Baked Jalapeño Falafel

I have a tradition where each Thursday my coworker and I get lunch at a restaurant in Manhattan called Saravanaa Bhavan. We always get dosas, a South Indian crepe-like delicacy that’s made from lentils and rice. The one I always get is the mysore masala dosa—filled with potatoes and a spicy red pepper paste. I can’t begin to describe just how delicious it is.

When I’m not getting dosas I usually head to Maoz Vegetarian, a Mediterranean to-go place with falafel, hummus and an amazing side dish of roasted broccoli and cauliflower (the main reason I go there). In addition to their traditional falafel, they have a spicy version with jalapeño in it. I’ve never eaten it, but I was very intrigued so I decided to make my own. That’s today’s recipe.

Falafel is pretty simple to make, and this version is no different. I did bake instead of fry it to make the recipe a little healthier though. But if you prefer frying, it’s certainly easy to do. Just Google any other falafel recipe and follow their frying instructions.

In addition to being easy, this recipe is really versatile, too. You can add it to the top of a salad, eat it as a snack or put it into a pita with some hummus and lettuce or spinach. Its adaptability is one of the things I really love about falafel.

If you’re a fan of falafel I think you’ll really love this version with a little kick to it. I’m going to try the Maoz version this week and see which one I like better, but I know that this one is super tasty. Give it a try and let me know what you think. And be sure to tag @nutfreevegan on social media so I can check out your posts about it.

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Baked Jalapeño Falafel

This easy and delicious falafel recipe is baked instead of fried so it's a little bit healthier, and it has some kick to it thanks to the jalapeño.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Entree or Appetizer

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Yield: 0 About 20 falafel

Author: The Nut-Free Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 cans 15 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small white onion roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. corriander
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 jalapeños diced
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3 Tbsp. chickpea flour

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Add chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, oil, lemon juice, cumin, corriander, cardamom and salt to food processor. Pulse until everything is mixed but still chunky. Pour into large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.
• Form small falafel balls (about 20) and place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

Notes

Adapted from this recipe by Eating Bird Food.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g