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Two stacked photos show golden chickpea patties on parchment and a close-up split patty with a green herb center beside lemon yogurt sauce, with the centered headline Baked Falafel and subtext Golden Chickpea Patties.
Hannah Brooks

Baked Falafel with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

Baked falafel uses canned chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warm spices for golden patties with tender centers and a simple lemon yogurt sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings of 3 patties
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Middle Eastern-inspired
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained, rinsed, and thoroughly dried
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves loosely packed
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion finely chopped and patted dry
  • 2 cloves garlic minced; divided
  • 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for the baking sheet and tops
  • 3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt made with milk and cultures
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowl
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Spread the chickpeas on a clean towel and pat thoroughly dry. Loose skins may be removed, but do not add water to the mixture.
  2. Place the chickpeas, fresh parsley leaves, fresh cilantro leaves, yellow onion, half the garlic, chickpea flour, ground cumin, ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and cohesive but not a smooth paste, scraping the sides as needed.
  3. Shape into 12 compact patties approximately 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Place on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
  4. During the final 10 minutes of chilling, heat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and brush it with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  5. Arrange the patties on the sheet with space between them. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, carefully flip, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes more, until both sides are golden and the centers are hot and set.
  6. While the patties bake, stir the plain whole-milk yogurt, fresh lemon juice, remaining garlic, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
  7. Serve 3 warm patties per portion with the lemon yogurt sauce. Handle the patties gently while hot; their centers are softer than deep-fried falafel.

Notes

This canned-chickpea oven version has tender centers and is not a direct substitute for a dry-chickpea deep-fried formula. If a test patty will not hold, add 1 tablespoon extra chickpea flour and rest 5 minutes before shaping. Refrigerate patties and sauce separately within 2 hours for 3 to 4 days. Reheat patties to 165°F. Yield: 12 patties plus sauce. Nutrition values are estimates.
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