Name: Easy Baked Falafel with Lemon-Tahini Sauce
Brand: eatmediterraneanfood.com
SKU: eatmediterraneanfood-com-3
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Easy Baked Falafel with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

preview

Jump to RecipePrint RecipeThese easy baked falafel with lemon-tahini sauce are crispy from the outside, light tender, crumbly from the inside, and full of bright, Mediterranean flavors. It is surprisingly easy to make your own falafel at home.&nbsp;This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.&nbsp;There’s nothing like the flavor of crispy falafel with lemony tahini sauce! This popular traditional Middle Eastern dish is a delicious way to turn vegetarian ingredients into an incredibly tasty meal. The rich nutty flavors of the falafel are balanced out by the creamy tahini sauce and a punch of citrus from the lemon juice, bringing the entire experience over the top.It may sound daunting to make falafel at home. But, after much trial and error, my recipe for baked falafel, it’s surprisingly easy! To make things even better, baking instead of deep frying leaves you with a healthier but equally flavorful result.&nbsp;And I should remember to mention that falafel is vegan and gluten-free.Scroll down in the post for a complete step-by-step tutorial and essential tips for making the best baked falafel.Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern street food that has also become popular in the West. It is typically made with chickpeas or fava beans (or a mixture of both), fresh herbs, and spices. It is formed into small patties or balls that are deep-fried. It is usually served in pitta pockets with loads of vegetables and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce.&nbsp;&nbsp;Healthy and hearty: Chickpeas – the base ingredient for falafel- are rich in plant-based protein, leaving you feeling full and satisfied.Full of flavor: The herbs and spices used in this recipe add a punch of flavor.Make ahead, freezer friendly: You can prepare the falafel ahead of time and freeze the uncooked patties for later use.For Serving:A complete printable recipe and the measurements are available in the recipe card below.Soak chickpeas overnight.&nbsp;Cover the dried chickpeas in a large bowl with plenty of water. Let them soak overnight (8 – 12 hours). The size of the chickpeas will increase (it will double) as they soak.Making the falafel.When ready to make the falafel, drain the chickpeas well.Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a large-rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.Make patty mixture.&nbsp;Add chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse a couple times to break down the chickpeas, then process until a thick mixture forms. The texture of the mixture should look like a coarse meal.Form the patties.Scoop 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form into a patty using your hands. Place the patty on the prepared baking sheet.&nbsp;Repeat until you’ve used all of the mixture. This should yield approximately 18 falafel patties.Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to roast until golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway through the baking time.&nbsp;Prepare the Lenon-Tahini SauceWhile the falafel is in the oven, make the tahini sauce. Whisk tahini and lemon juice in a small bowl. Lightly season with salt.&nbsp;The mixture will become very thick. Thin tahini sauce to desired consistency by adding 2 tablespoons of water at a time. The amount needed will vary based on the liquid content of your tahini and lemon.&nbsp;Serve the FalafelServe the crispy falafel patties on a bed of leafy greens and fresh vegetables on the side. Drizzle with lemony tahini sauce. Enjoy!Serve the falafel on a bed of leafy greens, as in this recipe, to make a meal-worthy salad.Serve the baked falafel as a sandwich in pita pockets loaded with chopped veggies (tomato, cucumber, arugula, spinach, or lettuce) and a good drizzle of lemon-tahini sauce.You can also serve them as part of an appetizer platter or as an appetizer or finger food withor melitzanosalata, or baba ghanoush for dipping.Always use dried chickpeas soaked in water overnight (8 – 12 hours). They will give falafel a chunky, crunchy, satisfying texture and flavor.&nbsp;Canned chickpeas are not recommended for making falafel, as they are too wet, and the patties will be too mushy.Also, do not cook the soaked chickpeas; for the same reason canned chickpeas are not recommended.Once cooked, falafel should be golden brown and crispy on the outside and nice and tender inside.Make aheadYou can prepare the falafel mixture and store it in the fridge in an airtight glass container for 1-2 days ahead of time. Then, form it into patties when ready to bake them.FreezePrepare the falafel patties, place them uncooked on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the patties into a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Falafel can be cooked from frozen; you may need to add a minute or two to the cooking time.LeftoversStore any leftover falafel patties in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.If you don’t recognize a tool or skill I mention, look it up in the&nbsp;Cooking Terms Glossary&nbsp;for more information.Hungry for more? Browse all my&nbsp;Mediterranean Recipes.Join my FREE e-mail list to receive all the latest and greatest recipes and cooking tips.If you make this recipe, leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;as well! Seeing all of your photos of the food you have made makes my day.from votesBaking SheetGlass Mixing BowlsThis information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although eatmediterraneanfood.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to rate it and review it below! Also, don’t forget to follow Eat Mediterranean Food on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!Join the Eat Mediterranean Food Community FREE Facebook Group to share your cooking creations and make new like-minded friends online.Have a question about this recipe? Please write your question in the comments area, and I will answer it.&nbsp;Please share this post with family and friends. Your shares are how Eat Mediterranean Food Blog grows, and I am sincerely grateful whenever you share something.In this post, some links are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting my website.This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.Ya sas (Hi)! I am Sonia! This website is my dream to do something different and share everything I learned from my Cretan grandmother and my mother, who has roots form the island of Cefallonia, along with new wisdom gained while struggling to be healthy while everything around us is not.Read MoreSubscribe to get a free shopping list and a butter-to-olive oil conversion table, and we’ll email you the latest and greatest recipes and tips on the world’s healthiest diet.Mediterranean Diet Food ListSimple Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with QuinoaGrilled Lamb Loin Chops with Herbes de ProvenceView all storiesMediterranean Diet Food ListSimple Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with QuinoaGrilled Lamb Loin Chops with Herbes de Provence

Jump to RecipePrint RecipeThese easy baked falafel with lemon-tahini sauce are crispy from the outside, light tender, crumbly from the inside, and full of bright, Mediterranean flavors. It is surprisingly easy to make your own falafel at home.&nbsp;This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.&nbsp;There’s nothing like the flavor of crispy falafel with lemony tahini sauce! This popular traditional Middle Eastern dish is a delicious way to turn vegetarian ingredients into an incredibly tasty meal. The rich nutty flavors of...

Easy Baked Falafel with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS