The Tastiest Easy Falafel Recipe
The perfect blend of chickpeas, fresh herbs, spices, and aromatics like onion and garlic make this easy falafel recipe stand out amongst the rest.
Servings 24 falafel balls
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon baking soda to soak chickpeas
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 cup parsley roughly chopped
- 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or chickpea flour
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Soak the Dried Chickpeas
- Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl. Fill with water to cover the chickpeas, then continue filling to about 3 inches above the top of the chickpeas. (The chickpeas will absorb the water as they plump up about 3x their original size).
- Add the baking soda, stir, and let soak for 12 hours (overnight).
Make the Falafel
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Drain any excess water.
- Put the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, spices, baking powder, and flour in a food processor. Pulse and blend until you achieve a fine gritty texture that is paste-like. Periodically stop and push down the mixture with a spoon or spatula and continue blending until the right consistency is achieved. (Please refer to the photos in the post).You may need to pulse the ingredients in 2 batches based on the size of your food processor.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour. This makes it easier to form into balls.
- Take the mixture out and use a spoon or ice cream scoop to make equal-sized balls. Form a semi-flattened ball in your palm and set on a plate.
- In a deep fryer or medium-sized saucepan, fill with 1 ½-2 inches of oil. Heat it up to 350°F.
- Gently place 5-6 falafel balls in the hot oil. It should take about 3-4 minutes to turn golden brown. If the oil is too hot, it will brown the outside too quickly.
- Set the cooked falafel on a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil. Continue frying the rest of the falafel in batches.
- Serve warm and freshly made with tahini sauce, tzatziki sauce, and freshly sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Vegetable Oil: Use an oil with a high smoke point. Options include canola oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, or sunflower oil.
Texture of the Falafel Mixture: The mixture will be delicate to the touch. As long as the ball stays together as you gently form them, they will stay together in the hot oil. If the mixture is too wet and won't hold, then add a tablespoon of flour and mix it in. If the mixture is too dry and won't hold, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency. Be sure to attempt to form a ball first before adjusting the consistency.
How to Store Falafel: You can store the falafel in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You may also freeze the cooked falafel balls in a freezer-safe bag and thaw when you're ready to serve it again. Once it is thawed, warm it up in a toaster oven on toast for about 2 minutes.
How to Reheat Falafel: Reheating falafel is simple. Pop the falafels into a toaster oven and set at toast for about 2 minutes. This will re-crisp the outside and warm up the inside.