One of my favorite cuisines is Greek or Mediterranean food. Traditionally, it was mostly plant based although today’s versions typically have a lot of added oil and falafels are usually fried. So when making these oil-free baked falafels I wanted them to be crispy and flavorful, but not dry on the inside as I’ve found many falafels I’ve had a restaurants to be.
What are authentic falafels made of?
Falafels are very simple! These authentic baked falafels are made with canned chickpeas, tahini, onion, garlic, and spices. They are full of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. They are naturally gluten free!
Vegan falafel meal ideas
Falafels are so versatile and can be served in many different ways.
- Gyros – stuffed whole grain pitas with spinach, red onion, kalamata olives, and Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce
- As salad toppers, with Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce as a dressing
- Mediterranean Buddha Bowl
- As a main dish, with whole grains & vegetables as sides
- Sandwiches/Burgers – instead of balls, form into larger patties & bake
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How to make easy homemade baked falafels
You’re gonna want an electric food processor to make this super fast and easy. Just add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you have a course meal. Then you form them into balls and bake them up!
If you don’t have a food processor you’ll need to chop your onions up really fine and the mash the chickpeas with a fork, then mix it all together. I highly recommend an electric food processor (a cheap one works great) – I use mine all the time!
Vegan Baked Falafels Ingredients:
- 4 cups canned chickpeas, drained low sodium
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 cup sweet onion roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt optional
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and creates a course meal. Don’t over blend – a little chunky is good.
- Form 12 evenly sized balls with your hands. Place on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- While the falafels are baking, make the Cucumber Dill Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce.
- Then broil the falafels on high for an extra 1 minute to get extra crispy & brown. Be careful not to burn!
- Remove falafels from oven. Serve immediately with Tzatziki Sauce.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Cucumber Dill Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce
- Slow Cooker Curry Red Lentil Soup
- Tangy Dill Pickle Hummus
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Thai Red Curry with Tofu
- Easy Hummus Lettuce Boats
- Sweet & Creamy Chickpea Salad
Easy Vegan Greek Baked Falafels Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups canned chickpeas, drained low sodium
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 cup sweet onion roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- ***Drain your chickpeas very well. If they are too wet, it can cause the falafels to not cook through in the middle.Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and creates a course meal. Don't over blend – a little chunky is good.
- Form 12 evenly sized balls with your hands. Place on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- While the falafels are baking, make the Cucumber Dill Vegan Greek Tzatziki Sauce.
- Then broil the falafels on high for an extra 1 minute to get extra crispy & brown. Be careful not to burn!
- Remove falafels from oven. (if they seem too soft in the middle, bake for another 10 minutes at 350° F)Let cool for at 5 minutes. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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