Gluten-Free Baked Falafel Bowl

The gluten-free vegan bowl dreams are made of! It starts with an easy recipe for gluten-free, grain-free Crispy BAKED Falafels! Packed with chickpeas and herbs, and baked to crispy perfection, they are super tasty and satisfying. Paired with hummus, tahini sauce and a simple, grain-free tabbouleh, it's a delicious gluten-free meal!

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe
Gluten-Free Baked Falafel Bowl

Easy Recipes for gluten-free falafels, hummus and tabbouleh make a Mediterranean dream dinner!

So excited for you to try this Gluten-Free, Grain-free (and naturally vegan!) Baked Falafel Bowl!

It’s a simple bowl with Easy Crispy Baked Falafels, a simple grain-free Tabbouleh, Hummus (I provide an easy recipe or you could use pre-made) and Tahini Sauce.

And it is nourishing, satisfying and so delicious!

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe

Let’s look at each element of the bowl staring with the falafels.

Easy Crispy Baked Falafels

The falafels are obviously the star of this bowl and they are so easy and so delicious!

A healthier take on the more traditional deep fried falafels, they still have that classic slightly crispy exterior, a chickpea base and a rich, savory and herbaceous flavor as they are packed with herbs (parsley, cilantro, garlic, scallions).

They are also gluten-free, grain-free and packed with extra nutrients being made with chickpea flour and packed with seeds (hempseed, chia seeds, flaxseeds).

So let’s make them!

The falafel recipe is adapted from The Fit Fork Feed  (her site is no longer active so link doesn’t work).

Here’s what you’ll need:

carrots

fresh parsley

fresh cilantro

garlic

scallions

canned chickpeas

chickpea flour (similar texture to an all purpose flour but made with chickpeas. I used Bob’s Red Mill brand)

baking powder

olive oil

lemon juice

hemp seeds

chia seeds

flax seed meal

salt

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe

It looks like a lot of ingredients but they have the BEST flavor and texture!

And they come together quickly in 2 simple steps!

  1. First, in a food processor pulse the carrots, parsley, cilantro, scallions and garlic until finely chopped.
  2. Add in all the remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined into a thick mixture.

At this point the batter will be thick and could be made into patties but if you prefer balls as I did here, chill the mixture for 15-20, then roll into balls.

Then you spray them with olive or avocado oil and bake to crispy perfection!

That’s it!

Easy to make and so tasty! And while they are hearty and satisfying, they are not heavy.

And they can be made ahead and enjoyed room temperature or reheated.

And they also make a great appetizers.

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe

 

While the gluten-free falafels bake, let’s prepare the tabbouleh, hummus and tahini sauce, all of which can also be made ahead.

Simple Grain-Free Tabbouleh

This is a copycat of the tabbouleh at a local restaurant, Layla’s Falafels.

It’s naturally gluten-free and grain-free, and super simple with just a few ingredients:

parsley

onion

tomatoes

lemon juice

olive oil

and salt/ pepper.

All you do is pulse the parsley leaves with lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor to chop them a bit, then mix with the finely chopped onion and tomatoes.

gluten free grain free tabbouleh

Since parsley is the key ingredient here, thought I’d share two pro tips about parsley.

Pro Tip 1: Storing fresh parsley and other herbs like cilantro.

I learned this from my friend Archana of Ministry of Curry a few years ago and have been doing it ever since.

To keep your fresh herbs staying fresh, immediately clean them, cut off the ends and then store them in a small jar with water in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for a week or more!

storing fresh herbs

Pro Tip 2: A fun and easy way to separate parsley leaves from stems.

This tip I learned from my friend Melissa Rifkin, ms, rd, cdn.

To easily separate the parsley leaves from the stems, place the stem through the hole of a cheese grater about pull it through… the stem pulls right off and you are left with parsley leaves!

How fun is that?

parsley tip

Easy Basic Hummus

You could use a store bought hummus (we always have some in our fridge) but I highly recommend taking the 5 minutes to make your own.

It is easy– you literally mix chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning in a food processor and worth it!

SO creamy and luscious! Plus you can adjust the flavor and texture to your liking.

Tahini Sauce

This too is easy to make!

Using a food processor, blend tahini, sesame oil, salt, lemon juice and water until super creamy!

That’s it.

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe

It will be creamy and have a nice flavor with the falafels.

This too can be made ahead but will thicken while in the refrigerator.  So be sure to stir it before serving.

Assemble

When ready to serve, place the tabbouleh on a plate, top with several falafels and serve with a big scoop of hummus and some tahini sauce.

Crispy roasted chickpeas add great texture and crunch but aren’t necessary, just a nice finishing touch if you are interested.

To make the roasted chickpeas, toss canned chickpeas with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and salt, bake 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe

 

Hope you love the falafels and this bowl as much as we do!

PIN it!

Scroll down for recipe and leave a rating/ comment if you love them!

Recipe

 

gluten free grain free baked falafels easy dinner recipe
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Gluten-Free Baked Falafel Bowl

The gluten-free vegan bowl dreams are made of! It starts with an easy recipe for gluten-free, grain-free Crispy BAKED Falafels! Packed with chickpeas and herbs, and baked to crispy perfection, they are super tasty and satisfying. Paired with hummus, tahini sauce and a simple, grain-free tabbouleh, it's a delicious gluten-free meal! Can be made ahead. And to make even quicker, use pre-made hummus.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Chill in refrigerator15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Grain-Free
Keyword: easy recipe, gluten-free falafels, grain-free falafels, easy gluten-free dinner recipe, easy gluten-free side dish or appetizer
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Healthy Gluten-free Family

Equipment

  • food processor

Ingredients

Crispy Baked Falafels (makes 9 approximately 1 1/2 inch falafels)

  • 2 tablespoons packed parsley (flat leaf or curly)
  • 2 tablespoons packed cilantro
  • 4 baby carrots (or the equivalent portion of a full size carrot)
  • 1 scallion white part and green part, cut into 4-5 pieces
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (could sub gluten-free all purpose flour or gluten-free oat flour but no longer grain-free)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • ½ tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground flax seeds
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • spray olive or avocado oil

Grain-Free Tabbouleh

  • 2 cups packed flat leaf parsley leaves
  • ¼ cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Easy Basic Hummus

  • 1 15oz can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
  • ½ cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup warm water more as needed
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Tahini Sauce (yield 1 cup)

  • ½ cup tahini (ideally creamy versus the bottom of a jar)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice up to 2 teapoons to taste
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions

Crispy Baked Falafels

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a food processor, pulse carrots, parsley, cilantro, garlic and scallions until mixture is finely chopped and combined. (try not to over process until mushy but if you do, don't worry, it will still work!)
  • Add remaining ingredients and pulse until mixture comes together, about 30 seconds to a minute. You may have to scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure it is all combined.
  • Unplug food processor and move falafel mixture to a bowl. Mixture will be thick and could form patties, but if you want to form balls as I do here, chill the batter for 15-20 minutes.
  • Form into 9 balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
  • Spray each falafel (tops, sides and bottom) with olive or avocado oil -- this is what will give the crispy golden color as it bakes.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Spray tops and sides with additional oil to get extra golden color and crispiness, then bake an additional 5 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy!
  • Can be made ahead and eaten room temperature or heated up in the microwave. Store well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.

Grain-Free Tabbouleh

  • In a small food processor, add parsley, lemon juice and olive oil and pulse to chop parsley into small pieces. Again, stop pulsing before turning to mush.
  • Add to a small bowl, the chopped parsley mixture, chopped tomatoes and onions, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste (I just use a sprinkle or two of each)
  • Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a day. Best when fresh or 1 day old.

Easy Basic Hummus

  • Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Add the olive oil by streaming while mixing.
  • Process until smooth and creamy.
  • Adjust to tastes as desired. Add more water for a creamier texture.
  • Stores well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Tahini Sauce

  • Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth --- You may have to stop and scape down the sides.
  • Taste and adjust as desired. Add more water for a thinner sauce, more lemon juice for a brighter and tangier sauce.
  • Stores well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.
Tried this recipe?Mention @HealthyGFFamily or tag #HealthyGFFamily!

 

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