Skip the deep-frying, and bake your way to healthier falafel balls

If you are a fan of Middle Eastern cuisine, you have probably experienced falafel. Most commonly, falafel is a mixture of ground garbanzo beans and lots of spices and are usually deep-fried. This baked version packs all the flavor of the classic recipe but without the calories or oil that comes with deep-frying them.

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I simply baked these bite-size bites instead of deep-frying them and served them up with fresh tomato and cucumbers and a creamy dip made up of fresh lemon, garlic and tahini paste.

If you aren’t a fan of tahini, then try using mashed eggplant with a little bit of olive oil or plain yogurt with grated cucumbers and fresh dill for a tasty alternative to dunk these falafel balls into.

Easy baked falafel balls with lemon-garlic tahini recipe

Serves 4

Prep time: 25 minutes | Bake time: 20 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

For the lemon-garlic tahini sauce

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave
• 1/2 cup tahini
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Lemon slices and fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

For the falafel balls

• 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup sweet onion
• 1 small handful fresh parsley
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 whole egg and 1 egg white

For garnish

• Chopped tomato
• Chopped cucumbers
• Lemon slices
• Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the tahini sauce. Mix well, and set aside.
3. To the bowl of a food processor, add all the ingredients except for the egg.
4. Process on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is very finely chopped. Add the egg and egg white to the mixture, and mix very well until sticky.
5. Using a small cookie scoop, form the falafel balls, and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Once all the falafel balls are prepared, bake them uncovered for about 18 to 20 minutes or until the outsides start to turn golden brown.
6. Place the baked falafel balls on a serving plate with fresh tomato and cucumbers, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with the lemon-garlic tahini sauce for dipping.

More falafel recipes

Easy falafel wraps
Easy falafel cakes
Falafel pitas with cucumber dip