Every chickpea dreams of being transformed into a falafel! Ultra crispy on the outside, moist and fluffy on the inside, everybody loves them but few know how easy they are to make. This is an easy to follow falafel recipe with step photos AND a recipe video!
The best part is breaking open the golden brown balls to reveal the dazzling green insides. Dip them in tahini sauce and pop them straight in your mouth, or make wraps!
Falafel recipe
There are many things I do not know, but I do know this: Falafels are the highest and best use of chickpeas.
Perhaps not the most common use – hard to beat a batch of creamy hummus whipped up in mere minutes using a can of chickpeas. But if you’re after the best use of chickpeas, falafels win every time.
And if you’re a falafel fiend like me, you’re going to be blown away how easy it is to make falafels at home!
This falafel recipe takes me back to my travels through the Middle East, where I enjoyed freshly made falafels almost every day!
Canned chickpeas don’t work!
In the falafel world, canned chickpeas are not only illegal, they flat out don’t work. Reason: falafels are made with dried chickpeas that are soaked but not cooked before forming the falafel balls.
Other than the dried chickpeas rule, there’s nothing unusual that goes into falafels. Baking powder is the only point of contention – you won’t see it in all recipes and it’s not endorsed by Kenji over at Serious Eats, one of our references for this recipe.
But it’s a trade secret we managed to extract from Hijazi’s Falafel in Earlwood, one the best falafel joints in Sydney. So we tried it with and without, side by side, and the baking powder version was noticeably more fluffy – and moist.
So it’s in. Fluffy insides to the max!!!
Falafels MUST be made with soaked dried chickpeas that are NOT cooked. Canned chickpeas don’t work!
Frying is not optional!
It’s rare that I say frying is mandatory, but for falafels, it is. It’s the only way to get the signature super crispy dark crust and keep the inside moist.
For this falafel recipe, I deep-deep fry them in the video, using enough oil so they’re mostly submerged. But you don’t need to – you can use far less oil than I did and they can be shaped like discs rather than balls which will mean even less oil required for frying.
Speaking of discs – you can unleash your wild side when it comes to shaping falafels. I chose balls because for me, that’s the shape that first comes to mind. But other common shapes include: disc shape (slightly flattened ball), dome (ball with underside flattened) and torpedoes (evil looking shape, like a football).
How to make falafels
I promise you this falafel recipe is straightforward, and I did not exaggerate! Here’s how to make falafels:
Soak dried chickpeas overnight (seriously, remembering to do this is the hardest part!)
Blitz with herbs, spices, garlic, flour and a touch of water
Form balls, refrigerate to firm up
Fry until deep golden brown and super crispy
Devour as fast as humanly possible. Falafels are at their absolute peak straight out of the fryer!
How to serve Falafels
The thought of having a whole bowl of freshly cooked falafels to dunk into sauce and pop straight into my mouth is certainly appealing – though not the most nutritious meal option!!
So to serve Falafels as a meal, I like to either make falafel plates or wraps using pita bread, or falafel rolls using Lebanese or other large flatbreads (like the Falafel rolls sold at Kebab shops in Australia).
In all 3 of these options, I use: tabbouleh and/or shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato and onion slices and drizzle the Falafels with Tahini Sauce. Hummus also makes an appearance 99% of the time – a very big dollop of it!
Falafels also make a terrific gluten free meal by making falafel plates using a flavoured rice instead of bread – such as Mejadra (Middle Eastern Lentil Rice).
Falafel sauce options
A sauce is a must for falafels – you need the wetness. Tahini Sauce is the standard, but it’s also terrific with a simple yoghurt-lemon sauce or even a thinned down hummus. Recipes for all these options are in the recipe below.
Making ahead
Falafels are one of those foods that are truly at their best fresh out of the fryer, when they’re super crispy on the outside and the inside is piping hot and moist.
Once refrigerated, the crust softens and the inside loses moisture. But! The good news is that they can be resurrected to a near freshly-cooked state using a combination of a microwave (gets the insides moist again) and a hot oven to recrisp the surface.
They’re good for 5 days in the fridge – probably longer.
Imagine that! Getting your falafel fix day after day after day….. – Nagi x
PS Couple more things homemade falafels has going for them: they’re super economical compared to store bought (dried chickpeas are the main ingredient and they’re super cheap!) and you can control the saltiness – I find that even the best falafel stores are often too salty.
Falafel recipe
Watch how to make it
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Falafel
Ingredients
Falafels:
- 225 g / 8 oz dried chick peas (Note 1)
- 1 cup parsley leaves , roughly chopped
- 1 cup coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped
- 6 scallions/shallots , white and light green part only finely chopped (Note 2)
- 2 cloves of garlic , minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (Note 3)
- 4 tsp flour (plain/all purpose) OR chickpea flour
- 5 tbsp water
For frying:
- 500 ml / 2 cups+ vegetable oil (Note 4)
Tahini Sauce (Other Sauces Note 5):
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Serving (Note 6):
- Pita bread or other flatbreads
- Tabbouleh (recipe below)
- Hummus (optional extra)
- Shredded lettuce, tomato slices, sliced red or white onion
Instructions
Falafel:
- Place chickpeas in a large bowl and pour over plenty of cold water. Leave to soak 12 + hours (even 2 days is fine).
- Drain chickpeas well. Place in food processor, add remaining Falafel ingredients.
- Blitz for 2 to 3 minutes on high, scraping down sides as necessary, until the chickpeas are very small grains. Mixture should look like smooth guacamole from the outside (see video).
- Scoop up heaped tablespoons and shape into balls (or dome, disc or torpedo), place on a tray. Should make around 20, about 2.5cm / 1″ wide.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Pour oil in a skillet or large pot – at least 1.7 cm / 2/3″ depth (Note 4). Heat on medium high to 180 – 190C / 355F (or drop a bit in, should sizzle energetically).
- Place a ball in a large spoon (or tongs) and slide ball in. Cook in batches for around 4 minutes, using 2 forks to roll, until deep golden and super crusty on the outside.
- Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining falafel.
- Serve fresh out of the fryer with Sauce of choice! Make falafel wraps or plates with tabbouleh, tomato, onion, and Sauces of choice. See Notes 5 and 6.
Tahini Sauce:
- Combine tahini and lemon juice, and mix well. The mixture will stiffen.
- Stir in the water 1 tbsp at a time and it will loosen again. The final consistency should be like a thick drizzle sauce (see video). Season to taste with salt.
Recipe Notes:
* Falafel wraps / rolls – Use large or small flatbreads. Smear a good dollop of hummus or yoghurt (or Yoghurt Lemon Sauce, below) down the middle. Top with tabbouleh and/or lettuce, tomato, onion and falafels broken in half. Drizzle with Tahini Sauce or other sauce of choice (I love adding hot sauce). Either roll or fold and devour!
* Falafel plates – with tabbouleh and/or shredded iceberg lettuce with tomato slices, onion (red or white), Tahini Sauce with optional hummus with pita breads on the side. I love hot sauce too! A spiced pilaf like Mejadra (Middle Eastern Lentil Rice) is a terrific addition as well (and GF option). Tabbouleh: 2 tbsp Bulgur soaked in 3 tbsp boiling water then fluffed. 2 cups roughly chopped parsley, 1/2 cup roughly chopped mint, 1/2 red onion finely chopped, 2 large red tomatoes, deseeded & chopped. Dress with lemon juice and sprinkle of salt – adjust to taste depending on what you’re serving it with. For falafel, I use very little salt and lots of lemon juice. Serving size: 2 – 3 halved falafels in pita pockets, 3 – 4 halved for a large roll, 4 to 5 for a plate. 7. Reheating: Falafel is one of those foods that’s truly best served fresh out of the fryer. But the best way to store / reheat cooked falafel is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (really!). Microwave to reheat (really!) THEN spray with plenty of oil and bake at 200C/390F for 5 minutes just until the surface is crispy again. Make Ahead: Balls can be rolled then kept uncooked in the fridge for 24 hours OR frozen. If frozen, fry from frozen – just add another 1 or 2 minutes to the frying time. 8. Nutrition per falafel:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He really thought there was something tasty buried in that prickly bush – he was snuffling around in there for ages!!
Easily the best falafel I’ve ever had and I can tell you I’ve had a lot over the years (made and bought).
Moist (despite me mid-reading the 4 tsp as tblspn of flour – made no difference!), crunchy outside, tasty balls of goodness.
There’s nothing like the pleasure of finding a really good recipe that satisfies you so much.
Thank you.
Lol just realised that I also read as four tablespoons, have not fried them yet, still in fridge.
Let me just say WOW! I made these today and my husband and I could not stop eating them. They were perfect in every possible way. I have 8 left in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch. The next time I make them I’ll double the batch and fry them all. I’ll freeze the extras and re-heat in the air fryer, pretty sure it should work out. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with the world.
These falafel is like my Friday night treatment as I often enjoy a full plate with some glasses of wine just by myself!! xD
– Natalie
AMEN! 😂
Oh! Now this! This is an amazing reci….WHAT!? Dozer bloomed!? 😉
I have everything for this…everything. Pinned!
Hey Nagi,
I live in Jordan where we have falafels on just about every corner. I am now thinking there isn’t any food that Nagi can’t make. I just wanted to check if indeed 20 falafels are just 76 calories. This would be a super diet food then.
Hi Viki! I’t’s 76 calories PER falafel 🙂 My estimate based on how much oil was left after frying + increased weight in paper towels from draining which was the extra oil leeched from the cooked falafels. I bet you have AMAZING falafels in Jordan, I hope you think these do them justice! N xx
I love your recipes .
Thanks for it the tip about using dried chick peas .
Would love to know the title of the music played during the falafal video .
It’s called Ultra Violet Everything by Luna, it’s a stock music track I purchased especially for use in this video! 🙂 N x
Nagi I love you and your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing.
Can you freeze them. TIA
Hi Cheryl, I find freezing felafel works really well. I always make a double batch, cook all of them, let them cool, and freeze them in ziplock bags. I then let them defrost as needed and put them in my sandwich press to crisp them up again!
Thank you so much for your reply 😀
You are most welcome!
Corrie, I think you just changed me life ❤️
I want to know myself! Trying it soon 🙂 N x
The recipe was great! I’m gonna make this again!
❤️ So glad you enjoyed it Pat! N x
HI Nagi,
My daughter says thank you so much for your kind Birthday wishes!
Hugs ..
🎂🎁
The mushroom sauce with pasta was a hit, daughter loved it! …thanks again Nagi for your super recipes. 😊
Hugs …have a great weekend! 💥
Yay! I’m so pleased to hear that Gail!! Hope you had a great weekend too – N xx
Nagi you are a gem! This is a wonderfully quick recipe to put together for so much deliciousness. Thank you!
Just wanted to share – A gluten free option for the tabbouleh is to substitute the bulghur for quinoa.
YES! Thank you for the reminder – I actually filmed and photographed tabbouleh and will sneak it in as an extra recipe, so will add that as a tip! N xx
I think I saw some Sriracha sauce as a finishing touch in the video…nice choice! Will be trying these very soon – they look fantastic.
How about a garlic paste to go with it? Could you add that to the ever-growing list of recipe requests from your readers? 😜
Thanks, Nagi – yet again you have inspired me to cook, which is no mean feat!
PS I have a garlic sauce for this recipe! I’ve shot it, I just need to write it up 🙂 I’ll try to put up a quick recipe before the weekend, even without a video 🙂 N x
Awesome!
Can’t wait to see this! Garlic + Sauce = Heaven
OMG it’s so good! So different to the sour store bought stuff 🙂 I promise I will get it up in the next week! N xx
Busted!! 😂 Totally use Asian Sriracha as the hot sauce for everything!!! (Except Buffalo wings, franks all the way!) N xx
Pass me a napkin please before I wet my blouse with drool LOL I love Falafels and yours look so good and tasty 🙂 I will definitely try your recipe. Thank you Nagi for this post!
That’s how I feel too every time I just see this photos!! N xx
OMG Nice! I have a beach ‘lime’ coming up mid September, so I think I can make this as an appetizer…yeahhh ..perfect! 😊
Dozer Dozer Dozer! If he’s anything like my dog was …’hell bent’ on getting what ever it is ..I fully understand 😂😂
Hugs …
Except there was NOTHING in those bushes! What he was so interested in is beyond me
I ‘resurrect’ my leftover felafel but putting them in my sandwich press. Super easy and quick and it makes them nice and crispy and hot again!
GENIUS!!!!!
I agree about the canned chick peas. Don’t use them. You’ll end up with mush.
On a trip to Malaysia a few years ago, I bought some falafel from a middle eastern restaurant on Penang Island. They were easily the best I’ve ever had (and I do think I make pretty decent ones myself). These had doughnut-like holes in the centre. I think the reason was to ensure that every part was properly cooked. I haven’t tried that yet, but will. It looked like a good idea.
Lebanese bread and hummus go without saying for me. Often tabbouleh, too…
I had to try it once, just to see…. basically, I ended up making a green hummus 😂
Hi Nagi! I have never had or made falafels. I KNOW, Whaaaaat? However, consider where I live before you judge! 🙂
That being said anything fried/crunchy that is dipped in sauce and I’m in!.
DOROTHY! Guess what? I made choc chip muffins today using YOUR RECIPE!!! N xx
Hi Sonia just scrolled to your comments and I also use Mangchi sometimes Taste.com but have made almost everything that Nagi posts and the recipes are very accurate..I also use quite a few recipes from INA GARTEN
Mangchi rocks and Ina Garten is a cooking goddess!!! N xx
Yum yum love falafel and your recipe as always is super easy tks💕
Hey DOZER what did you find care to share 🐕
Nuthin’. He found NOTHING!!!
When I make these balls I won’t put cilantro in them! Blah! It taste like soap to me! Lol. I’ll put more parsley in or just leave it out.
I see Dozer is getting more curious about everything! 😂
Have a great day N!
Just sub with more parsley! Doesn’t change the flavour much, the herb flavour is pretty subtle 🙂 N xx
Wow…I’ve never heard of these. Talk about midwestern! They look so good, I must try them soon.
I love your blog and Dozer always looks like he just got bathed!
And I bet your know dozens of recipes I’ve never heard about! goes both ways 🙂 N xx