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Beans and Legumes

Baked Falafel

February 12, 2013 · By Monica Shaw

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The traditional way of making falafel involves soaking chickpeas, blending them up with onion, herbs and spices, then deep frying them into crispy balls of perfection. The key point here is that the chickpeas aren’t cooked – if they were, they falafel would fall apart and you’d need flour or breadcrumbs to hold the falafel together. To me, this defeats the purpose, especially if you’re serving the falafel in a pita. I want to fill my pita with beans, not bread (it’s the age-old veggie burger versus bread burger dilemma).

For lack of good falafel in the Cotswolds, I’ve tried making my own falafel the traditional way but it’s always been a disaster, primarily at the deep frying step. I don’t think I can get my oil hot enough on the electric hob (that, or I’m scared). So the falafel just ends up soaking up all the oil and then falling into greasy gross pieces.

I’ve experimented with several baked falafel recipes, all of which involve using cooked chickpeas, or in Leon’s case, chickpea flour. The baked falafel I made with my sister was decent, but not exactly ultimate.

Falafel for breakfast

At last I came across this baked falafel recipe, adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook, which follows the traditional method of soaking the chickpeas. To get around the fried bit, olive oil is included in the falafel mixture itself, and in the baking tray.


I’ve made these twice now, and while they don’t have quite the same wow-factor as really good deep-fried falafel, they are still pretty damn good and, as it seems, worth making again and again. They also keep well in the freezer which makes them handy for lunches (I re-heat them in the toaster!).

I like to serve mine with a simple tahini sauce made with lemon juice, tahini and enough water to make a drizzle-able dressing. Chilli jam or harissa is nice, too.

The next thing to master are those great pickles you get with falafel in good falafel joints. The best I’ve ever had were the falafel and pickles from  Arabica in Borough Market, though the last time I had them they weren’t quite as good as I remember. (I’ve since been told I must go to Mr. Falafel in Shepherd’s Bush.)

Arabica falafel

Is it pickled turnips I’m after? And I haven’t even touched on the falafel sauce. Tzatziki? Tahini? Hot sauce? All of the above?

Suggestions welcome.

Recipe: Baked Falafel

About Monica Shaw

Veg lover, dog owner, hill walker, wild camper, avocado addict, nerd. I write about how to be awesome through a "smarter fitter" approach to eating, drinking, living and working.
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  1. Jes says

    February 12, 2013 at 3:12 pm

    I just realized that your posts aren’t showing up in my Google Reader for some reason. Oy.

    As far as falafel goes–oh, I’m so trying that recipe ASAP. I’m a sucker for Tahini + a hot pepper sauce in mine.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      February 12, 2013 at 3:52 pm

      I wonder if my RSS feed is borked… thanks for the heads up. I shall investigate! (I too am a tahini + pepper sauce kinda girl.)

      Reply
  2. Jayne says

    February 12, 2013 at 4:24 pm

    I love falafel! The only reason I don’t make them is because I’m put off with the frying. These sound great, even better for been baked! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Mardi (eat. live. travel. write) says

    February 13, 2013 at 3:19 am

    Your posts show up in my reader ok…
    And I kind of wish they wouldn’t (kidding!) because they make me HUNGRY. Your food is beautiful Monica 🙂

    Reply
  4. Bobbi says

    March 4, 2016 at 8:40 pm

    Thank you! It’s very difficult to get really good falafel arund where I live and I’ve been craving it lately. This is fabulous, as I didn’t want to fry!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Avocado Tahini Dressing » SmarterFitter says:
    February 20, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    […] Baked Falafel […]

    Reply
  2. Clean Detox Day 18: Peach smoothie, curried courgette soup and baked falafel | smarterfitter says:
    September 17, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    […] One of my favourite things, detox or otherwise: Baked Falafel with a fattoush salad (sans pita), tahini sauce and […]

    Reply
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