I have a confession to make, you guys. I can’t chop an onion without bawling my eyes out. Can you say most sensitive eyes in the world? One cut and my eyes are already tearing up.
Two slices and I’m crying. Three and my eyes are burning so bad I’m afraid I’ll chop my finger instead of the onion. It’s that bad. And I’ve tried every trick in the book, short of wearing goggles. Running it under water – big fail. Chew gum – bigger fail. Keeping the cut side down – disaster. I guess that’s what husbands with less sensitive eyes are good for, right? 🙂
This homemade baked falafel definitely required some assistance in the onion department. Luckily for me, the blender does all of the hard work mincing the onion when it comes to making falafel.
Then it’s just a matter of adding in the other ingredients before I have to run out of the room again. It’s a super fun way to cook, running in and out of the room and wiping your eyes constantly :P.
This tasty homemade baked falafel is super easy, and completely free from grains and dairy. It’s vegan too – WIN! You’ll begin by adding in a can of drained chickpeas, some parsley, some cilantro and some of that dangerously delicious onion.
Pulse in your blender or food processor until you are left with small chunks. You want it to be blended enough that it will stick together, but not so much so that it turns to mush. My dough was slightly too wet, so I added some coconut flour so that the patties would hold their shape better.
After blending all of the ingredients, you’ll want to add in your spices. Coriander and cumin are standard falafel seasoning, but beyond that, you can customize the flavors however you see fit.
Feel free to add in some cayenne if you’re a fan of heat, some diced chilis for a milder flavor, or some Himalayan pink salt if you’re feeling fancy. Blend it all up, or mix by hand to incorporate the seasoning.
Now comes the messy but fun part. Stick your hand in there and get a nice big handful (or spoonful) of falafel and place it onto a greased or nonstick baking sheet. Flatten them using your hand so that they cook more quickly.
Next, you’ll want to stick those puppies in the oven and wait just a little while until they are fully cooked! In the mean time, you could make some delicious tzatziki sauce or a greek vinaigrette to top these goodies!
Please leave a comment below if you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Homemade Baked Falafel (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas drained
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 cup parsley
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 Tbsp coconut flour
- Salt and pepper to taste I love this Himalayan pink salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Place chickpeas, cilantro, parsley and onion in a blender or food processor. Pulse until there are no big chunks, but still some small chunks remain (see photo above).
- Mix in cumin, coriander, coconut flour, salt and pepper, and blend to combine.
- Spread olive oil onto a pan.
- Form falafel dough into small flattened patties, about two inches in diameter. This recipe makes 12-14 falafel.
- Place in oven. Cook for 20 minutes, then flip. Return to oven for another 10-15 minutes. You want them to be nice and crispy, so don't hesitate to cook longer if necessary.
2 comments
These were delicious. However, I’ve made them 3x, and they completely crumble and fall apart. I have followed the recipe to the letter. Wondering what the problem could be?
Hi Laura, thanks for leaving a comment! There is some variability in different brands of coconut flour, in terms of how much moisture it absorbs. You might want to try cutting back on the coconut flour (maybe start with just 1/2 tablespoon) next time and see if that helps.