This recipe for falafel is part of my plant based dinner collection. It's low fat, low sugar, low sodium and suitable for all diets. Gluten free people can swap out the home baked pita recipe for gluten free wraps or lettuce wraps.
These falafel are roasted not deep fried. You don't miss that greasy oil one bit. Each patty is chucked full of nutritious flavour. I made two recipes and put them into a freezer bag to pull when Middle Eastern craving hits.
The garlicky tahini sauce is scrumptious and pairs perfectly with these flavourful morsels in a pita or just as a topping. Pack the pita with cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled turnip, onions or whatever your heart desired. You've got yourself a satisfying plant based meal. Enjoy!
Roasted Green Pea & Chickpea Falafels
Makes about 36 (heaping tablespoons)
Serves 6 (6 falafels per person)
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup frozen peas
2 cloves garlic
1 stalk green onion, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh mint (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons plain all-purpose flour, plus a little for dusting (or sub GF flour if desired)
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
Hot sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, for coating
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and dry well using a kitchen cloth.
Rinse the frozen peas with warm water until defrosted. Squeeze as much liquid out of the peas as possible.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend on high until smooth.
Drop with a portion scoop or by tablespoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. You can fit about 36 onto the sheet. They do not spread, so you can place beside each other.
The with the palm of your hand or fingers lightly press into a patty.
Take a tablespoon of olive oil and dab the tops and bottoms of each or brush.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 30 minutes, flipping at 15 minutes.
Tips:
Gently squeeze the peas between paper towels to dry out the moisture
You can buy spices ground already, if you don’t have a spice grinder.
Storage: These freeze well. Just bake and put into a container or freezer bag for 3 months in a small freezer and up to 12 months in a large one.
Creamy Tahini Sauce
3/4 Cup plain Greek yogurt, you can use Vegan yogurt of your choice
1/4 Cup tahini paste
1–2 garlic cloves
1 tsp kosher salt
cracked pepper
Juice of one medium lemon
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until smooth.