After a few attempts, I think we got it… Baked Kale Falafel that is slightly crisp on the outside without deep frying!
Traditional falafel doesn’t include kale, but I try to sneak it into any recipe I can! The first few batches came out a little too mushy in the middle, but these were just right! Using canned chickpeas made this an “under an hour dinner!” You can even prepare and bake the falafel to have later in the week for a quick and easy meal.
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup kale, destemmed and chopped
- 1½ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add all ingredients (except olive oil) to a food processor and pulse, occasionally scraping down the sides. Adjust seasoning as needed. Pulse until a crumbly consistency is achieved.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop falafel mix and roll into a ball and place on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until slightly golden and crisp.
- Enjoy!
I served these over a Greek Salad made with crisp romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and olives. However, you can eat the falafel alone or sandwiched between pita bread! The dressing I used is as follows:
Lemon Tahini Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt and pepper
dash cayenne pepper
