- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 195 kcal
Quick summary
“These baked falafel balls combine crushed chickpeas with garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro, and cumin. A light version without deep frying that delivers a golden crust and soft center.”
What you need to know
- The quick pulsed processing ensures a rustic granular texture preventing the grain from turning into a smooth liquid paste.
- The addition of fresh herbs in abundance colors the interior green and gives a typical Middle Eastern aroma.
- Brushing olive oil and baking at 200°C forms a crispy crust without the need to fry in oil.
Ingredients
Main
- 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 cup of chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon of cumin
- 1 tablespoon of wheat flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for brushing
- Use dried chickpeas and cook them the traditional way for better flavor.
- Try adding spices like paprika or curry for flavor variations.
- Try not using flour for a gluten-free version.
- Maintain an adequate distance between the cookies on the baking sheet to ensure they bake evenly.
- Store the falafels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Instructions
Principal
- In the food processor, add the chickpeas, onion, and garlic. Pulse until a thick dough forms.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, and flour.
- With your hands, shape the mixture into balls approximately 3 cm in diameter.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Place the muffins on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush the balls with olive oil to help with the crunchiness.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, turning them halfway through.
Chef's tips
- Dry the cooked chickpeas very well with paper towels before processing so as not to soften the dough's binding.
- Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before shaping the spheres to firm up the consistency.
- Turn each ball carefully at 12 minutes of baking so that both sides are toasted and crispy.
Variations
- Falafel in the air fryer: bake the balls at 190°C for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking.
- Burger format: mold discs larger than 10 cm in diameter to fill veggie burger buns.
- With sesame: roll the shaped balls in white sesame seeds before baking.
Substitutions
- Wheat flour can be replaced by chickpea flour or cornstarch for a gluten-free version.
- Fresh cilantro can be replaced by fresh chopped mint if you prefer a more minty aroma.
- The ground cumin can be combined with half a teaspoon of ground coriander seeds and sweet paprika.
How to store
Store the baked balls in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To recover the crispy crust, reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C or in the air fryer for about 4 minutes.
Can it be frozen?
You can freeze the shaped raw cookies on a baking sheet until they harden and store them in bags for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the freezer in an oven at 200°C, adding 5 minutes to the total cooking time.
What to serve with
Serve inside warmed pita bread with taratur sauce based on tahini paste, lemon juice, and garlic. Cucumber salad with diced tomatoes and pickled turnips completes the traditional Arabic sandwich.
Frequently asked questions
Does the original Middle Eastern recipe use cooked or raw grain?
Tradition uses the raw grain left to soak for 24 hours; the cooked grain needs flour to bind and firm up.
Can I fry in hot oil instead of baking in the oven?
As the base is made of already cooked chickpeas, in hot oil the fritters can fall apart; prefer the oven or air fryer.
What is the visual point to remove from the oven at 200°C?
The dumplings should have a firm crust to the touch and a golden surface on both sides, keeping the green center soft.
Why did the falafel balls fall apart when baking in the oven?
The dough contained excess moisture from the cooked chickpeas or lacked binding flour; dry the grains well beforehand.
