Baked Falafel and Tzatziki

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Falafel are a great protein rich dish that meat eaters and vegetarians alike will love. To cut back on calories these falafel are baked in the oven and served with a creamy fat free tzatziki.

This recipe for Baked Falafel and Tzatziki by Carmen at Every Last Bite might just become your new favorite appetizer…

Falafel are a Middle Eastern guilty pleasure usually deep-fried to get their crisp outer shell and creamy center. In this recipe, we reduce the calories and fat while maintaining the crunch by baking the falafel in the oven. Each falafel is packed with chickpeas which are high in fiber, iron and protein and nutrient-dense spinach which is rich in vitamins and minerals. You can enjoy these falafel as a snack topped with tzatziki, in a salad for a light lunch or wrapped in pita for a filling dinner.

Baked Falafel and Tzatziki

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings

Author Every Last Bite

Ingredients

For the Falafels

2 cups canned chickpeas
the zest and juice from one lemon
2 tsp cumin
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup parsley
1 cup spinach
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp gluten free flour
1/4 tsp salt

For the Tzatziki

1 cup fat free Greek Yogurt
2/3 cup grated cucumber (approx. ½ a cucumber)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees Farenheit
In a food processor combine all of the ingredients for the falafels and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor to ensure everything is blended.
Using a spoon, form the batter into 12 patties and place on a greased baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the patties half way through cooking.
To make the tzatziki, use a cheese grater to grate the cucumber. Place the grated cucumber in between a few sheets of paper towel and gently squeeze to get the excess liquid out.
Place the greek yogurt, crushed garlic, grated cucumber and lemon juice in a bowl and stir until well combined.
Serve the falafels with a wedge of lemon and top with the tzatziki