Meatless Monday: Baked falafel

Oct 22, 2012 2:30 PM by Patricia Conte

Posted in Food & Recipes / Healthy Recipes & Nutrition / Meatless Recipes

Fill Up On Falafel!

Whether you’re looking for a satisfying lunch or a light dinner, baked falafel might be right up your alley. This is an ideal dish for Meatless Monday.

Baked falafel

Get the ball rolling

These golden baked falafel are tasty and super easy to put together — and no frying! Toss together your fresh ingredients, roll them into balls, bake and presto! You've got a great, healthy meal. Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas) are the main ingredient for this Middle Eastern-inspired recipe and hold everything together.

Check out this recipe for easy chickpea sandwich spread >>

Go for garbanzos

Garbanzo beans are considered legumes. If you're interested in a diet high in protein and fiber and low in fat and cholesterol, grab some garbanzos! Legumes also make a good replacement food for meats due to their nutritional content and great texture and flavor. Perfect for Meatless Monday meals!

Serve these falafel with a side of tangy tzatziki sauce, veggies like cucumbers and tomatoes, pita bread and a side of greens for a healthy, Meatless Monday meal.

Baked falafel

Yields about 20 falafel

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (you can also add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro for a more vibrant flavor)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, and spray a baking sheet lightly with the nonstick cooking spray.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until you reach a coarse, paste-like consistency.
Roll the mixture into one-and-one-half-inch balls and place on the baking sheet. The falafel won't spread so you can place them close to each other if you need to.
Bake for about 15 minutes, then carefully turn the balls over and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve with fresh veggies and pita bread.

Baked falafel makes a great, healthy Meatless Monday meal!