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Crispy Falafel

Freshly fried falafel in paper wraps (illustrative)
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Illustrative stock photos, not this exact recipe. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients in this recipe

Tap any ingredient to read its history, origin and where it is used.

Falafel are crisp, herb-green fritters made from ground chickpeas. They are eaten in pita with salad and tahini sauce, or as part of a mezze platter.

The secret is to use dried chickpeas that have been soaked, never canned ones, which turn into a paste and fall apart when fried.

Recipe label: Based on traditional technique. Photo: illustrative stock photo, not the finished dish from this exact recipe.

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Photo credits: Photo 1: abu adel on Pexels; Photo 2: Smitha Nittur on Pexels; Photo 3: Ali Dashti on Pexels. Free stock photos, used under the Unsplash or Pexels license and shown here as illustrations only.

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Rest Time 480 mins
Total Time 8 hrs 40 mins
Cooking Method:
Cuisine: ,
Courses: ,
Servings: 4
Description
Crispy homemade falafel made from soaked dried chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, cumin and garlic. Serve in pita with tahini sauce.
Ingredients
    For the falafel
  • 250 g dried chickpeas (soaked in plenty of water for 8 to 12 hours, then drained)
  • 1 small onion (roughly chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 large handful fresh parsley
  • 1 large handful fresh cilantro
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour, to bind)
  • oil (for frying)
Instructions
  1. 1
    Drain the soaked chickpeas well and pat dry. Do not cook them.
  2. 2
    Pulse the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro in a food processor until finely chopped and crumbly but not a smooth paste.
  3. 3
    Mix in the cumin, coriander, salt and flour. Chill for 30 minutes.
  4. 4
    Shape into small balls or patties with damp hands.
  5. 5
    Heat about 5 cm of oil to 175 C / 350 F in a heavy pot. Fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp.
  6. 6
    Drain on a rack or paper towels and serve warm with tahini sauce, pickles and pita.
Note
Use a thermometer and keep the oil from smoking. Be careful with hot oil. Raw chickpeas must be soaked, and the falafel must be cooked through. Contains gluten if wheat flour is used; use chickpea flour to make it gluten-free.
Read it online: https://culinary-artisan.com/recipe/falafel/