The BEST Falafel Recipe! | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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Learn how to make falafel with this easy homemade falafel recipe. It’s bursting with zesty fresh fresh flavors, lightly pan-fried (instead of deep-fried), and perfect for falafel wraps, salads and other favorite dishes.

Anyone else out there obsessed with falafel?

Metoo.♡

Well good news — if you’ve ever wondered how to make falafel, it’s surprisingly easy to whip up a batch of the crispy, herb-y, super-flavorful falafel in the comfort of your own kitchen. All you need is a can of chickpeas, two big bunches of fresh herbs, and a handful of simple seasonings. Then instead of breaking out the deep fryer (sorry, that much oil makes me nervous in my kitchen!), we’ll keep things nice and simple and just pan-fry them safely in some high-heat oil instead. The falafel will still turn out nice and crispy and flavorful on the outside. And the tender insides will be bright green and downright bursting with thebest fresh flavors!

Perfect for adding to wraps, sandwiches, salads, hummus platters, or any other ways that you love to serve falafel. Or — my personal favorite — just serve them up plain with a good tahini sauce, tzatziki or hummus for dipping! This falafel recipe also freezes well, if you’d like to make a big batch and save some for later. And bonus, it’s also naturally vegetarian, veganand gluten-free.

Basically, if you love falafel, it’s a must-try. It has been my personal favorite falafel recipe for years, and over time, thousands of our readers have made and loved these too!

The BEST Falafel Recipe | 1-Minute Video

What Is Falafel?

So exactly what is falafel? There are a million ways to make falafel, but traditionally, it is fried patties made from pureed chickpeas (or other legumes), herbs and seasonings. It can be served plain or in wraps, sandwiches, salads, or any number of other dishes. It originates from the Middle East, although it has risen to fame as one of the most popular street foods that you can find now all over the world. And it isdelicious.

Falafel Ingredients:

As I said, there are endless variations out there for various ingredients that you can use to make falafel. But for this recipe, you will need:

How To Make Falafel:

I’ve included alternate instructions below for if you would like to deep-fry or bake your falafel. But for this easy pan-fried version (my favorite), simply…

Roughly puréeyour ingredients.You can either do this in a food processor (my recommendation), a stand mixer, or a blender. Pulse until the mixture reaches a fine-grain texture (kind of like coarse sand, ideally not overly mushy).
Chill.Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover andrefrigerate for a few hours until chilled. (Or you can speed this process up by spreading the mixture out in a shallow layer and popping it in the freezer for 30-45 minutes until chilled.)
Form into patties. Use a medium (2-tablespoon) cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop out 2 tablespoons of the mixture, and then use your hands to shape it into a ball. Lay the ball on a parchment-covered sheet, then gently flatten it slightly with your hand so that it is about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough mixture.
Pan-fry the falafel. Heat the oil over medium-heat. Then carefully add about 4-5 falafel to the oil and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side until browned and crispy. Transfer the falafels to a plate lined with paper-towels to soak up any extra oil. Repeat with the remaining falafels.
Serve!Then serve them up while they’re nice and warm and crispy, and enjoy!

Possible Recipe Variations:

Feel free to get creative and have fun swapping in different falafel ingredients that sound good to you. Some possible falafel recipe variations could include:

Add different spices:I didn’t want this recipe below to get too long, but I also really love adding in a pinch of ground cardamom, coriander, cinnamon and/or turmeric to my falafel mix too.
Add different herbs:I’m partial to also subbing in some fresh mint as part of the parsley/cilantro mixture. But feel free to get creative and add in whatever other fresh herbs might sound good too.
Add veggies:Really just about any fresh veggies could be added to falafel as well in place of (or in addition to) the chickpeas. Just be sure that they are not too juicy, or you will need to add in more dry ingredients to balance the veggie moisture out.
Use different legumes:If chickpeas aren’t your thing, falafel can also be made with different legumes such as fava beans, lentils, white beans, black beans, etc. (Or if you do not eat legumes, I’ve successfully subbed in raw cauliflower for the chickpeas before.)
Make them gluten-free:I have made these withBob’s Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, and they turned out great.

Ways To Serve Falafel:

There arecountlessdelicious ways to serve falafel! Some classics include:

Falafel sandwiches/wraps:Typically made with pita or a large wrap tortilla, then filled with lettuce, tomatoes, veggies, maybe feta cheese and some sort of sauce (tzatziki, tahini sauce, baba ganoush or hummus)
Falafel salads:Crispy falafel make a great addition to salads! I’m especially partial to adding mine to my Everyday Mediterranean Salad (or even to a good Caesar!).
Falafel bowls:Any bowls made with a base of salad, rice or orzo, veggies…you name it.
Dippers:My favorite way to serve falafel…on its own with your favorite sauce! I’m especially partial to serving falafel withhummusortzatziki saucefor dipping. Or to make a quick tahini sauce, just stir together equal parts tahini and water, plus a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of ground cumin.

Falafel FAQ:

How to bake falafel:Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F on a greased baking sheet, flipping once halfway through.

How to deep-fry falafel:Either using a deep fryer — or just filling a stockpot with a few inches of oil — heat oil to 375°F. Carefully lower the falafels into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until deep golden and crunchy on the outside. Transfer falafel to a tray lined with paper towels to drain.

How to freeze falafel:You can freeze cooked falafel in a sealed container for up to 3 months. ButI recommend doughbeforebaking, if you can. Form the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thenonce you’re ready to make the falafel, let the dough thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then shape into patties and pan-fry as directed.

Falafel

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, tightly-packed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, tightly-packed
1/2 cup dicedred or yellow onion
1/3 cup flour (such as all-purpose, white whole wheat, chickpea, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 small garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
4–6 tablespoons high-heat oil(such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil or vegetable oil)
for serving: pita bread, chopped lettuce, sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, tahini sauce and/or hummus

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Instructions

Add chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, onion, flour, lemon juice, baking powder, cumin, salt, black pepper and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture reaches a coarse crumb texture, stopping partway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Transfer mixture to a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until chilled.
Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Using a spoon or a medium cookie scoop, measure out 2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ballwith your hands. Place the ball on the parchment paper, and gentlyflatten it slightly with your hand so that it is about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the remainingdough until all of the falafel disks are prepared.
Heatoil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Carefully transfer 4 or 5 falafel disks to the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until both sides of the disk are browned. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining falafel disks, adding extra oil to the pan if need be.
Serve the falafels immediately while they are warm and crispy. Or freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

Notes

This recipe requires 10 minutes prep time, plus 1-2 hours time to chill the falafel before cooking.

This post contains affiliate links.

posted on June 14, 2019 by Ali

Appetizers, Dairy-free, Main Dishes, Mediterranean-Inspired, Sides, Vegetarian

199 Comments »

The BEST Falafel Recipe! | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

Why can't you use canned chickpeas for falafel? ›

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

What is the best binder for falafel? ›

Many recipes use egg or flour as a binding agent. I prefer to chill falafel instead, as it keeps them nice and airy with no added filler. Don't skip the chill! It's necessary to ensure they maintain their shape.

Know More ›

Why is my falafel not crispy? ›

For the crispiest, most authentic falafel, fry them in oil.

If you prefer, I've included baking and pan-frying options in the recipe, but frying is the way to go for that perfect falafel texture.

Discover More ›

Why do you soak chickpeas for falafel? ›

Dried Chickpeas: The base ingredient for falafel; they provide the structure and texture. Soaking them overnight (or using the quick-soak method) ensures they are soft enough to blend but firm enough to hold together during cooking.

Explore More ›

Do you have to rinse canned chickpeas before cooking? ›

If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.

Learn More Now ›

Is falafel healthy? ›

Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.

How to get falafel to bind? ›

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

Tell Me More ›

Is it better to deep fry or air fry falafel? ›

Or you could air fry them.

It's true that the falafel cooked this way doesn't get 100 percent as crispy as a traditional deep fry, but it's very close. Plus, the the easy clean-up and use of less oil make it totally worth it.

Keep Reading ›

Why is my falafel disintegrating in the oil? ›

Insufficient oil can contribute to the issue of falafel falling apart during frying as the balls may succumb to the pressure of bubbles forming, causing the mixture to break apart as it cooks.

Learn More ›

Why add baking soda to falafel? ›

The baking soda is meant to be added just 5-15 minutes before frying! If you don't have baking soda, then use baking powder instead. Don't skip this ingredient as it helps your falafel become airy and soft rather than tough and dense.

Why add baking soda to soaking chickpeas? ›

By adding baking soda, you are increasing the pH of the water and making it more alkaline. This helps break down the pectin in the chickpeas which softens their skins better and faster. This is especially important when you are making hummus and want the creamiest consistency possible.

Find Out More ›

What happens if you don't pre soak chickpeas? ›

Generally, if you did not pre soak the chickpeas, they will take 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 6 to 8 hours on LOW to become tender. You can shorten the cooking time by preheating the water in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes before adding to the beans. Pour the dry chickpeas into a saucepan and cover with 3 inches of water.

Get More Info ›

Can I use canned chickpeas instead of dried chickpeas? ›

The only difference is that canned chickpeas tend to be moist and hold extra liquid. This can make your hummus runnier than if you used dried chickpeas soaked overnight. Go ahead and try making hummus with canned chickpeas - it should still be delicious!

Show Me More ›

Can you use chickpeas from the can? ›

Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.

Can I use canned chickpeas for chickpea flour? ›

Can you make chickpea flour with canned chickpeas? You can. But you'll need to dehydrate them before making flour. You can do this by drying them out in the oven or using a dehydrator.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the difference between canned chickpeas and cooked chickpeas? ›

Before consumption, you have to soak them in water for a couple of hours, and then cook them for at least 45 minutes (to reduce cooking time, use an instant pot). You can then add them to different recipes and preparations. On the other hand, canned chickpeas are already pre-cooked and, most of the time, pre-seasoned.

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