Embark on a culinary journey through the heart of the Middle East, where the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked falafel fills the air. Discover the secrets to creating perfect falafel, a delectable dish that combines fragrant herbs, savory spices, and the wholesome goodness of chickpeas. With our expert guidance, you'll learn how to craft falafel that's crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with flavor. Prepare to tantalize your taste buds as we unveil the best recipe for middle eastern baked falafel, a dish that will transport you to the vibrant streets of the Middle East with every bite.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
HOW TO MAKE FALAFEL
Ready to learn how to make authentic falafel from scratch? My family's secret recipe for the Best Authentic Falafel, made with chickpeas, fresh herb, and spices is all you need! Be sure to check out the complete step-by-step tutorial, important tips for baking or frying falafel. And watch the video just above. What's your favorite way to enjoy falafel? I love them in warm pita sandwiches with tahini sauce or hummus, along with my lazy Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad. But you can enjoy it alongside other plates or as part of a mezze spread (lots of ideas below!)
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Entree
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- (One day in advance) Place the dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl filled with water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Soak overnight for 18 hours (longer if the chickpeas are still too hard). When ready, drain the chickpeas completely and pat them dry.
- Add the chickpeas, herbs, onions, garlic and spices to the large bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Run the food processor 40 seconds at a time until all is well combined forming a the falafel mixture.
- Transfer the falafel mixture to a container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or (up to one whole night) until ready to cook.
- Just before frying, add the baking powder and sesame seeds to the falafel mixture and stir with a spoon.
- Scoop tablespoonfuls of the falafel mixture and form into patties (1/2 inch in thickness each). It helps to have wet hands as you form the patties.
- Fill a medium saucepan 3 inches up with oil. Heat the oil on medium-high until it bubbles softly. Carefully drop the falafel patties in the oil, let them fry for about 3 to 5 minutes or so until crispy and medium brown on the outside. Avoid crowding the falafel in the saucepan, fry them in batches if necessary.
- Place the fried falafel patties in a colander or plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Serve falafel hot next to other small plates; or assemble the falafel patties in pita bread with tahini or hummus, arugula, tomato and cucumbers. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 93 calories, Sugar 0.1 g, Sodium 131.1 mg, Fat 3.8 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 1.4 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 3.9 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
BAKED FALAFEL WITH ORANGE-TAHINI SAUCE
This weeknight falafel dinner brings the Middle Eastern platter home with a tangy, orange-spiked tahini sauce, bright quick-pickled red onions, and an easy green cabbage and tomato salad. Serve it with prepared hummus and pita for a more filling meal.
Provided by Katherine Sacks
Categories Vegetarian Vegan Wheat/Gluten-Free Dinner Chickpea Coriander Cumin Orange Juice Bake No Meat, No Problem
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Thinly slice one-third of onion. Toss slices with 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl; set aside.
- Pulse chickpeas, garlic, coriander, cumin, 3/4 cup parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and remanining onion in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add flour and baking powder and pulse a few more times to combine.
- Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, portion out 12 ping pong-sized balls and place on sheet, spacing 1" apart. Gently press down on tops to flatten slightly. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp. oil. Bake falafel, turning balls halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, 20-25 minutes. Wrap pitas in foil and warm in oven during last 5 minutes of baking.
- Meanwhile, whisk 1/4 cup oil and remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon orange juice, 2 tsp. vinegar, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in tahini and 1/4 cup water until a smooth sauce forms.
- Whisk 2 Tbsp. pickling liquid from reserved onions with remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in another medium bowl. Add cabbage, tomatoes, and onions and toss to coat.
- Cut each pita into 4 pieces. Drizzle falafel with 2 Tbsp. tahini sauce and top with remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Serve with pita, hummus, salad, and remaining tahini sauce alongside.
- Do Ahead
- Falafel can be made 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 1 month.
EASY BAKED FALAFEL WITH CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE
Try this Middle Eastern sandwich of chickpea and spice 'meatballs,' which are actually falafel that are oven-fried to keep their calorie count down. Serve with grilled pita wedges or pita pockets, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and cucumber slices.
Provided by Wyome
Categories Main Dish Recipes Sandwich Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Coat a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray and 1 tablespoon olive oil and place inside the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). C
- Combine chickpeas, onion, cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse until minced but not yet pasty. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour and egg until fully incorporated.
- Remove baking pan from the oven. Drop golfball-sized portions of chickpea mixture onto the hot pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes. Brush falafel with remaining olive oil and flip over. Continue baking until golden on both sides, 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Serve falafel with yogurt sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 249.8 calories, Carbohydrate 29.4 g, Cholesterol 46.5 mg, Fat 11.5 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 8.2 g, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, Sodium 586.6 mg, Sugar 2.4 g
HOMEMADE FALAFEL RECIPE BY TASTY
Whether you're trying to cut back on meat or just looking for something different to make for dinner, homemade falafel is the solution. This classic Middle Eastern dish is actually surprisingly easy to make at home. You can even prepare the chickpea mixture ahead of time, refrigerate it overnight, and then cook the falafel balls when you're ready to eat. Toss them in pita bread or on top of salad for a feel-good meal you'll want to make over and over again.
Provided by Jordan Kenna
Categories Lunch
Time 10m
Yield 5 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- To the bowl of a 2-quart (2 liter) food processor, add the chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and spices. Pulse the ingredients together until just incorporated and they form a wet paste. Be careful not to overblend.
- Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large bowl and add the bread crumbs, mixing until just incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
- Remove the chilled falafel mixture from the refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls. The mixture should yield 18-20 balls.
- In a large frying pan with high sides, heat about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil to 350˚F (180˚C). Fry the falafel balls in batches of 6 for 3 minutes, flipping halfway. Once they are golden brown and crispy, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
- Serve the falafel as desired, either as a sandwich, salad topping, or over a bed of greens with a side of tahini sauce.
- Nutrition Calories: 1344 Fat: 114 grams Carbs: 68 grams Fiber: 11 grams Sugars: 10 grams Protein: 18 grams
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 493 calories, Carbohydrate 76 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 15 grams, Protein 20 grams, Sugar 11 grams
BAKED FALAFEL
An easy, yummy way to make falafel. Serve with pita bread and your favorite tzatziki.
Provided by Bette
Categories 100+ Everyday Cooking Recipes Vegetarian
Time 55m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Wrap onion in cheese cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside. Place garbanzo beans, parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and baking soda in a food processor. Process until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Mix garbanzo bean mixture and onion together in a bowl. Stir in the flour and egg. Shape mixture into four large patties and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the skillet; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 281.1 calories, Carbohydrate 39.3 g, Cholesterol 93 mg, Fat 9.3 g, Fiber 7.2 g, Protein 11.4 g, SaturatedFat 1.6 g, Sodium 909.4 mg, Sugar 1.2 g
BAKED FALAFEL
Vegan and healthy version of a Middle Eastern favorite. Adapt to what you have on hand. You can use soaked dried chickpeas or substitute canned chickpeas. Use whatever mix of herbs you like-traditionally they are made with parsley, I like to use a mix of parsley, green onions, cilantro, and a bit of mint-just depends on what I have in my garden/CSA box. These are great for toddler lunches. Easily made in large batches and can be frozen.
Provided by Papagayita
Categories Southwest Asia (middle East)
Time 45m
Yield 55 small or 1 T balls, 20 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Combine all ingredients except flour in a food processor and pulse to combine until a coarse mixture is formed. Add flour or water 1 T at a time as needed to make a cohesive mixture.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop balls of mixture onto well oiled cookie sheets. You can brush or mist tops of falafels with olive oil to make a crunchier browner crust. Cook for 10-12 minutes per side until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 81, Fat 1.3, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 228.9, Carbohydrate 13.8, Fiber 3.8, Sugar 2.4, Protein 4.2
MIDDLE EASTERN BAKED FALAFEL
Make and share this Middle Eastern Baked Falafel recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Finicky
Categories Southwest Asia (middle East)
Time 45m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Ina blender or food processor, combine the chickpeas, garlic, parsley, coriander, cumin, chili powder, red pepper, black pepper, and salt.
- Process until the ingredients form a thick paste.
- Lightly coat a baking hseet with non-stick cooking spray. Roll the chickpea mixture into 1" balls and place on the sheet. Lightly coat the balls with non-stick spray.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the balls are lightly golden brown. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes and cucumber.
- Cut the pitas in half and fill each pocket with lettuce, falafel balls, yogurt-tahini dressing, tomato and cucumber mixture, and more dressing if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 309.2, Fat 3.3, SaturatedFat 0.4, Sodium 649.6, Carbohydrate 61.7, Fiber 10.6, Sugar 2.1, Protein 12.3
Tips:
- Use dried chickpeas: Dried chickpeas are more flavorful and have a better texture than canned chickpeas. If you're using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight in water before cooking.
- Cook the chickpeas thoroughly: The chickpeas should be cooked until they are soft and tender. This will help them bind together well when you form the falafel balls.
- Use fresh herbs and spices: Fresh herbs and spices will give your falafel more flavor. Use a variety of herbs and spices, such as parsley, cilantro, cumin, and coriander.
- Don't overmix the falafel mixture: Overmixing the falafel mixture will make the falafel balls tough. Mix the ingredients just until they are combined.
- Form the falafel balls gently: Gently form the falafel balls by rolling them between your hands. Don't pack the falafel mixture too tightly, or the falafel balls will be dense.
- Fry the falafel balls in hot oil: The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when you drop the falafel balls in. This will help the falafel balls cook evenly and prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Serve the falafel balls hot: Falafel balls are best served hot. Serve them with pita bread, hummus, tahini sauce, and a side of salad.
Conclusion:
Middle Eastern baked falafel is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. Whether you are a vegetarian or meat-eater, you are sure to enjoy this flavorful dish. So next time you are looking for a healthy and satisfying meal, give Middle Eastern baked falafel a try.
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