Baked Green Falafel with Pea Protein by Terry Hope Romero

Serve these baked green falafel balls by Terry Hope Romero as a main dish or with dip as a snack. The pea protein adds a nutritional punch.

Servings: This recipe makes about 24 falafel balls, enough for 4 servings.

Main dish or side dish: The number of servings in this recipe is based on the falafel being used as a side dish. However, you can easily turn it into the main dish. Some good additions to this would be a fresh, crisp salad, flavorful hummus, or homemade tomato sauce. Additional suggestions are listed under Alternative Preparation.

Falafel: Falafel is an integral part of Middle Eastern and North African cooking. This meatless source of protein, which is becoming increasingly popular around the globe, is considered ato be the national dish of Israel. You can make many different variations of this recipe by starting with the base ingredients of chickpeas, onions, garlic, and spices. This versatility is just one factor that makes it so popular among vegans and vegetarians. While it is often deep-fried, we recommend this healthier and low-fat baked version. You can also prepare falafel in a skillet.

Storing the falafel batter or falafel balls: If you want to make extra falafel batter or falafel balls or if you made more than you planned to, don’t worry — both the batter and the prepared falafel balls store well when tightly covered in the refrigerator. You can refrigerate the batter for up to five days without losing any flavor, while the falafel balls may lose some of their crispness.

Consistency of the falafel: The original recipe uses pea protein powder while our recipe calls for flour. To give your falafel more flavor, you can use chickpea or almond flour. For the best results, add the flour little by little until you reach the perfect balance between a dough that is soft enough to be formed into balls but stiff enough so that it won’t fall apart when cooked.

Quick version: Many recipes recommend using cooked (canned) chickpeas, which allows you to skip the soaking and cooking steps. When using cooked chickpeas, you can prepare this recipe in a little less than an hour. However, we feel that you will lose flavor as well as texture if you do this. You will need to adjust the amount of flour you use and recognize that you will lose the grainy texture that is so typical of this dish. The amount of chickpeas you use will also change because 100 g dried chickpeas is equivalent to 200 g cooked.

High-protein version: You can follow the original recipe for 4 servings and add pea protein powder instead of flour in Step 3. Add the pea protein powder and pulse until the powder is absorbed and the mixture is thickened.

Dip suggestions: Some suggestions for dips to go with the falafel are tzatziki (tzatziki with garlic mustard), vegan yogurt, or a fruity/savory tomato sauce such as tomato sauce with tamarind.

Suggested combinations: Serve the hot falafel as part of the recipe for Falafel Bowl with Lemon Roasted Potatoes, Basil Lemon Cashew Dressing, and Chopped Mediterranean Salad (“Protein Ninja,” p. 155). Try it with Lettuce Wraps with Fruity Mango Chutney, or with hummus, pita bread, and a fresh, crisp salad.