Traditional Middle Eastern crispy falafel is made with ground chickpeas, herbs, and spices. Naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten- and dairy-free, falafel is perfect in wraps, pitas, and salads. It can be baked or fried, depending on your preference.
📍Middle East
I'm embarrassed to admit this, but the first time I tried falafel I did not like it at all.
Hold on a second. Why in the world would I start my falafel recipe with a sentence like that, you ask? Well, I guess you'll just have to keep reading!
The first time I tried falafel it was at a mall food court from a crappy fast food gyro restaurant (you know the kind). The falafel was soggy and the flavor just felt off. Barf. So not a fan.
But, I can't say that a mall food court is a great way to be introduced to a new food.
Fast forward to when we traveled to the Middle East several years later. I'll admit, I was a little hesitant to give falafel another go after my first experience, but my goodness, I am sure glad I did! The true authentic falafel I tried from a street vendor in Israel blew that crappy American stuff right out of the water. This falafel was freshly baked, crispy on the outside and full of flavor! The way good falafel should be.
Since trying falafel abroad, I've been dying to make it. So here we are!
You'll be impressed with how easy it is to make. You basically just whir all of the ingredients in a blender, shape the mixture into balls, and then fry it or bake it and voila! So so easy!
If you like this recipe, you'll also want to try my other Middle Eastern inspired recipes!
FAQs
Yes, you can use canned chickpeas. Make sure to drain and rinse them before using. However, the texture may differ slightly, and you may need to adjust the flour amount to compensate for the extra moisture.
If the mixture is too sticky, add more chickpea flour a tablespoon at a time until you can easily form the balls. Refrigerating the mixture for a few hours will also help firm it up.
More Middle Eastern Recipes
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📋 Recipe
Crispy Falafel
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas soaked overnight
- 1 large onion chopped
- ½ bunch parsley chopped
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chickpea flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Add chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, and garlic to blender. Pulse until well-blende. Stir in cumin, salt, coriander, pepper, chickpea flour and baking powder.
- Refrigerate mixture for 2-3 hours. Using a cookie scoop, form mixture into balls. Add more flour if necessary if mixture is too sticky.
Fried Version:
- Add oil to a sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350F.
- Working in batches, add falafel to the pan turning until it has reached a golden brown color and is crispy in texture. Let cool on a paper towel lined plate. Serve hot.
Baked Version:
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place falafel balls on baking sheet and bake falafel for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are calculated based on baking the falafel. Frying the falafel will increase the caloric intake.
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