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baked falafel crumbles + falafel salad

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Falafel is hard to turn into a weeknight meal without losing its heart and soul. It takes a really long time for chickpeas to soak, and falafel is nothing if not made from raw, soaked legumes (usually chickpeas or fava beans). And on top of all that, deep frying is kind of a pain. With all the soaking and deep frying, it’s a labor of love. Going to all that trouble just to make a falafel salad might seem a little overwhelming.

So naturally, in an effort to make falafel a little easier to manage, many food bloggers and recipe writers have glossed over these two important steps. But unfortunately, if you bake balls of cooked chickpeas, you’re going to end up with mushy, slightly charred blobs of tahiniless hummus. If you try to convince me that this bizarro falafel is tasty, you might get somewhere (except no, not really), but if you try to convince me that chickpea mush balls are falafel, I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

But that doesn’t mean that there’s no room for shortcuts. It’s just about finding the right shortcut. In this post, I’ve decided to tackle the question of frying: is it possible to make good falafel that are baked instead of deep fried? The answer is absolutely yes, but you have to do a few things differently.

The usual recipes for baked falafel never ever deliver the same crunchiness as the real deal. This is because it’s really hard to evenly coat the balls in oil before baking, and (even if you coat everything as evenly as possible) an oven will never bake as evenly as a deep frier. Furthermore, most recipes that ask you to bake falafel are trying to develop a “healthier” low-fat version, which is just not going to make them as crunchy as they should be.

I make no claim that my baked falafel crumbles are “healthier” than deep fried falafel, because I don’t think that fried food is inherently unhealthy to begin with, and besides, my recipe is nowhere near fat free. But it is a whole lot easier, and results in a flavor and texture very similar to the real deal. As long as you remember to throw those chickpeas in some baking soda water the night before, crunchy, delicious falafel crumbles are within reach with just 15 active minutes the next day.

In my recipe for falafel crumbles, you soak some chickpeas overnight, blend up a batch of falafel mix, oil a sheet pan, evenly spread out the mixture, drizzle it with a bit more oil, and roast it. Then instead of just mixing everything up halfway through baking, you try to keep everything as whole as possible by flipping spatula-sized sections (a trick I learned from Deb Perelman’s extra chunky granola). By doing this, you end up with some super crunchy bits and some soft, steamed bits, as if you took a real falafel and chopped it up after deep frying. This means that as long as you’re okay with crumbles instead of balls, you don’t have to stand over the deep fryer, cooking batch after batch. Plus, crumbles are perfect for sprinkling over a salad and drizzling with tahini-lemon sauce. So enjoy this falafel salad recipe, with less fuss.

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baked falafel crumbles + falafel salad

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  • Prep Time: 20 minutes*
  • Total Time: 17 hours
  • Yield: serves 8

Ingredients

soaking the beans the night before

  • 1 1/2 cups dry chickpeas
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 8 cups room temperature water

baking the falafel crumbles

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • soaked chickpeas (above)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baharat**
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or add more/less to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • serving suggestions (see notes)

Instructions

  1. Soak the chickpeas: Cover chickpeas and baking soda with room temperature water. Stir until the baking soda dissolves.
  2. Cover and keep at room temperature for at least 16 hours (get them in water before you go to bed, wake up, go to work, come home and cook dinner).
  3. Bake the falafel crumbles: Preheat the oven to 450° F convection.***
  4. Finely mince the garlic in a large food processor. Add the cilantro and green onions to the food processor and pulse a couple times to chop them up a little.
  5. Strain the chickpeas over the sink. Add the drained, raw chickpeas to greens in the food processor, and process them until the mixture is finely minced. You’ll still see little minced grains of chickpeas (it’s not supposed to be a smooth purée), but there should not be any large pieces. It should resemble fine couscous.
  6. Add the baharat, water, sesame seeds, salt, and flour, and stir to combine.
  7. Coat the bottom of a sheet pan**** with 1 tablespoon of oil. Spoon the falafel mixture evenly over the sheet pan (sprinkle the mixture without smearing it around and disturbing the oil layer). Don’t pack it down, but leave it kind of fluffy.
  8. Once it’s spread out, very evenly drizzle the falafel mix with about 3 more tablespoons of oil.
  9. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until a couple spots are turning brown and everything’s turning a bit golden (see the second photo in the series below the GIF).
  10. Use a spatula to flip sections of the falafel, without breaking the whole thing up completely. Just take a spatula-sized section and flip it, and repeat with the remaining sections (see the third photo). Don’t sweat it if some of them fall apart a bit. Put this back in the oven for 10 to 15 more minutes, until there are a lot of brown bits around the edges, and everything is somewhat golden brown.
  11. To test whether it’s done, take a bite from one of the paler sections. If it still tastes a bit raw, sprinkle everything evenly with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, cover the pan with foil, and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes (you probably won’t need to do this).
  12. Once they’re done, break the crumbles up into large chunks with a spatula.

Notes

* The estimated time for this recipe is just for the falafel crumbles themselves. The quick salad at the end of the recipe is optional, but super easy and just takes about 10 more minutes of prep time. Enjoy your crumbles however you’d like—in a sandwich, with some fattoush, sprinkled over fried eggs, piled in the center of a plate of hummus… the possibilities are endless!

** If you don’t have any baharat and don’t feel like making a complicated spice blend, feel free to use a combination of cumin, coriander, paprika, and black pepper.

*** If you don’t have a convection oven, it might just take a couple more minutes to bake.

**** If you don’t have a standard 18×13 inch half-sheet pan, the falafel layer will be too thin and will get crunchy too quickly. If you’re using a larger pan, simply don’t spread everything out all the way to the edges. If you only have smaller sheet pans, feel free to use 2 quarter-sheet pans if that’s what you have. If you’re cutting the recipe in half, be careful that the layer of chickpeas is not too thin (use a smaller sheet pan).

serving suggestion
romaine hearts
radishes
tomatoes
cucumbers
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 very small clove garlic, crushed with a garlic press
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt

  1. Wash, dry, and chop the romaine, radishes, tomatoes, and cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, water, and salt, and whisk together until it smooths out into a creamy dressing.
  3. Serve everything together in a salad with the falafel crumbles, and dress to taste (leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for weeks).

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fresh fava beans with butter and garlic (+ the easiest shelling technique)

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Fresh fava beans are finally having their moment! While dried and canned versions are always on the shelf, spring is the short-but-glorious window when you can find them fresh (although they’re also often available throughout the summer, while supplies last!).

I’ve been scooping up armfuls from my neighborhood market all week, and along the way, I’ve cracked the code on how to prep and enjoy these beauties.

Yes, they’ve got a bit of a diva reputation, but trust me—once you know what you’re doing, fresh fava beans are much less high-maintenance than they seem. They’re extremely easy to shell (read on for more). And they’re even easier to cook. Jump to the recipe if you’re ready to go, or read on for more. Or check out my ful medames recipe if you’re looking for a way to cook dried favas.

fava beans, in-shell

Fava beans are lower-maintenance than they seem

1) shelling fresh fava beans is easy (if you use my method)

After a week of fava bean experiments, I’ve landed on a shelling method that is way faster than the popular “string-removal” technique.

You know the method everyone says you should try: break off the top bit, pull the string down one side, then the other, and—supposedly 🙄—the pod splits open like magic. Except… it doesn’t! For me, the strings never slice deeply enough, so I’m left clawing at the stubborn shells like it’s 1998 and I’m trying to peel that sticker off the top of a CD case.

✨ There is a better way!

The outer shell

Here is the gist (see photos and GIF below): Hold the tippy-top of the stem flat between your thumb and the side of your index finger, then snap it backwards in one smooth motion. Use the flap you just created like it’s a pull tab. Then (and this is the key!) pull one entire side of the shell off in one clean motion.

It’s quick, easy, and honestly kind of fun. Once you get a rhythm going, you’ll be breezing through in seconds.

The inner skins

Peeling the inner skin from the pod is simple as well. After shelling, you’ll blanch the beans and then peel off the pale, inner skins. Just use the flat side of a paring knife and the side of your thumb to pinch the edge of the membrane, and pull. Then just pop the bean out of the slit you’ve made.

See the GIFs below, and you’ll see just what I mean.

fava beans, shelling
fava bean, shelling
shelling fava beans
shelling the fava bean pods (shown here once at normal speed, then once slowed down)
shelling fava beans
peeling the membranes from the beans (also shown at both speeds)

2) they don’t have to be pretty on the outside

My friend Abeer and I were recently having a conversation about how much pressure there is these days for produce to look picture-perfect. But often, a few blemishes are no big deal—like the spots on ripe persimmons or the chalky “bloom” on old chocolate, which melts away with heat.

Fava beans fit right into this category. Their pods tend to look a little rough—scuffed, bruised, like they’ve seen some things. But the shells don’t matter much, since you’re tossing them anyway. The beans inside are what count, and they’re usually in great shape. If you’re unsure, you can ask the produce seller whether you can pop one open to see for yourself.

shelled fava beans

3) fava beans are best kept simple

Yes fava beans take a little extra prep. But the good news is that they don’t need much else. While some purists might claim that they’re at their best right out of the blanching pot, I think they need like 2 additional minutes to impart some fat and flavor. This lets their flavors really sing.

In the recipe below, you’ll sauté the peeled beans in a generous amount of butter, then finish with a touch of garlic, sesame (optional), and lemon juice. That’s it. It’s barely more effort than eating them plan, but the result is rich, bright, and totally worth the shelling time.

fava beans
fava beans, sautéed with butter and sesame

Allergy warning: Some people have a genetic enzyme deficiency, which can make it dangerous to eat favas. Read a little about favism to make an informed decision about whether to try them, and be sure to inform your guests too. If you’re looking for a good substitute for this recipe, try cooking about 2 cups of shelled, fresh soy beans this way.

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fresh fava beans with butter and garlic

fresh fava beans sautéed with butter and sesame seeds
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  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 to 2 pounds fresh fava beans (in their shells)
  • 4 tablespoons butter (see note below)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed with a garlic press
  • 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon lemon juice (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat.
  2. While you wait on the water, peel the outer shells from the fava beans. Here’s the easiest way to do this: using your thumb and the side of your index finger, pinch one end flat and feel for the hollow part right above one of the beans, then snap it back so half of the tip is severed, and then roll half of the bean back over your index finger, while peeling the other half away with your other hand (see the above GIF and photo). Pop out the pods and discard the shell.
  3. Once the water is boiling, add the shelled fava beans and boil for 45 seconds. While they’re boiling, fill a bowl with ice water.
  4. Strain the fava beans in the sink, and then immediately shock them in the ice water for about 3 minutes. To finish prepping the beans, peel the membranes. The easiest way is to carefully use a paring knife and your thumb to peel away a patch of film, and then pop the bean out (see the above GIF). Some of them might come out split in half, which is totally fine. this takes about 5 seconds/bean–a little longer than the shells, but also not too bad. Make sure they’re nice and dry before proceeding.
  5. Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Let it bubble for about a minute after it melts (careful not to let it brown or smoke), and then add the prepped favas and salt. Cook stirring every 30 seconds for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the beans are a little creamy on the inside, and no longer mealy. Lower the heat if the butter begins to brown. In the last minute of cooking, add the garlic. *
  6. Add the sesame seeds and lemon juice, toss together, and serve.

Notes

* If you don’t want all that butter to end up in the final dish: after letting the garlic sizzle for a few minutes, you can carefully pour off the remaining butter, or use a paper towel to sop some of it up. You must do this while the beans are still sizzling in the butter, and before you add the sesame seeds and lemon juice. Doing it this way, you can get rid of 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter. (If you’re wondering, I like to leave all 4 tablespoons.)

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