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Make your own falafel at home using dried chickpeas – and better yet, make a huge batch and freeze the rest so you always have some ready to use! They are delicious in wraps, pita, on couscous or salad!
These balls of chickpea goodness are awesome!I always make a huge batch of Falafel, because they freeze well and it doesn’t really take that much longer to makemore of them. I love themin wraps, on couscous, in the pide bread, in pita sandwiches or in curries… so good!
These falafel are not only vegan but also gluten-free! Chickpeas are rich in protein and iron and because they aren’t fried like you would get them at restaurants, these could be consideredas healthy (or at least healthier)! For these Falafel, I used dried chickpeas, but if you prefer using canned chickpeas, I’ve got a version you’ll love here.
How to make Falafel…
Making Falafel is super easy! As always, you can find the full recipe (ingredients + instructions) in the box at the end of the post.
Serve the Falafel…
- in a wrap e.g. salad,hummus, and tomatoes inthick fluffy tortillas
- with couscous:Simple Onion CouscousorMediterraneanCouscous
- in a burger:Falafel Burgerwith avocado sauce
- on a leafy green salad with soy yogurt sauce or tahini dressing!
Falafel FAQ
Are Falafel healthy?
I wouldn’t consider the falafel you can buy in restaurants healthy because they are usually fried. These Falafel, however, are baked in the oven and therefore a much healthier option!
Can I freeze Falafel?
Yes, especially these ones are super freezer friendly. Bake them, then let them cool off completely, transfer them into a ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months. For reheating, you can pop them in the microwave, bake them in the oven, pan-fry or add them to a Falafel Curry (it’s my favorite way to use frozen falafel because it makes them super soft again).
Can I use canned chickpeas for Falafel?
Absolutely! If you don’t want to use dried chickpeas, you can use canned chickpeas. But it’s best to use this recipe for Spinach Falafel and simply leave out the spinach.
More Falafel Recipes
- 25+ Vegan Falafel Recipes for Chickpea Lovers
- Spinach Falafel with canned chickpeas
- Falafel Burger
- Green Falafel with collard greens
- Oil-Free Oven-Baked Falafel with Cilantro
- Falafel Curry
- Falafel Wrap
I hope you enjoy these falafel as much as I do! Let me know if you give them a try!
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Cheers, Bianca
Huge Batch of Oven-Baked Falafel Balls (Freezer-Friendly!)
Bianca Haun |Elephantastic Vegan
These vegan Falafel are oven-baked and freezer-friendly. Perfect for salads, pitas, wraps, etc!
3.98 from 68 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Soaking Time 10 hours hrs
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Basics, Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean, Vegan
Servings 45 Falafel
Calories 59 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
- 2 onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup besan/chickpea flour (+ more if the mixture doesn’t stick together)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (+ more if the mixture doesn’t stick together)
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
Instructions
Put the dry chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with enough water (the chickpeas will double in size!) and let them sit covered overnight.
Peel the onions and garlic cloves. Put them in a food processor and chop.In a pan with a teaspoon of canola oil, add the chopped onions, garlic, and cumin and let it cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until they start to brown.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and then work in batches by adding the first batch into the food processor and chop until the pieces are really small (you don’t want to make hummus). In one batch add in the parsley to chop it as well. Repeat until you’ve used up all the chickpeas. Transfer everything to a huge bowl.
Add the lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt, ground pepper, baking powder, and the onions and garlic. Mix well.
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Add in the chickpea flour and olive oil. Mix the chickpea mixture well and form little balls. If the dough does not stick together enough, add more chickpea flour and oil.
Put the falafel on a baking tray and bake them in the oven for about 25 minutes or until they turn golden.
You can eat the falafel like that or put them in a pan with a little oil for reheating when you need them. They freeze very well, so you will have a nice stash of homemade falafel in your freezer, which is super convenient!
Notes
Are Falafel healthy?
I wouldn’t consider the falafel you can buy in restaurants healthy because they are usually fried. These Falafel, however, are baked in the oven and therefore a much healthier option!
Can I freeze Falafel?
Yes, especially these ones are super freezer friendly. Bake them, then let them cool off completely, transfer them into a ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months. For reheating, you can pop them in the microwave, bake them in the oven, pan-fry or add them to a Falafel Curry (it’s my favorite way to use frozen falafel because it makes them super soft again).
Can I use canned chickpeas for Falafel?
Absolutely! If you don’t want to use dried chickpeas, you can use canned chickpeas. But it’s best to use this recipe for Spinach Falafel and simply leave out the spinach.
Nutrition
Calories: 59kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSodium: 108mgPotassium: 132mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 2.6mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.9mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @elephantasticvegan or tag #elephantasticvegan!
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