Baked Falafel

A golden crust that cracks under the tooth, revealing a tender green heart scented with fresh herbs. The smell of roasted cumin and warm garlic hits you as soon as the oven opens.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 614
• Protein: 27 g
• Carbs: 65 g
• Fat: 24 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Chickpea ( dried, soaked 24h and drained )
• 1 piece Yellow onion ( coarsely chopped )
• 3 piece Garlic ( germ removed )
• 1 piece Flat-leaf parsley ( bunch, leaves only )
• 1 piece Fresh cilantro ( bunch, leaves only )
• 1 tbsp Cumin ground
• 1 tsp Whole coriander seeds ( crushed )
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Grind the base

   In a food processor, place the drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Pulse in short bursts: you want a grainy texture like semolina, not a smooth purée.

2. Season and bind

   Add the cumin, crushed coriander seeds, salt, pepper, and baking soda. Mix with a spatula to evenly distribute the spices. Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.

3. Shape and oil

   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Form walnut-sized balls. Place them on an oiled baking sheet and flatten them slightly to encourage contact with the heat. Brush the tops with olive oil.

4. Baking

   Bake for 25 minutes. Halfway through, flip them gently. The falafels are ready when they are deep brown and the crust feels firm under finger pressure.

Chef's tips

• Never use canned chickpeas, they are too wet and your falafels will fall apart.
• The texture must remain grainy after blending to ensure lightness after baking.

Storage

Keep for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat for 5 minutes in a hot oven to restore the crispness.