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Lunch Dinner Vegetarian Middle Eastern
4.9 from 20 votes

Falafel

Jump to RecipePrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru 10 Comments

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pin for falafel.

Sink your teeth into this classic Middle Eastern delicacy! This vegan Falafel is chewy and tender on the inside, with a crispy fried exterior to create the perfect bite. These meatless morsels are easy to make and pack a ton of flavor!

overhead of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.

If you’ve never had falafel before, you’re in for a treat! This meatless morsel is one of my favorite things to order at a Middle Eastern restaurant, but you know I always say: nothing beats homemade! Hosting a fluffy, herbaceous interior, with a crispy brown outer crust, it’s the perfect vegan bite.

This Falafel is packed with fiber, thanks to all the chickpeas it’s loaded with! Combined with plenty of fresh parsley and cilantro, amplified with an abundance fresh garlic, and a sprinkle of simple, bright seasoning.

Why This Falafel Recipe Works

  • Easy To Make
  • Fresh And Flavorful
  • Vegan
  • Simple Ingredient List
  • Make Ahead And Freezer Friendly

Incredibly easy to make, crispy on the outside and insanely flavorful! What more could you ask for? It’s light, fresh and packed full of zesty bright flavors, and did I mention it’s vegan? Because it is! It has that perfect chewy texture on the inside and a great crispy crunch every time you take a bite. Falafel for the win!

Ingredient Notes

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make falafel.

Falafel

  • Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained. You can use dried chickpeas, you’ll just have to soak them overnight in water and a little bit of baking soda to soften them.
  • Herbs – Fresh parsley and cilantro, roughly chopped. Other herbs you can use is fresh dill.
  • Garlic – Fresh is best, also use as much as you like.
  • Green Onions – Roughly chopped. You can also substitute with regular yellow onions or even red onions.
  • Spices – Ground cumin, salt and pepper.
  • Baking Powder – Baking powder will make the falafels fluffier and more moist inside. 
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour because I find it works best.

For Frying

  • Olive Oil – Substitute canola or vegetable oil.

How To Make Falafel

detailed process shots showing how to make falafel.
  1. Pulse Ingredients: Add all the falafel ingredients to a food processor and process until finely chopped and mixture holds together.
  2. Chill: Transfer mixture to a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until chilled. To speed up this process, you can transfer it to a freezer for 30 to 45 minutes until chilled.
  3. Shape Into Patties: Shape into patties of your preferred size. Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop out some of the mixture, roll it into a ball then flatten it a bit in between your palms to resemble a patty. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  4. Fry: Heat the ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties, but do not over-crowd and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned. Repeat with remaining patties. Transfer the patties to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
  5. Serve: Serve with pita bread, tzatziki sauce and tabbouleh salad.
closeup of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.

FAQs & Expert Tips

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Falafel?

This Middle Eastern dish originated in Egypt, but is popular world wide nowadays, for good reason! It’s base is a mixture typically made from either chickpeas, garbanzo or fava beans, loaded with fresh herbs and spices and shaped into a patty or small ball before being fried.

Why Did My Falafel Fall Apart While Frying?

This can happen if the mixture is too wet, or you haven’t refrigerated the mixture. Make sure you pat dry the chickpeas as much as possible. The flour also aids in keeping the falafel intact, so if you find the mixture is still to add add a bit more flour or even breadcrumbs.

Can I Bake My Falafel Instead?

If you’re looking to cut out calories or fat and want to avoid frying, falafel is great baked or made in the air fryer!
OVEN: Bake in a preheat oven at 375°F for 30 minutes on a greased baking sheet, flipping once halfway through.
AIR FRYER: Spray the falafel with non stick cooking spray and allow to bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Can I Make Falafel In Advance?

Absolutely! These can be made days or months in advance. Scroll down to “leftovers/freezing” sections below for full instructions.

overhead of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.

Important Tips

  1. Do not over-crowd your pan when frying! We want to ensure they cook evenly and have room to breathe.
  2. Make sure to refrigerate the falafel mixture for at least an hour or overnight, this will aid in shaping the falafel, ensuring they keep their shape.
  3. Don’t worry about removing the skin from your chickpeas. It isn’t necessary. But DO make sure to rinse and drain completely.
  4. If you don’t have any fresh herbs and dried is all you have on hand, just keep in mind that 1 teaspoon dried equals 1 tablespoon fresh.
  5. You can definitely use dried chickpeas rather than canned, some even prefer to use dried for all that flavor it gives. For this to work, you’ll need to soak your chickpeas for at LEAST 12 hours. Place them in a large bowl and fill with water till they’re all covered and allow to soak for 12 – 24 hours. *Overnight soaking is best.
  6. Don’t skip the baking powder, this will make the falafel fluffier on the inside.
falafel on a flatbread with tzatziki and feta.

How To Serve

My favorite way, it may be the only way but, I always, ALWAYS serve my falafels on flatbreads, with tzatziki sauce and tabbouleh salad for a true mediterranean inspired meal. Please note, once you serve it this way, it’s no longer vegan.

Storing Leftovers

You can store these treats in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days, which leaves lots of time to cook up different dishes to incorporate them into!

Freezing

Falafel can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Just allow to thaw at room temperature before warming back up to temperature in the oven. You can also freeze uncooked falafel patties. Simply place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash freeze them for 1 hour, then place them in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen.

overhead of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.

More Great Recipes To Try

  • Vegan Tofu Breakfast Burritos
  • Chickpea Salad
  • Tabbouleh
  • Indian Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken
  • Zucchini Patties
  • Best Ever Hummus

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

overhead of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.
Print
4.91 from 20 votes

Falafel

Prep 30 minutes
Chilling time 1 hour
Cook 15 minutes
Total 1 hour 45 minutes
Rate Recipe
Sink your teeth into this classic Middle Eastern delicacy! This vegan Falafel is chewy and tender on the inside, with a crispy fried exterior to create the perfect bite. These meatless morsels are easy to make and pack a ton of flavor!
8

Ingredients

Falafel

  • 15 ounce chickpeas ((garbanzo beans) 1 can, rinsed and drained)
  • 1 cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4 green onions (roughly chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper (ground)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

For Frying

  • ¼ cup olive oil

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Pulse Ingredients: Add all the falafel ingredients to a food processor and process until finely chopped and mixture holds together.
  • Chill: Transfer mixture to a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until chilled. To speed up this process, you can transfer it to a freezer for 30 to 45 minutes until chilled.
  • Shape Into Patties: Shape into patties of your preferred size. Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop out some of the mixture, roll it into a ball then flatten it a bit in between your palms to resemble a patty. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  • Fry: Heat the ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties, but do not over-crowd and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned. Repeat with remaining patties. Transfer the patties to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
  • Serve: Serve with pita bread, tzatziki sauce and tabbouleh salad.

Equipment

  • KitchenAid 7-cup Food Processor

Notes

  1. Recipe yields about 24 falafel on the smaller size. Nutritional information is for 3 falafel.
  2. Do not over-crowd your pan when frying! We want to ensure they cook evenly and have room to breathe.
  3. Make sure to refrigerate the falafel mixture for at least an hour or overnight, this will aid in shaping the falafel, ensuring they keep their shape.
  4. Don’t worry about removing the skin from your chickpeas. It isn’t necessary. But DO make sure to rinse and drain completely.
  5. If you don’t have any fresh herbs and dried is all you have on hand, just keep in mind that 1 teaspoon dried equals 1 tablespoon fresh.
  6. You can definitely use dried chickpeas rather than canned, some even prefer to use dried for all that flavor it gives. For this to work, you’ll need to soak your chickpeas for at LEAST 12 hours. Place them in a large bowl and fill with water till they’re all covered and allow to soak for 12 – 24 hours. *Overnight soaking is best.
  7. Don’t skip the baking powder, this will make the falafel fluffier on the inside.
  8. OVEN INSTRUCTIONS: Bake in a preheat oven at 375°F for 30 minutes on a greased baking sheet, flipping once halfway through.
  9. AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS: Spray the falafel with non stick cooking spray and allow to bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
  10. You can store these treats in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days, which leaves lots of time to cook up different dishes to incorporate them into!
  11. Falafel can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Just allow to thaw at room temperature before warming back up to temperature in the oven. You can also freeze uncooked falafel patties. Simply place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash freeze them for 1 hour, then place them in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 3falafelCalories: 169kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 19g (6%)Protein: 6g (12%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Sodium: 156mg (7%)Potassium: 257mg (7%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 841IU (17%)Vitamin C: 13mg (16%)Calcium: 57mg (6%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

overhead of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.

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Home Recipes
Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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10 Comments
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DJ, Spokane Valley
DJ, Spokane Valley
Posted: 7 months ago

Like Janet, I’d like to use soaked dried chickpeas. Since your recipe calls for the 15 oz. can to be drained, I’m unsure what the net weight of the beans would be or how that equates to dried soaked chickpeas. I did an internet search and they recommended soaking a heaping 1/2 cup of dried beans to end up with the equivalent of a 15 oz. can. I’ll try it and post a comment with the results.

PS everytime my husband and I try to make falefals with canned beans, they want to fall apart when deep fried. I will try your method of pan frying to see if that helps. It sure would be easier to use canned beans if I can convince my husband.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  DJ, Spokane Valley
Posted: 7 months ago

Yes, please let me know how that turns out. I do have an FAQ here in the post as to why your falafels could be falling apart. I know I’ve had that issue too, so please read that, it might help.

0
Reply
Celina
Celina
Reply to  DJ, Spokane Valley
Posted: 16 days ago

So for a recipe that calls for one 15-ounce can of beans, you can cook 3/4 cup (4.5 ounces) of the dried version and be in the ballpark.

Last edited Posted: 16 days ago by Celina
0
Reply
Nancy
Nancy
Posted: 10 months ago

5 stars
I made these falafel patties yesterday and cooked them today for our lunch. They turned out great. I served them in pita bread with tomatoes/cucumber and tahini sauce. I plan to make them again in my air fryer. Definitely a recipe that will be on my go-to list.

0
Reply
Ivy Minsky
Ivy Minsky
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
This recipe is a keeper! Loved by my whole family. YUM

0
Reply
Marnie Wolf
Marnie Wolf
Posted: 2 years ago

Amazing. Two of us “ate the whole thing”.

0
Reply
Amy Gershen
Amy Gershen
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
I’d never made falafel before and this recipe was super easy and delicious. I made the tomato cucumber salad from your chicken souvlaki recipe with your tzaziki (made from your homemade yogurt recipe). Better than a restaurant. Jo, you’re the best!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Amy Gershen
Posted: 2 years ago

So happy to hear this!

0
Reply
Janet Levy
Janet Levy
Posted: 2 years ago

I’ve made Israeli falafel with rehydrated dried garbanzo beans.

To use your recipe, what is the recommended weight or measurement for the soaked beans? You recommend a 15 oz. can of chickpeas and liquid but not the net weight of the beans.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Janet Levy
Posted: 2 years ago

You need a 15 oz can, drained, that’s all.

0
Reply

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Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
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Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

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