This Baked Falafel Sandwich makes a filling lunch or dinner and it’s a much healthier option than deep fried falafel. A flavorful vegan falafel recipe and it's ready to be loaded up with your favorite toppings.
One of the reasons I wanted to make a Baked Falafel Sandwich is because a healthier sandwich is always a good thing. And I don't know about you but sandwiches are my downfall.
Seriously, I would be perfectly happy with a sandwich every day. Baked falafel just seemed like a nice way to cut a few calories and some fat.
I love the deep fried falafel balls that I have eaten in restaurants but I just wanted to have fun and be creative in a healthier way.
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You can eat the patties as a side also and not on a sandwich. Dunk a bite in a little almond mayonnaise, homemade vegan ranch dressing or any other of your favorite sauces and it would also be a very nice
The flavors are all there. Add a little oil to the cookie sheet to allow the flat surfaces to brown up on the patties.
Chef’s tips
- Form the vegan falafel patties fat and flat on each side so they evenly touch the baking sheet - this helps ensure good browning.
- When forming the patties, be gentle and do not pack them too tightly or they will be denser after baking.
- Bake time will vary slightly based on your preference. If you like the patties more brown and crispy, you can just bake for a couple of minutes longer.
- Don’t forget to grease the baking sheet - using olive oil or another oil of choice - otherwise your patties may stick and the oil also helps them get brown and crispy.
- For a fun lunch presentation, add baked falafel to a platter and serve with bowls of various toppings and condiments.
- Have rolls and pita pocket halves too. You have to try these on Hawaiian Rolls too. Then let everyone assemble their own sandwich.
Vegan falafel recipe ingredients
- Olive OIl - or other oil of choice to grease the baking sheet.
- Canned Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) - Drained. You can also cook and drain dried garbanzo beans but using canned is so quick and easy.
- Onion
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Lemon Juice
- Spices: Cumin, Coriander, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, and Pepper
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Rolls - small rolls of your choice for serving
How to prepare
- Make the Falafel Patties: Mash the garbanzo beans in a large bowl using a potato masher.
- Add the minced onion, garlic, lemon juice, spices, flour, and baking soda. Mix together well.
- Gently form into patties using your hands. Make them fat but flat on the sides that touch the baking sheet. Add patties to a greased baking sheet.
- Bake the Vegan Falafel: Bake in a 400°F preheated oven - about 10 to 15 minutes per side, until browned on each side.
- Serve Falafel Sandwich: Add baked falafel to the rolls of your choice and serve with your favorite toppings and condiments.
Falafel pita variation
In addition to serving in rolls and buns ... Vegan baked falafel are amazing stuffed in pita pockets.
Try making your own homemade pita bread for a sandwich that is out of this world. It takes just a few ingredients to make this soft and fluffy vegan pita bread and I promise it is 10x better than what you can buy at the store.
Load up your falafel pita with toppings like tomatoes, cucumbers, and hummus - like this easy roasted red bell pepper hummus.
FAQ’s
Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern Dish. They are fried balls or patties made of ground chickpeas, spices, and other ingredients. They are a popular street food in Europe and are often served in pitas or on a sandwich.
Baked Falafel is a healthy option! Traditional falafel is fried which adds more fat and calories. By baking, you can still get the patties browned and crispy but with much less fat.
Falafel is also a healthy choice from the fiber and protein-rich garbanzo beans. A filling vegan recipe for lunch or dinner.
Yes, you can make falafel in advance! You can mix up the falafel mixture and store in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. Then form into patties and bake when ready to eat!
Yes, you can freeze the baked falafel patties. Flash freeze on a baking sheet and transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag once frozen. To reheat, heat the frozen falafel in a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
More favorite vegan sandwiches
If you love this vegan falafel recipe, you will love these other vegan sandwich recipes!
- Loaded Chickpea Salad Sandwich - Loaded with both chickpeas and pinto beans for a super filling sandwich. Bonus, you can even freeze the chickpea salad mixture!
- Roasted Vegetable Sandwich - the few minutes it takes to roast the veggies is so worth it! Juicy, flavorful, and a healthy lunch.
- Vegan Banh Mi Sandwich - Inspired by the famous Vietnamese sandwich, but uses marinated and baked tofu. The cashew-based sweet and spicy sauce is the perfect addition.
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📋 Recipe
Baked Falafel Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - for the baking sheet
- 15 ounce garbanzo beans, canned and drained
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 16 small rolls or pita pockets
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°
- Lightly grease a cookie sheet for browning the patties.
- Place the beans into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher.
- I put my onions into a food processor and pulse two to four times because I like smaller pieces of onion in my patties.
- To the large bowl add onion, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.
- Mix well.
- Form into patties and space out on a cookie sheet. I like to form them fat, and then as flat as I can on each side so that the patty surface touches the pan as much as possible - for the browning.
- Bake about 10 to 15 minutes on each side. 20 to 30 minutes total. Depending on how brown you like your patties.
- Serve on small rolls or in mini pita pockets with your favorite condiments. I used my homemade almond mayonnaise recipe. Lettuce is perfect on these sandwiches too. Dill pickles on the side are classic.
Video
Nutrition
Ginny McMeans
Yes, drained Grace.