Learn how to make falafel at home with this simple and easy to follow recipe. This falafel is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with spices and herbs in each bite.
Serve your falafel on a wrap, sandwich, or create a falafel bowl. No matter how you serve up these bite-size falafel, they are sure to please!
Falafels are so versatile—roll them in a wrap, form them into burgers, or even make them out of sweet potatoes! No matter how you make falafels, they're always delicious.
This Falafel recipe is...
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Vegetarian
- Dairy-free
- Freezable
- Easy to make
How to Make Falafel
- Chop up the onion, garlic, and parsley in a food processor. Then add in the drained chickpeas, cumin, salt, pepper, and mix again.
- Now transfer the mix to a bowl and stir in the flour. Let it rest 5 minutes.
- Then shape into balls—you will get around 14–16 for this recipe.
- Then fry in a pan with some oil, making sure all sides brown.
- Place on a paper towel, then serve.
Full directions and measurements for this falafel recipe are in the printable recipe card below.
Tips & Tricks for Falafel
Cookie Scoop
To get even balls, I recommend using a cookie scoop to scoop up the dough. That way all of your falafels will be similar in size.
Let dry on a paper towel
Once you finish frying up your balls, place them on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil. This helps prevent all the excess oil.
Food Processor
I highly recommend using a food processor. If you don't use a food processor, you will find the texture can be a bit off from what you would like for a falafel. I find a blender just doesn't quite work as well. But if all you have is a blender, use the pulse setting.
Variations to Falafel
Canned Chickpeas
I soaked dry chickpeas for 12 hours before using them. But to make it quicker, you can use canned chickpeas or even pressure cook dried beans to speed up the cooking process.
Spices
Feel free to change up the spices used in this recipe. You can use whatever spices you enjoy most!
Serving Falafel
Serve your falafels in a bowl with green leaves, tomatoes, and a tahini sauce. Or eat them plain with your favorite sauce, put them in a wrap, or more. The possibilities are endless!
Falafel FAQs
What is falafel?
Falafels are delicious balls made with chickpeas and warm spices. You will find traditional falafel recipes also use fava beans.
Can I bake falafel instead of frying it?
Go right ahead and bake these balls in the oven at 425°F for 20–30 minutes.
How do you reheat cold falafel?
You can eat your falafel balls cold or warm them up in the microwave. Or, if you want a crispier texture, reheat your falafels in a pan on the stove or bake them in the oven till they are warmed through.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry chickpeas soaked for at least 12 hours
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup chickpea flour
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 2 cups green leaves
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup oil for frying
- ½ red onion, or 1 whole onion if small
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Set roughly chopped onion, garlic cloves, and parsley in a food processor.
- Pulse a few times.
- Add previously soaked and drained chickpeas, cumin, salt, and ground pepper, and blend.
- Blend until granulated texture.
- Transfer mix to a bowl and add chickpea flour. Stir very well and let it rest for 5 minutes. After that, you should be able to form the falafel into balls. (Add one more tablespoon of chickpea flour if needed.)
- Use your hands to roll mixture into 14–16 falafels. It's easier to make them one by one and fry them at the same time. Just make sure that you roll the dough together hard enough! To fry your falafels, add olive oil to a heated skillet and roll them over when they get brownish at the base.
- Place falafels in a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
- Serve falafels with green leaves, cherry tomatoes, and tahini sauce.
dinoroland says
I love snacks like this, easy to make and delicious...