Middle Eastern · lunch, dinner
Baked Falafel
Video by The Mediterranean Dish on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: Sesame. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Baking instead of deep-frying keeps the oil to a brushing, and each serve of three patties gives about 12 g of plant protein and 10 g of fibre plus lots of folate, with fresh herbs adding vitamin K.
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Ingredients 15
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- The day before, soak the dried chickpeas (about 18 hours) in plenty of water with the baking soda. Drain and dry well; a chickpea should split easily when pressed. 0:14
- Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor with the parsley, cilantro, dill, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin and cayenne, in stages, until finely ground and cohesive but not a smooth paste. 1:56
- Transfer to a bowl, mix in the chickpea flour and baking powder, cover and chill for 1 hour. 5:18
- Stir in the sesame seeds if using. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and lightly oil a large baking tray. 6:08
- Shape about 2-tablespoon portions into loose patties without packing them hard, set on the tray and brush the tops with olive oil. 6:33
- Bake about 8–10 minutes until the undersides are golden, flip, brush with a little more oil and bake 7–12 minutes more until browned. Serve in pita or with salad and tahini. 7:42
Tip. Start a day ahead: the time shown does not include the overnight soak. Freeze uncooked patties on a tray, then bag them; bake straight from frozen. Canned chickpeas will fall apart, so use soaked dried ones.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 8
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 47%
- Protein 21%
- Fat 32%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 87% of the 26 g of net carbs come from the dried chickpeas. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Folate High52%
210 µg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (94%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin K High36%
43 µg a serve, mostly from parsley leaves (71%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Iron High27%
4.9 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (68%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc Source19%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (81%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Magnesium Source18%
76 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (72%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin B6 Source15%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (65%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium Source11%
5.9 µg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (72%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Potassium Source10%
450 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (75%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Show the other 7
Calcium9%
113 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (50%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin C8%
7.2 mg a serve, mostly from parsley leaves (34%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin E7%
1.1 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (45%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Omega-35%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (53%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin A3%
24 µg a serve, mostly from parsley leaves (32%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by The Mediterranean Dish; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.