Description
These Baked Falafel Bites are a delicious, healthy twist on traditional falafel, featuring shelled pistachios and a blend of fresh herbs for vibrant flavor. Paired with a creamy, spicy mint tahini dip, this recipe offers a perfect balance of textures and tastes, all made easy by baking instead of frying.
Ingredients
Scale
For Falafel
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup each cilantro, dill, and parsley (leaves and stems okay)
- 2 cups chickpeas, cooked from dried or canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, from 1 large lemon
- 1 Tbsp. chickpea or all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
For Spicy Mint Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp. water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
- Prepare Falafel Mixture: In a food processor, pulse the shelled pistachios, mint, cilantro, dill, and parsley until finely ground. Add the chickpeas, garlic, chopped onion, olive oil, lemon zest, chickpea or all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground coriander, and ground cumin. Pulse the mixture until coarsely ground and uniformly combined, scraping down the sides as needed to ensure even blending.
- Form and Bake Falafel Bites: Using your hands, shape the falafel mixture into approximately 20 small balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the falafel in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on the bottoms.
- Prepare Spicy Mint Tahini Sauce: While the falafel bakes, combine tahini, mint leaves, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, jalapeño (with seeds removed), and kosher salt in a blender. Blend the mixture, gradually adding water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Serve: Plate the baked falafel bites and serve them alongside the spicy mint tahini dip for dipping.
Notes
- For best texture, use cooked chickpeas either from dried soaked and cooked or canned but well drained.
- You can substitute chickpea flour with all-purpose flour if necessary.
- Keep the jalapeño seeds if you prefer extra heat in your tahini sauce.
- The falafel can be baked ahead and reheated in the oven on low heat to retain crispness.
- This recipe yields about 4 servings, great for a small gathering or family meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 5 falafel bites with dip)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
