Falafel in Tomato Sauce

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I mean, why not?

Who says you have to eat falafel in pita?

Picture warm, tender, fluffy falafel swimming in a rich, fresh tomato sauce.

Sounds pretty perfect, right?

This all started when I wanted to bring a good friend some veggie meatballs in sauce. All I had at home were soaked chickpeas and a few very ripe tomatoes.

There's usually a bowl of chickpeas soaking on my kitchen counter, so all I had to do was grind them with some seasonings and—just like that—I had falafel ready for the oven.

When they came out piping hot and smelling incredible, I added them to a warm, fresh tomato sauce. The falafel soaked it right up.

It's the perfect dish to serve over rice, pasta, or even somehow tucked into pita. Honestly, I haven't figured out the logistics on that last one, but it sounds like a winner.

From a nutrition standpoint, I'm in love with chickpeas! They're packed with fiber, plus protein and carbs—the good kind, obviously. What more could you ask for?

Familiar, comforting flavors in a dish everyone can get behind.

A Few Tips for Falafel in Tomato Sauce

The base of this falafel is uncooked chickpeas that I soaked overnight (8 hours). Don't cook the chickpeas first!

If you've already cooked them, make hummus using this recipe instead. They won't work for this falafel.

That classic falafel flavor comes from onion, garlic, cumin, and cilantro. If you don't like one of those ingredients, leave it out—but know that the result won't taste quite like falafel.

Hey, I didn't make the rules.

I baked my falafel. Of coooourse you can deep-fry them, but why bother? Baking is a healthier option, and they're every bit as delicious.

I made the sauce with some very ripe fresh tomatoes hanging out in my fridge. You can absolutely take a shortcut with canned crushed tomatoes.

The sauce seasonings are pretty basic, apart from the coriander seeds, which give it a distinctive flavor. Feel free to skip those; they're optional.

Falafel in Tomato Sauce Nutrition Facts

• One falafel with sauce, weighing 60 g (2.1 oz), out of 20 servings, contains:
• 55 calories
• 2 g protein
• 8 g carbohydrates
• 1.6 g fat

One falafel without sauce, weighing 17 g (0.6 oz), out of 20 falafel, contains:

• 30 calories
• 1.3 g protein
• 5 g carbohydrates
• 0.5 g fat

Falafel in Tomato Sauce

Prep Time 20 minutes

Yield 20 servings

Calories 55 kcal

Ingredients

For the Falafel

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons chickpea flour or any other flour you have on hand
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Tomato Sauce

• 4-5 ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground hot chili pepper optional
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds optional
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

The Night Before

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight, for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.

The Next Morning

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor.

3. Add the half onion, garlic, cumin, salt, baking soda, cilantro, and chickpea flour. Process until the mixture has a grainy texture.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush the paper with oil.

5. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 20 balls, taking care not to pack them too tightly.

6. Brush the falafel with olive oil on all sides.

7. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, until browned.

Make the Sauce

1. Process the tomatoes in a food processor until evenly puréed, like the fresh tomato sauce served with jachnun (a Yemenite Jewish rolled pastry).

2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the falafel and sauce.

3. Add the crushed garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, coriander seeds, and ground chili pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

4. Pour the puréed tomatoes into the seasoned oil and stir well.

5. Add the tablespoon of tomato paste and stir well.

6. Add the hot falafel to the sauce.

7. Coat each falafel with sauce and serve with rice.

Recipe Video