The BEST Falafel Recipe

If you’re looking for the best falafel recipe, you’ve found it! This recipe will give you crunchy, crispy, and flavorful falafel to eat in a pita, on a bowl, or just by themselves!

Falafel is hands down my favorite food, so trying to recreate it like my favorite Palestinian restaurant was a task. When I think of my favorite falafel, I think of something crunchy and hard on the outside, while being soft and fluffy on the inside. I hate getting excited for falafel only for them to be dense, dry and soggy. Trust me, you have to try this recipe!

How to Make Falafel

Ingredients:

  • Dried Chickpeas: You cannot use canned or cooked chickpeas for this recipe.
  • Herbs: I like using equal parts fresh cilantro and parsley, with just a bit of fresh mint.
  • Aromatics: I used a whole medium white onion and fresh garlic. Since I like everything with a bit of spice, I added jalapeño as well, but totally optional.
  • Spices: Whole cumin and coriander, salt, and white sesame seeds. The whole spices add so much flavor to every bite, but it can be an inconvenience, so ground it great as well.
  • Baking Soda: This will make sure you mixture is nice and fluffy. Be sure to activate it by adding a touch of lemon juice until is sizzles.

Instructions:

  1. Soak the chickpeas overnight or for at least 12 hours. I do a 1: 2 chickpea to water ratio when soaking so the chickpeas get nice and plump.
  2. In a food processor, blend all of your spices, herbs, aromatics, and half of the soaked chickpeas. You want to blend these pretty fine. Scrape the sides in between blends. Remove and add to a large bowl.
  3. Then add the rest of the soaked chickpeas and blend until coarsely ground. You want them to be the size of coarse salt and definitely coarser than the first batch. Add to the rest of the mixture and combine. Taste for seasonings/salt now.
  4. If the mixture is a bit too moist, let it sit for around 15-20 minutes to allow the chickpeas to soak up any extra liquid.
  5. Then add the baking soda and lemon juice and mix well.
  6. Heat your frying oil to medium. Form your falafel balls either using your hands, an ice cream scoop, or a falafel scooper. Fry until dark golden brown.

What to eat Falafel with

The BEST Falafel Recipe

DifficultyMedium

Servings10

Prep time12 hours30 minutes

Cook time45 minutes

Total time13 hours15 minutes

Like most things, I am neurotic when it comes to the way I like my food made.

I like my falafel super crunchy on the outside and soft/fluffy on the inside. This is the most perfect recipe!

Ingredients

  • 3 Cups Dried Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans
  • 6 Cups Water
  • 1/2 Bunch Parsely
  • 1/2 Bunch Cilantro
  • 3 Sprigs Fresh Mint
  • 6 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Large Jalapeño
  • 1 Medium White Onion
  • 1 Tbsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp White Sesame Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Whole Cumin
  • 1 Tsp Whole Coriander
  • 1 Tsp Baking Soda
  • Lemon
  • Oil for Frying

Instructions

  • 1

    In a large bowl, add the dried chickpeas and water. Soak overnight or for 12-18 hours.

  • 2

    In a food processor add the parsley, cilantro, mint, spices, garlic, jalapeño, and half of the soaks chickpeas. Blend until very smooth and scrape the sides between blends. You want this batch to be smooth and not coarse. Remove into a large mixing bowl once blended.

  • 3

    Now add the rest of the soaked chickpeas and blend these until coarse. You want these to be kind of the size of quinoa, coarse, but blended. (This batch will be a coarser texture than the first batch) Then add the to mixing bowl with the rest of the mixture.

  • 4

    Use your hands to combine the mixture together.

  • 5

    Heat your frying oil in a pot on medium.

  • 6

    Right before frying, add your baking soda to the mixture and before you mix it in, add a small squeeze of lemon on top of it to activate. Mix well.

  • 7

    You can use your hands, an ice cream scooper, or falafel scooper to shape the falafel. Fry until crusty and dark golden. They should take around 2 minutes to fully cook!

  • 8

    Enjoy hot and fresh on some rice or in a pita!

Shivani Tailor

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