Baked Green Falafel

Instructions

- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a food processor, pulse the soaked chickpeas until the texture resembles coarse bulgur. Don’t puree completely. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the herbs, hot pepper, onion, garlic, tahini, and olive oil to the food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Transfer to the bowl with the chickpeas.
- Add the baking soda and season with salt and cumin. If the mixture feels too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour—but no more. The mixture should stay fairly soft. Too much flour will make the falafel dense.
- With slightly wet hands, shape the mixture into balls or patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been lightly sprayed or brushed with olive oil. Spray the tops lightly with oil as well.
- Patties are actually recommended here—they create more surface area against the pan, which means more crispiness. And honestly, they fit into pita better too.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden, flipping once halfway through. Don’t overbake or they’ll dry out.
- Another option is to cook them in a skillet with a little olive oil or oil spray—they come out wonderful that way too.
- Serve in pita with tahini, cilantro, sliced tomatoes, or anything else you must have.

If you're wondering if I made this in the middle of the night... the answer is yes