Herb Red Lentil Falafel
Herb Red Lentil Falafel
This is an amazing falafel - maybe even better than traditional falafel made with dried garbanzo beans or chickpea flour, which always ended up a bit on the dry side for me. These are crispy on the outside - even though they are baked - and moist on the inside. A lot of herbs are used, which make them healthy and super tasty - and a great way to use up fresh herbs if you have extras! These also freeze well. I like to have them on hand for a quick appetizer that is a bit different than the norm. This makes 12 small falafel, and the recipe is easy to double if you want to make some to freeze as well.
Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight soaking time) Cook Time: 13 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)
½ cup (firmly packed) each of fresh parsley and cilantro
½ tsp each of sea salt and cumin - make sure there are no added starches in your spices
1 tsp each of onion powder and coriander - make sure there are no added starches in your spices
1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP tahini
1 TBSP blanched almond flour - (I use Wellbees)
½ tsp baking soda
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor (I use a mini-chop) blitz the lentils and herbs until well blended. Add the salt, spices, olive oil and tahini and chop again until the mix is well incorporated and slightly wet.
Transfer the mix to a bowl and stir in the baking soda and almond flour.
Use a tablespoon to make 12 small discs. Bake for 12-13 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool on the pan. They will firm up as they cool. You don’t want to over-bake, or they will dry out on the inside.
Serve with a tahini sauce or yogurt dip.
