Baked Falafel for Bento Stash

It’s time to replenish some of the bento stash so today I decided to cook falafels!   But with a twist…. they’re baked not fried!

Well maybe not an “authentic” twist as I’ve  always  baked my falafels.   But there’s another twist… for their preparation I  used a method called  “ halfway homemade”.  They are baked by me (the homemade part) but I bought the falafel mix from the the store’s bulk healthy foods section.   Just add water!   Whoo hoo!

I’ve made  falafels  from scratch in the past, but this is quicker.   And there’s another surprise…   I tried a new thing and baked the falafel using a mini muffin pan.  I’m not sure of any advantage than a regular pan,  but it seemed like a good idea at the time.  Let’s see how they turned out.

Mix 1 cup of  bulk falafel mix with 3/4 cup of water.

Mix thoroughly and set for 15 minutes to allow it thickening.

I forgot to take the photo of the thickened mix before placing in the  mini muffin pans.  The entire batch filled one pan (12 falafels).  I swiped each hole with a bit of olive oil  before filling.

Bake the falafels at 350 degrees for 15 -20 minutes.   I didn’t flip these over after the first 10 minutes like I usually do when baking on a flat pan.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then gently lift each one out of the pan to allow further cooling.  If they stick use a tip of a knife to wiggle it out.   I had to do that to a couple of them.   Again, I missed photographing this process!  

Did  I like using the mini muffin pan better than cooking them flat?   I liked the method but not the results.    The muffin pan was easier because I didn’t have to form patties or turn them over during baking.   But these  patties didn’t turn as brown as I like them; however the good news is that they taste great despite their odd color.   In conclusion… no more surprise  fancy schmancy pans for baking falafels!

As bento fillers  these are invaluable.  Eat them plain or with your favorite sauce or seasonings;  they make a great sandwich too!   Whip up  a  large batch and store them in the freezer where they could last for many months!  Ha! Yeah right… we eat them way ahead of their expiration which is why I’m  busy today restocking the bento stash.  :)