Vegan Falafel Chickpea Patties

Falafels are one of the most widely recognized foods from the Middle East and with good reason. These deliciously nutty and herby chickpea patties are fabulous on pita sandwiches, salads, and so much more!

This recipe comes from a book titled, Eat Plants Feel Whole, by Dr. George Guthrie, and he along with AdventHealth Press have graciously shared it with us for this post.

Vegan falafel patties

Though growing in popularity in the US, many people still may not have heard of falafels (pronounced fell-off-uhl). They are made from chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) and are a food traditionally from the Middle East.

Falafels are nearly always vegan and made with fresh ingredients like chickpeas, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and warm spices.

There are so many ways falafels can be served including in a pita, sandwiches, Buddha bowls, and even salads.

These little chickpea patties are traditionally fried, but by baking them the calories and fat can be slashed making for a much healthier option.

How to make chickpea patties

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

I have to tell you right off the bat that I had no idea that chickpeas could be used in a recipe without even cooking them, but that’s exactly how this dish is made.

You’ll need to start off with dry garbanzo beans, so this means you can’t use the ones from a can because those have already been cooked. If you’re looking for recipes to use cooked chickpeas in, try this list of 12 Fabulous Chickpea Recipes.

Add the dry garbanzo beans to a large bowl and cover them with water at least 3 times the volume. Let them soak overnight or until you can break them apart with your fingers. Once they have thoroughly soaked, drain them and set them aside.

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse until it acquires a minced consistency, do not purée.

Shape into 3 oz. patties and place on a prepared sheet pan with parchment paper and bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Stuff the patties into pita bread with tomato, lettuce, and parsley for an authentic delight. I have a delicious Tzatziki Cucumber Sauce that would be a terrific condiment to drizzle over these chickpea patties.

Recipes that pair well with chickpea patties

• Chickpea Quinoa Salad
• Veggie Grain Bowls
• Couscous Salad with Ginger & Cinnamon
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Chickpea Burgers

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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