These green Spinach Falafel are vegan and gluten-free. Canned chickpeas are used for the base. They’re baked in the oven with minimal oil. So good!
Falafel are one of my favorite things to eat. Without doubt. Over the last couple of years, I’ve made a Falafel Curry (great for falafel that tend to be on the dry side!), Falafel Burger, Falafel with collard greens, oil-free Falafel and of course my base recipe for falafel using dried chickpeas (it’s still one of my most popular recipes on the blog).
This is a very simple and easy recipe for green falafel – they get their color from the spinach.
For this simple Spinach Falafel recipe, you’ll only need 5 ingredients:
- canned chickpeas (of course you can use your own soaked and cooked chickpeas, but to fix falafel cravings quickly, I’m using canned chickpeas)
- spinach (I’ve used baby spinach)
- salt
- chickpea flour (this will act as the binder in this recipe)
- baking spray to spray the falafel with oil before baking for a nicer color
If you use an ice cream scoop, it’s really easy to make falafel that have the same size and bake evenly.
Press the falafel flatter to make the typical falafel patties. This is how they should look like before and after baking!
Serve the Spinach Falafel…
- in a wrap e.g. salad, hummus, and tomatoes in thick fluffy tortillas
- with couscous: Simple Onion Couscous or Mediterranean Couscous
- in a burger: Falafel Burger with avocado sauce
- on a leafy green salad with soy yogurt sauce or tahini dressing!

Spinach Falafel (vegan and gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 17 oz canned chickpeas - rinsed and drained
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons besan/chickpea flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- baking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Add the canned chickpeas, spinach, chickpea flour and salt to a food processor and blitz until combined. The mixture should stick together enough to form patties, if it doesn't add more chickpea flour.
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the falafel on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Press them a bit flatter and spray them with oil.
- Bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes, carefully flipping them with a spatula after 20 minutes. They should be crispy on the outside and soft but not mushy on the inside.
Estimated Nutrition Info
Did you make these oven-baked Spinach Falafel? Tag @elephantasticvegan on Instagram and use the hashtag #elephantasticvegan to make sure I’ll see them :)
LEIGH
Can you freeze these?
Bianca
Yes, you can! :)
Rebekah
Freeze before or after cooking?
Bianca
I’d rather bake them, then freeze, but the other way round is possible too.