Middle Eastern cuisine has a culinary wonder almost everyone loves and craves after trying it for the first time: falafel.
These delicious chickpea balls and luscious herbs are among the tastiest naturally vegan dishes you’ll ever eat. Also, they’re so versatile!
Whether fried or baked, falafel goes well with pitas, wraps, sandwiches, and more! If you want to enjoy it better, you can serve it with just a Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad, hummus, and a little tahini sauce for a simple but unforgettable meal!
Many love falafel but find the recipe hard to make. However, that’s not the case! Although there are multiple steps to follow, it’s an easy recipe, and you can get the best results with only the right ingredients.
Are you ready to prepare the best falafel you’ve ever tasted without traveling to Israel, Egypt, or Jordan? Find all the details you need here!
What Is Falafel?
Considered a popular Middle Eastern fast food, falafel is a dish made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, herbs, and spices. All the ingredients are mixed and shaped into small balls or patties that you can then fry or bake for a crispy texture on the outside.
Many believe that falafel originated in Egypt when Coptic Christians began looking for a hearty replacement for meat during Lent or long periods of fasting.
In Egypt and throughout the Middle East, falafel is a popular vegan food. These delicious balls are most locals’ daily food, and street vendors in almost all neighborhoods still offer them.
While you can eat falafel alone, this dish is often served in a sandwich with lots of salad, tahini, and grilled or fried eggplant.
Falafel sounds complex, but you can make this recipe with ingredients you probably have at home. Just make sure you buy high-quality spices, such as cilantro and cumin, for the best results.
Ingredients to Make Falafel
If you want to make falafel at home, here are the ingredients you need:
- 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (if you use canned chickpeas, the texture may be different)
- 2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 cup onion, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 small green chile pepper (you can also use serrano or jalapeño pepper)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp chickpea flour
- Vegetable oil for frying
Cooking Instructions
Once you have all the ingredients, it’s time to start preparing the delicious falafel. These are the steps you should follow:
- Put the dried chickpeas in a bowl with water the night before
- Let them soak until the next day
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas (you don’t have to repeat this step too many times)
- Add the chickpeas, onion, pepper, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cardamom to a food processor
- Pulse the food processor several times until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand
- Put the mixture in a bowl and add the baking soda and chickpea flour
- Mix all the ingredients until perfectly combined
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or an hour
- Form small balls or patties using your hands (you can also use an ice cream scoop or a falafel scoop if you have one)
- Once the balls or patties are formed, cook the falafel using your preferred method!
Three Different Ways to Cook Falafel
Is the falafel ready to cook? You can deep fry, pan-fry, or bake it! All three methods are perfect for giving these chickpeas and herbs balls a crispy outside and soft inside texture. You only have to choose the one you like the most!
Deep Frying Falafel
If you want to deep fry your falafel, just heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat until it reaches 350F. Many people use avocado oil, but any variety works well.
Once the oil reaches the desired temperature, carefully drop the balls there. Ideally, you can fry about six balls or little patties at a time, but it depends on the pot you use.
Let the falafel fry for a minute or two or until each ball is golden brown on the outside. After that, using a skimmer, remove them and place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
Pan Frying Falafel
Don’t want to use too much oil? You can also pan-fry your falafel. In this case, you should only add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil to a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, carefully place each ball on the pan. Cook each side for two-three minutes or until golden. Then, transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined plate.
Baking Falafel
For a healthier version, you can bake the falafel instead of frying it. Although the procedure is different, the result will be very similar, so don’t worry about the texture!
To bake the falafel, preheat your oven to 425F. Put parchment paper on a tray and spray or brush it with oil.
After that, place each ball on the baking sheet and lightly spray or brush the top side with oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Halfway through the time, flip the falafel to make sure they’re evenly cooked or browned.
If you want an even healthier version, bake the falafel on a silicone mat without oil. However, keep in mind that the balls will be a little less browned and crisp.
Tips to Make Homemade Falafel
Do you want to cook perfect falafel and enjoy its delicious flavor the best way? Follow these tips:
- If you notice the mixture is too moist after using the food processor, add more chickpea flour.
- You can also add a teaspoon or two of water or lemon juice if the mixture is too dry and crumbly.
- Make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot. Otherwise, the outside of the balls will cook too quickly, even before the inside can heat up properly. If necessary, use a thermometer.
- Use dried chickpeas if possible, as they’ll give your falafel better flavor and texture. Also, they’re rich in starch, which helps the balls or patties stay well-shaped.
- Always put the mixture in the fridge for at least an hour before forming the balls or patties.
- If you are frying the falafel, don’t crowd the balls into the pan.
- Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water to make the dried chickpeas soften more easily.
Common Substitutions and Additions
If you want to get the best results when preparing falafel and keep this dish’s authentic flavor, you must use the right ingredients. However, you can consider the following recommendations if you don’t have one or two at home.
Dried Chickpeas
Dried chickpeas are key to preparing falafel. Actually, canned or cooked chickpeas aren’t an option if you plan to make this dish.
If you really can’t find dried chickpeas and are craving falafel, you can try making this recipe with another version. However, keep in mind that the result can be very different.
Also, if you use canned chickpeas, you may have to add more flour, as they tend to be more brittle or don’t hold together while cooking.
Onion
To cook falafel, you can use any onion variety! As long as you choose fresh vegetables, you’ll love the final result.
Herbs
In addition to the chickpea, parsley and cilantro are key in this recipe. However, you can also add some dill for a more delicious touch!
Spices
Cumin is also essential to give the falafel its authentic and bold flavor, but you can use other spices. Cayenne pepper also goes well with this recipe.
Garlic
If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can also use garlic powder. However, as mentioned, fresh vegetables and herbs are best for this recipe.
Baking Soda
To give the falafel an airy and fluffy texture, you should add baking soda. If you don’t have this ingredient, you can also use baking powder. Both are perfect if you don’t want the balls to be too dense.
FAQs
Do you have more questions about how to prepare falafel at home? Find the answers here:
How Can I Serve Falafel?
Since they’re hot and crispy, falafel balls are best immediately after being fried or baked. You can go Middle Eastern style and serve them with a generous amount of tahini sauce.
However, you can also make a sandwich by stuffing a warm pita with falafel, fresh greens, sliced tomatoes, pickles, tahini sauce, and cilantro!
Falafel can also be a delicious side dish. You only have to serve it with other small foods, such as fried eggplant or tabouli salad.
Can I Make This Recipe Ahead and Freeze It?
Yes, of course! You can store your prepared falafel mixture in the fridge for 1-2 days and only form the balls or patties when you’re ready to fry them.
If you want to store falafel for longer, you can place the uncooked balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper and freeze them for at least an hour. Then, transfer the hardened falafel to a freezer bag and freeze it for a month or more.
Can I Bake Falafel in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can! Follow the same steps to bake your falafel in a traditional oven, but place them in your air fryer basket instead.
Conclusion
Whether you love vegetarian food or just want to eat something different, you can enjoy falafel flavor and texture from the first bite!
In addition, you can adapt this delicious dish to your needs and preferences. With just a few changes, falafel can be healthier, crispier, and more delicious. You only have to follow the right techniques and choose high-quality ingredients!
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