Falafel in Tomato Sauce

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I mean, why not?

Who said falafel must only be eaten inside a pita?

Imagine warm, soft, airy falafel balls swimming in a fresh and rich tomato sauce.

Doesn't that sound perfect?

It all started when I wanted to bring a good friend a dish of meatballs in sauce, and all I had at home were soaked chickpeas and some very ripe tomatoes.

I usually have a bowl of water on my counter with chickpeas soaking, so all I had to do was grind the chickpeas together with spices and—voila—I had falafel balls which I baked in the oven.

When the balls came out of the oven steaming and fragrant, I added them to a fresh, hot tomato sauce that absorbed beautifully into the falafel.

A perfect dish that can be served over rice, pasta, or even somehow inside a pita (honestly, I don't know how, but it sounds like a hit to me).

Nutritially speaking, I am in love with chickpeas! A fiber bomb combined with protein and carbohydrates (the good kind, obviously the good kind). I mean, what more does a person need?

A perfect dish of familiar and beloved flavors that everyone will love.

A bit about Falafel in Tomato Sauce

The base of the falafel is uncooked chickpeas that I soaked overnight (8 hours). No need to cook the chickpeas beforehand!

If you cooked the chickpeas, then make hummus dip out of them from this post. Falafel won't work that way.

The classic flavors of falafel come from a combination of onion, garlic, cumin, and cilantro. If you don't like one of the ingredients, leave it out, but keep in mind it won't taste like falafel.

Hey, I didn't make the rules.

I baked the falafels in the oven, and of course, you could deep fry them, but isn't that a shame? It's healthier to bake and just as delicious.

I made the tomato sauce from very ripe fresh tomatoes I had sitting in the fridge. Of course, you can take a shortcut with canned crushed tomatoes.

I used very basic spices in the sauce, except for the coriander seeds which give a unique flavor. You can skip them if you prefer.

Nutritional Values for Falafel in Tomato Sauce

• One serving (one ball with sauce) out of 20 servings weighing 60g contains:
• 55 calories
• 2g protein
• 8g carbs
• 1.6g fat

One ball without sauce out of 20 balls weighing 17g contains:

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

Print

Falafel in Tomato Sauce

Prep Time 20 minutes

Servings 20 portions

Calories 55 kcal

Ingredients

For the Falafel

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 3 tbsp chickpea flour or any other flour you have
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Tomato Sauce

• 4-5 ripe tomatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder optional
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds optional
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

The Night Before

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight (at least 6 hours up to 24 hours).

In the Morning

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

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

3. Add half an onion, garlic, cumin, salt, baking soda, cilantro, and chickpea flour; grind until a grainy texture is formed.

4. Line a tray with parchment paper and lightly grease it with a small brush.

5. With wet hands, form 20 balls, making sure not to pack them too tightly.

6. Lightly grease the balls with olive oil from all sides.

7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden/browned.

Preparing the Sauce

1. In a food processor, blend the tomatoes until smooth.

2. In a large pan that can accommodate all the balls along with the sauce, heat the olive oil.

3. Add the crushed garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, coriander seeds, and chili; fry for about 30 seconds until the flavors are released.

4. Pour the blended tomatoes into the oil and mix well.

5. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste and mix well.

6. Add the hot falafel balls into the sauce.

7. Coat each falafel ball with the sauce and serve alongside rice.

Recipe Video