The Hungry Swimmer: Baked Falafel Bites

Falafel, if you’re unfamiliar with it, is a popular Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dish made of chickpeas and/or fava beans and tons of fresh herbs. Balls or sometimes patties of the ground beans and herbs are traditionally deep fried and served on pita bread as a sandwich or as part of a mezze platter (think “Mediterranean charcuterie board”). Because falafel is made primarily out of protein-rich chickpeas (in the case of this recipe), it is a popular substitute for meat in vegan and vegetarian dishes.

Incredibly versatile, packed with protein and overflowing with flavor, it’s one of the best things you can have on hand in your refrigerator. I like to make a big batch of these falafel bites to start the week. My family and I eat them in several ways—as a quick protein-rich snack in the afternoon by themselves or with veggies and tzatziki sauce; in a salad with spinach, cucumber, tomatoes and a quality Mediterranean dressing; or stuffed into a pita pocket for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

Yields approximately 40 bites.

• (2) 15.5 oz. cannes of garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Drained and rinsed.
• 1 large carrot (roughly chopped)
• 1 yellow onion (quartered)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried dill
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried cilantro
• ½ tsp paprika
• A dash of cayenne powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp flour
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon

Equipment: Food processor. Large sheet tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat to bake on. Note: you can also bake these falafel bites in a mini muffin tin, which will give them a slightly rounder shape. If using a mini muffin tin, skip the instruction to flip the bites halfway through cooking.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. For this recipe, I made half of the bites on a sheet tray lined with parchment and the other half in a silicone mini muffin tin—both worked great!
2. Prep your raw ingredients. Drain and rinse your garbanzo beans. Roughly chop the carrot. Cut your onion into quarters. Mince your garlic.
3. Place all your ingredients into the food processor and pulse until combined! You may need to pause and give the ingredients a helpful stir to ensure that everything combines well. The end result should have a consistency resembling guacamole—moist, but not runny.
4. Whether on your baking sheet or mini muffin tin, scoop out 1 tbsp servings of the falafel dough, give it a gentle roll in your hands to shape it into a ball, and place it on your prepared baking surface.
5. Cook the bites for 15 minutes at 350. Then, if using a baking sheet, raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees and gently flip the bites before continuing to cook them for an additional 20 minutes—or until the bites are golden brown and begin to crisp on the top and edges.
6. Remove the bites from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.
7. When stored in an air-tight container, these falafel bites will last in your fridge for several days. Enjoy!