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!!
I used to go to a wonderful place on Fairfax in Los Angeles for my falafels. I got away from eating them, but then a couple of years ago, got a real yen for them while we were traveling. Finally got a good falafel sandwich in Jordan, at Petra. Now, reading your recipe makes me want to eat them again. The one thing I would do differently is reverse the amounts of ground coriander and cumin – I really am not a fan of cumin. Plus, when I looked at your photo of the ingredients, the amounts shown were what I would want to do. Half a teaspoon of cumin can significantly flavor a huge batch of anything. I just wish these were higher in protein.
I bet you had amazing falafels in Jordan!! I’ve never been, would love to go one day 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi,
I didnt realize falafels are easy to prepare until I watched your video.
Btw, what is the brand/model of your food processor? I am considering to buy one hoping it can make my food prep and kitchen life easier.
Thanks
It’s the Breville 1000W one. Food processors come down to power. Don’t get one with less than 1000W otherwise it doesn’t have the power to pulverise harder things 🙂 N xx
thanks for this! as soon as it drops below 90 in NYC i will give it a try. there is a great place for Mediterranean food in NYC next time you are here. Omar’s. https://omars.nyc/
they make a garlic sauce that they serve with everything. its on the tables in a squeeze bottle. i use a bottle whenever i go. best thing i’ve ever eaten. i’ve considered putting it on cereal! if i could only get the recipe from them. lol.
thanks!
Ali
I remember being there this time last year and was melting in the concrete jungle…… still LOVED it! NYC is my favourite place to visit! N xx
You know what goes great with Falafals? Hummus! Just saying 🙂
Also, you seem to have written “Frying is not an option”, but then also that you have to? I’m guessing you missed a word. Wanted to give youy a heads up. Can’t wait to try these!
DUH! *head smack* frying is NOT optional!! 😂
I’ve been waiting for this recipe!! Can’t wait to try it.
Hope you get a chance Wanda!! Homemade is SO GOOD!! N xx
Hi Nagi! Looks delish! Can these be prepped ahead, refrigerated for a few hours and cooked just before eating? Thanks!
Hi Katie! Yep they sure can, up to a day we reckon (“we” being the RecipeTin Family, after much debate when I sent them this question!) We have refrigerated for a few hours before baking. We don’t think there is anything in this that will leech too much liquid in the fridge so should be fine! N x
Good to hear…thank you so much!
Those are some nice looking falafel. I’ve actually never made falafel. We have several falafel takeaway places here in town so easy to grab some. But, your video has inspired me.
Dozer looks as though he’s an African king wearing a headpiece.
Oh Ron – finally something I have made forever and you have not 🙂 ! A huge fun to prep and serve and eat ! And I do agree with Nagi and actually fry ’em !!!! Use this recipe when you try: a lot more flavour . . . (Sorry, Dozer – this one is questionable’ – exactly what did Mommy put in the middle of the bush ? 🙂 !!!!
Some things in life MUST be fried and totally worth it – right? 😈 N xx
Right !! Ron/Eva and I have date in Sweden nest year: we’ll make this (Got a good memory!) and send you a photo – OK ?
Ms Eha if you’re approving of the frying of a dish, it’s got to be a great recipe. Me and Chloe will make soon, I promise…
Dozer was chasing a falafel is my guess.
😂
My ❤️ falafel!! I just love them so much, I always make sure I have a batch ready to go in the freezer. My recipe is very similar to yours, except my grandparents were from Upper Egypt, so instead of chickpeas we use dried, split fava beans and we don’t add the flour. We do use the baking powder though – it helps right?!
You rock my socks! Di x
Diana! You might be able to answer some questions from readers for me!! Do you freeze them uncooked or cooked?? I plan to try soon – I have a party coming up I’m making these for! N xx
Hi Nagi!
Ok… so I freeze the falafel mix uncooked… so after I blitz everything together, I spoon it into the “sandwich size” zip lock bags. It fits a fair amount, enough for four hungry people. I make sure that I freeze it as flat as I can get it – just like a cushion, a green cushion! Defrost on top of a plate, and then i empty the falafel mix into a bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp baking powder. While this is happening – I heat my oil on the stove. Sorry, I don’t know temperatures- I usually just feel the heat at the top with my hand… not actually in the oil of course! Then, using two desert spoons, I shape little football shaped felafels and drop them gently into the oil. Don’t leave the stove. They don’t take long to cook – eat smoking hot. Share with family. They’ll look after you when you’re old.
Have a beautiful weekend. It’s raining on the Gold Coast this week after a really long dry spell – I’m in heaven. Diana x
THANK YOU FOR THE TIP!!!!
Diana – When using the fava bean version, do you cook after soaking the beans, or just blitz after soaking as Nagi suggests?
Carmen from NZ
So glad you asked this, I wanna know TOO! N x
Hi Carmen, you don’t need to cook the beans after soaking – just straight into the blitzer just like Nagi’s method. The fava beans that I use only take about a day to soak in water. You can leave them longer if you like. I test them by seeing if it will break under the force of my nail. If it gives, it’s ready. I make big batches of this and I freeze them in large zip lock bags, without the baking powder. I add the bP just before cooking up.
Have fun. Di.
Thank you for the tips Diana! You ROCK! N xx
Great Tips Diana! Thanks for sharing.
Can you freeze the leftover cooked falafel? How would you suggest re-heating them if frozen?
Hi Shelly! I would thaw then reheat per the recipe notes 🙂 N x
I so love your blog, it’s one of only three food blogs I actually subscribe to, and cook from regularly. Your recipes ALWAYS work, a rarity with Internet recipes. And you’re so right about using soaked, uncooked chickpeas, never tinned – I was taught that by a Israeli who owns the best falafel shop in Cape Town. Happy cooking!
Thank you for the compliment Sonia! I agree with you about internet recipes, I struggle myself. I get lulled into a false sense of confidence by the marketing speel and photos, only to be disappointed 😩
Sonia, which two other food blogs do you subscribe to? I agree with you that Nagi’s blog & her recipes work amazingly!
I want to know too! I love getting great blog recommendations! N xx
I love Nagi, hence curious about the other 2 as well. 😉
😘 N xx
Who on earth in Australia could for a moment’s breath do without Taste.com ? OK ! OK ! Simple !! But absolutely fool proof for everyday meals for possible non-foodies . . . or experienced foodies . . . ? Love it max and quote it often . . .
Maangchi.com and Taste.au.com are the two other blogs I love and often cook from.
Love BOTH!! N xx