Baked Lentil Falafel! Aka your best new 30 minute dinner with mega FLAVOR, crispy crunch, and soft pillowy insides.
Who in the world knew that these little brown spheres could be jam packed with so much flavor and texture?!
Made with humble, easy to find, everyday ingredients like lentils, cilantro, spinach, and garlic. Whizzed up in the food processor, made healthier by baking instead of frying, and ready in 30 minutes.
With golden brown edges that shatter with the first bite and turn into pillowy soft centers that are down right bursting with fresh herb flavor.
How to make baked lentil falafel:
This recipe is so easy it should be illegal.
You essentially add all the ingredients into the food processor and let it do the work for you. It dices the garlic, chops the herbs, minces the lentils and swirls in the lemon juice and olive oil. Your falafel mixture is ready to roll!
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the mixture at a time into your hands and pat into a disc shape.
Here comes the PRO tip: once your falafel are portioned into their cute little falafel discs and are on the sheet pan, give them all a sprinkle of salt. You will not not not regret this step. Who doesn't love crispy crunchy golden brown things? And who doesn't love SALTY crispy crunchy golden brown things?
I rest my case.
Oh the many ways to enjoy our baked lentil falafel:
- In a wrap
- On a salad
- Over rice
- On their own with a side of roasted broccoli and avocado (I ate this right before I wrote this post!)
- And one time I took the falafel leftovers, chopped them up into bite sized squares, got them nice and crispy in skillet, and had them on salad as croutons with this Tahini Ranch Dressing. Did. Not. Disappoint.
Can I use Cooked Lentils?
Unfortunately no, you cannot use cooked lentils in this recipe. Cooked lentils have taken on too much moisture and will cause the falafel to fall apart. Soaked lentils are the only way yo go :)
More lentil recipes!
- Lebanese Lentil Soup
- 20 Minute Curry Red Salad
- Lentil Loaf with Butternut Squash
- 30 Minute Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry
- Vegan Swedish Meatballs
30 Minute Baked Lentil Falafel
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Description
Baked Lentil Falafel! Aka your best new 30 minute dinner with mega FLAVOR, crispy crunch, and soft pillowy insides. Made with lentils, cilantro, mint, garlic, and lemon. Baked instead of fried!
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, soaked 8-12 hours
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup gently packed spinach
- ½ cup gently packed cilantro or parsley or a mix
- ¼ cup gently packed fresh mint leaves
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Avocado oil for the pan
Instructions
- Soak the lentils overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle a sheet pan generously with avocado making sure the entire pan is covered with a layer of oil.
- Add the garlic to the food processor and process until it is chopped. Add in spinach, cilantro or parsley, mint, and green onions. Process until the herbs are finely chopped.
- Drain the lentils and add them to the food processor along with the remaining ingredients and process until the entire mixture is well chopped and sticks together when pinched.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop a heaping spoonful and form it into a disc. Place it on the oiled sheet pan and repeat.
- Sprinkle the tops of the falafel with a bit more salt and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Immediately move the falafel from the sheet pan to a baking rack to allow any excess oil to drip off. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you're not into cilantro, sub it all out for parsley or more spinach!
Keywords: cilantro, herb, gluten free, grain free, easy, quick, 30 minute, healthy,
Step 2 is missing a bit of information.
These falafel were superb! Thanks for the great recipe- it was easy to put together and turned out better than any of the many falafel recipes I've made in the past. This one is a "go-to"!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Erica!
What sauce did you put on them in the picture?
Hi Alexis, it's a drizzle of tahini :)
Can you freeze these?
Hi Kelly, You can! I freeze them after cooking and reheat them in a 350 degree oven until they are warmed through. Happy cooking!
Do you need to put egg or bread crumbs in it?
Hi Anna, no need for bread crumbs or egg. The recipe should turn out great if you follow the current directions. We make this weekly in our house :)
Shouldn't lentils be cooked eating them?
Hi Loretta, Great question! The lentils will cook as the falafel bake in the oven.
We eat these at least a couple of times a month. So yummy!
★★★★★
Thank you for your review, Sarah!!
Can I use cooked lentils?
Hi Griselda, No, unfortunately if you use cooked lentils the falafel will not hold together.
Hi Laurel,
Making triple quantities of your delicious recipe and freezing the falafels. When reheating, should they defrost before putting them in the oven or go directly into the hot oven? also should I cover them while reheating with aluminium foil or parchment to keep them from drying out or is this not an issue? Not a freezer person, but this is very convenient!
Thanks for your input and great recipes!
Hi Leah, Great questions! I would bake frozen falafel in a 350 degree oven and heat until warmed through, about 20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Happy cooking!
I love these! My picky eater daughter says they are better than what she has had in restaurant.
★★★★★
Great idea! Easy to make and very tasty. Thank you for the recipe!
Do you think ground roasted pine nuts would go well in the mixture?
Hi Leona, I think it sounds delicious :)