Baked Falafels (Gluten-Free)
Falafels are one of those vegan favorites that have all the potential of being a healthy option but are unfortunately usually deep-fried. Because they are delicious and simply can’t be skipped, this recipe is for baked, gluten-free falafels made with the tiniest amount of oil possible so that they can be enjoyed without any guilt whatsoever.
For anyone looking for a whole food, plant-based protein source that isn’t soy – look no further! Falafels are made from whole ingredients and are great for vegan meal prepping since they keep really well in the freezer.
This recipe is baked instead of deep-fried. Personally, I will always choose baking over deep frying, not just for health reasons, but because it’s simpler, straight forward, and easier to clean! Plus, handling a large pot of scorching hot oil makes me nervous.
While most recipes will tell you that dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans are a must for falafels and using canned chickpeas is untraditional, I know that I’m not the only person who would sometimes rather open a can than to wait for something to soak overnight. Since we’re using canned chickpeas here that have more moisture, this recipe requires slightly more flour than others.
I love eating these baked, gluten-free falafels on top of rice with tabbouleh (recipe here), but I encourage you to try to recreate the ways you’ve had them at some of your favorite Mediterranean spots in the past. Try them in a pita pocket or a bowl filled with tons of pickled veggies and hummus (yum!). Looking for inspiration from restaurant dishes you already enjoy makes coming up with meals so much easier.
Baked Falafels (gluten-free)
Ingredients
Produce
- ½ bunch of parsley roughly chopped
- ½ bunch of cilantro roughly chopped
- ½ medium-sized brown onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ lemon juiced
Pantry
- 1 can chickpeas drained
- ⅛ cup gluten-free flour or oat flour
- Oil or vegan butter for baking
Spices
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare the ingredients. If you don’t have gluten-free flour, just take ⅛ cup of oats and grind it into a flour in a blender.
- Combine all ingredients into a food processor and pulse the mixture several times. Do not over process. The desired end consistency should be coarse and piecey, but without large visible chunks of any one ingredient (see photo above).
- Taste a small amount of the mixture to make sure it’s to your liking. If it seems too wet, mix in more flour. It should be able to hold its shape easily.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, scoop out a heaping tbsp of the mixture and form into a small patty. You should end up with about 8-10 falafels.
- Before putting it in the oven, lightly brush the top of each falafel with a small amount of oil or melted vegan butter to help it crisp.
- Bake in the oven for 40 mins, flipping halfway through. Repeat the oil or butter coating on the other side after flipping.
- Let cool for 5 mins before serving. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer for future use.
