Bringing together simple flavours of fresh herbs, spices and legumes, this oil-free baked falafel is full of flavour and sure to impress any crowd.
Falafel is one of my favourite handheld meals and I’m pretty sure I’d eat it every day if I had the chance. That being said, I do prefer my meals to be lower in fat and oils to reduce the caloric overload and lack of energy that comes from consuming these foods as my body is working so hard to break them down. Instead of your classic deep fried falafel balls, we’ll be making a baked version to gain maximum benefit from the wonderful fresh ingredients and reduce the overall fat content.
How to Make Your Falafel Low Fat
Choosing to bake your falafel balls instead to frying them will reduce the fat and lower its caloric profile drastically. And trust me, it will still maintain the lovely crunchy exterior and soft middle we all know and love, without sacrificing any flavour. You can choose to brush them with a tad of oil, or eliminate it completely, up to you. To ensure your balls stay together and don’t fall apart while baking or rotating, I highly recommend a binding agent in your falafel balls such as chickpea flour (or any other type of flour), and lining the baking tray with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
Another great way to reduce the fat content is by using an oil-free hummus such as this super creamy oil-free hummus recipe.
Ingredients for the Oil-Free Baked Falafel
- Dry chickpeas
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Lemon juice
- Chickpea flour
- Baking soda
Serve Your Oil-Free Baked Falafel With
- Pita bread
- Hummus – check out my super creamy oil free version here!
- Tomato, cucumber, onion – chopped up small with salt, pepper, and lemon juice
- Optional: Pickles, yoghurt
How to Store Your Falafel Balls
Enjoy your falafels right out of the oven or store for later enjoyment. I always love to make an extra large batch so that I can freeze the leftovers for a quick meal on busy days.
You can store your oil-free baked falafel balls in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage. I prefer to freeze my falafel balls as they will taste just as fresh as the first day when reheating from frozen. Falafel balls will last in the freezer for >6 months when placed in a sealed container.
Reheating from frozen
To reheat your oil-free baked falafel balls from frozen, simply place the desired amount in a microwave safe dish and heat for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you could heat them in an oven to get a better crunchy exterior – bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Personally, I prefer both the texture and simplicity from the microwave better.
More Great Low-Fat Recipes
Oil-Free Baked Falafel Recipe
Oil-Free Baked Falafel
Equipment
- food processor or blended
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry chickpeas
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1 cup parsley
- 1 cup cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 dash black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas for 6+ hours or overnight.
- Strain and rise chickpeas, add to food processor. Roughly chop onion, parsley, cilantro and garlic and place in the food processor, along with cumin, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Gently pulse until it resembles course sand, don't over process.
- Add chickpea flour and baking soda, mix with a spoon to incorporate. Refrigerate for 30 (or more) minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 ℉.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- Form falafel balls with your hands and place on the lined baking tray. Mixture will be crumbly. I find it works best to take a scoop of the mixture and gently squeeze it together between your 2 hands, but don't press too firm, just enough for it to stay together. It's like working with course wet sand, you need to find a balance of pressure that works for you.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping your falafel balls halfway through the bake.
- Serve warm, or cool off for later enjoyment.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition facts are based on 1/4 of the recipe and may vary based on individual ingredients and quantities used.
These nutrition facts are for the falafel balls only and do not include the pita, hummus, vegetables or any additional ingredients used.
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