoon). We don’t have an air fryer but just cook until golden brown!
I liked the texture but though these guys were lacking in flavor. I feel like I need to amp up all the seasonings next time, including more onion and garlic.
I did like that they were quick and easy to make, and whatever I didn’t like about them I can easily fix.
I’m definitely going to try again!
When do you add the chickpeas?
Good catch — we added this to the recipe (with the tahini and spices). Thank you!
Let us know if you have any questions!