These baby led weaning friendly falafel are made with canned chickpeas and baked into patties for ease. They are flavorful, healthy and both freeze and reheat well - perfect for lunches for mom and baby!
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Baby Baked Falafel (with canned chickpeas!)
Most falafel recipes require two things that many busy moms don't have time (or the brain space!) for - soaking chickpeas overnight and deep frying. Neither are happening in my house, especially when I have a 6-to-12-month old to care for. While I love elaborate, authentic recipes, this is not the life stage for making them on a regular basis. I came up with this easier recipe for falafel that uses canned chickpeas for ease, and skips the deep frying in lieu of mess-free baking. While the result is not the authentic, crispy street food that you'd get from your favorite Mediterranean restaurant, it is nonetheless super flavorful, delicious, and nutritious.
These falafel are also baby led weaning and toddler friendly - a bonus for busy mamas who need to feed their little one something healthy but also want a delicious lunch or dinner for themselves. They're freezer-friendly, so you can make some ahead of time and stash them away to pull out at a moment's notice. They also reheat like a dream - just pan-fry in a little olive oil and you can achieve crispy edges without the deep frying!
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Ingredients
Don't be deterred by the somewhat long (but common) ingredients list. It all gets thrown in the food processor. These falafel are worth all the flavorful ingredients!
- Canned chickpeas - no soaking (or thinking ahead) required!
- Onion
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Lemon zest
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Chickpea flour - an excellent binder that hols the falafel together well. If you don't have any, you can use all purpose flour, but I recommend keeping a small bag of this nutritious flour around for all kinds of fritters.
- Egg - an unconventional ingredient in falafel, but it helps hold the patties together since canned chickpeas don't have as much structure.
- Baking soda - Gives baked falafel patties a little extra fluff. Leave it out if you like.
- Optional salt and pepper - you can leave these out for babies under 12 months, but I'm not worried about a little salt for babies in home cooked meals.
Helpful equipment: Food processor, 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Chop the onion and garlic in a food processor. Don't worry about getting it super uniform or small, you'll keep pulsing with each ingredient addition.
- Add the parsley and cilantro and pulse to chop.
- Add the chickpeas and pulse to chop. Again, you don't want it super small or uniform yet.
- Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. You want a little bit of texture, not a super smooth dough.
- Cover and chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes. After chilling, scoop by 3 tablespoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Flatten each ball into a patty with the back of your spoon.
- Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through. Turn the oven to broil for 1 minute for more golden outsides (watch carefully!). Allow the falafel to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes to set up before removing to prevent them from falling apart.
Tips For Perfect Baked Falafel
- For crispier falafel for adults and older kiddos, pan-fry them after baking in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. It's delicious and tastes a little more like the crispy falafel you know and love!
- Skip the chilling step if you're short on time. I find it helps the flavors blend a little better but it's not 100% necessary.
- Make the patties larger or smaller if you like, adjusting the bake time up or down by a few minutes. Slightly bigger would be great for a falafel burger!
- Make ahead: The 'dough' can be made up to a day in advance and stored int he refrigerator. You can also freeze the patties, unbaked, in a single layer and then store in a freezer bag once frozen solid. Brush with a little olive oil and bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover falafel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They freeze well for at least 3 months in a freezer-safe bag (suck as much air out as possible before storing). Thaw frozen falafel in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for up to 2 hours.
To reheat, crisp in a skillet on the stove in a thin layer of olive oil (my favorite method), in the air fryer on a low setting, or in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
How To Serve Baked Falafel To Babies 6 Months and Up
For baby led weaning babies 6 months and up, or babies in the finger food stage who do not yet have a pincer grasp, cut falafel patties into strips the width of 1-2 adult fingers. This shape is easiest for new eaters to scoop up with a fist and bring to their mouths.
For babies with a pincer grasp, using the index finger and thumb to pick up small objects, which usually develops around 9 months, you can cut patties into small bite sized pieces about the size of your fingernail. Or continue offering strips.
Once babies reach 12-18 months, offer whole patties for practice with taking small bites, or continue offering bite sized pieces with a small fork for utensil practice.
Serve falafel with a flavorful, baby friendly sauce such as tzatziki (or easier lemon dill yogurt sauce), hummus, or tahini sauce. Drizzle on the patties or allow baby have fun with dipping!
More Mediterranean Inspired Recipes for Baby
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Baked Falafel with Canned Chickpeas Recipe
These baby led weaning friendly falafel are made with canned chickpeas and baked into patties for ease. They are flavorful, healthy and both freeze and reheat well - perfect for lunches for mom and baby!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Refrigeration Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 patties 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ medium onion (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup cilantro, lightly packed
- ½ cup parsley, lightly packed
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tsp)
- 1 large egg
- optional: ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse chickpeas and pat dry with a paper towel or clean dish towel. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse the onion and garlic until chopped, but not super fine.
- Add the cilantro and parsley to the food processor and pulse to chop.
- Add the chickpeas and pulse until the chickpeas are broken up but not smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. The mixture should not be super smooth, it should still have some texture.
- Cover the chickpea mixture and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Scoop the chickpea mixture into 3 tablespoon balls spaced evenly on the baking sheet. I use a cookie scoop for evenly sized falafel. Use the back of a spoon or your scoop to flatten into patties.
- Bake 20 minutes, or until golden on top and cooked through. Broil for the last minute or so to get a deeper golden top.
- Let the falafel rest on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to prevent them from falling apart.
- For crispier falafel, feel free to pan-fry in a skillet after baking (see notes).
Notes
- Crispier falafel: For adults and older children, you can crisp the outsides of the falafel by pan-frying in a skillet. Heat a cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until crispy.
- 1 can of chickpeas = about 1 ½ cups if you are using cooked chickpeas.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
- Skip the chilling step if you're in a big hurry. I find it helps the flavors blend a little better, but if you don't have the time, you don't have to chill the dough.
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