In the heart of a vibrant Middle Eastern market, you’ll find falafel—a street food staple that is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Falafel, named after the Arabic word for “pepper,” is a flavorful blend of ground chickpeas or fava beans, fresh herbs, and spices.
Falafel
This beloved dish has travelled across the globe, bringing its rich heritage and irresistible taste to kitchens everywhere. Bring falafel into your home with this easy falafel recipe.
Falafel Ingredients
Falafel is made from a blend of dried chickpeas, fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro, onions, garlic, and a mix of spices such as cumin and coriander. These falafel ingredients create a flavourful and aromatic mixture that is shaped into balls or patties. Corn flour and baking soda are also added to the mix for texture and lightness.
How to Make Falafel
Begin by soaking dried chickpeas overnight. Once soaked, drain and rinse them well before transferring them to a food processor. It’s extremely important to use dried chickpeas and not tinned! Tinned are too wet and will result in a soggy mess! Add fresh parsley, cilantro, onions, garlic, ground cumin, and coriander. Season with salt, pepper, and a touch of baking powder. Pulse the mixture until it reaches a coarse consistency, scraping down the sides of the bowl every 45 seconds, retaining some texture to ensure the classic falafel feel.
Can I bake the falafel?
For this recipe, the falafels have been fried, but you can also opt for a baked falafel version if you prefer a healthier option. Baking reduces the oil content while maintaining a delicious taste.This is a fried falafel recipe, but if you prefer a baked falafel recipe, simply preheat your oven to 180- 190°C (355°F), shape the falafel mixture into balls or patties, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and lightly brush with olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
Tips for a Perfect Falafel Dish
- Thorough Soaking: Ensure chickpeas are soaked thoroughly to achieve the right texture. Do not use canned chickpeas.
- Fresh Herbs: Use fresh parsley and cilantro to enhance the flavour.
- Texture Matters: Avoid over-processing the mixture to maintain the desired coarse texture.
- Frying falafel in a mixture of neutral and olive oil will result in a lovely flavour and gorgeous colour. Baking the falafel reduces oil content, making it a healthier option, otherwise, frying as we do in the recipe is great too.
- Refrigerate: Shaping the mixture into small balls or patties and refrigerating them for about 30 minutes can help hold their shape better when they are fried and hit that hot oil!
What is a falafel made of?
Falafel is made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, mixed with fresh herbs, onions, garlic, and a blend of spices. The mixture is shaped into balls or patties and either fried or baked to perfection.
Is falafel good for you or bad for you?
Falafel can be a healthy option. It is rich in protein, fibre, and various vitamins from the chickpeas and herbs. While we use healthy olive oil in this recipe to fry the falafel, baking reduces the oil content, making it a healthier choice compared to frying.
Where does falafel originate from?
Falafel is a traditional Arab dish but is also widely associated with Israeli cuisine. Its origins are deeply rooted in Middle Eastern culture, and it is enjoyed across various countries in the region. Falafel is not only versatile but also pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes. For a refreshing side, serve your falafel with a vibrant tabouli salad recipe.
What can I serve falafel with?
The fresh herbs and citrus notes of a tabouli salad complement the rich, savoury flavours of the falafel perfectly. Alternatively, a creamy burrata salad adds a delightful contrast to the crunchy falafel. For those who love Mediterranean cuisine, you might also enjoy our easy spanakopita recipe, which brings the taste of Greece to your table with its flaky pastry and savoury spinach filling.
Whether you’re a falafel fan or just curious, this falafel recipe is a tasty and healthy choice for any meal. Perfect for any occasion, it’s packed with flavour and goodness. Give my falafel wrap recipe a try for a quick and delicious on-the-go snack. Want more? Try making spanakopita, a savoury Greek spinach pie, or explore my tabouli recipe, perfect for complementing your falafel feast.
If you make this crispy fried calamari recipe please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations! If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Images by Alanna Penna Photography.
Easy Falafel Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups Dried chickpeas
- 1 brown onion peeled and quartered
- 6 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
- 1 cup cilantro / coriander
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- ½ tbsp dried coriander
- ½ tbsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp water (optional)
- salt and pepper
- olive oil and neutral oil for frying
Tahini sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 4-6 tbsp water
- kosher sea salt
Instructions
- Do the day ahead – Place the dried chickpeas into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak overnight for 12 – 18 hours. When ready, drain the chickpeas and pat dry.
- Into a food processor, add all remaining ingredients and blend in 60 second increments, scraping the side of the bowl each time, until all ingredients are well combined. You are looking for a firm texture with a little bit of moisture. The mixture needs to be able to hold together. If your mixture is too dry, slowly add the suggested amount of water. Taste the mixture and if needed, adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture into your hands and form into a bowl. You can slightly flatten the ball until they are roughly 2 inches thick. Place onto a plate while you prepare the remaining falafel. It should make 28 – 30 falafels.
- Fill a large pot half way up with oil. I like to use a mix of olive oil and neutral oil such as grapeseed or vegetable for frying. Heat the oil on high until it reaches a temperature of 180 – 190C / 355F. Place a small amount of mixture into the oil and if it sizzles your oil is ready!
- Using a slotted spoon, slowly lower one falafel at a time into the hot oil. I always like to cook one first to test the cook time and taste. Cook in batches of 6 for 4 minutes or until crunchy and deep golden on the outside.
- Place onto a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining falafel.
- Serve fresh with a drizzle of tahini sauce, tabouli salad and red pickled cabbage.
Tahini Sauce
- In a small box, mix all ingredients together until well combined and you have a runny consistency. Tahini has quite a strong flavour and the water will not dilute it at all. Taste and season accordingly.
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