Easy Falafel Recipe – Crispy and Flavorful Recipe
This easy falafel recipe yields crispy, flavorful falafel balls or patties that hold together well without falling apart. Made with soaked chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warm spices, these falafel can be fried or baked, perfect for serving in pita pockets, mezze platters, or salads. The recipe includes tips for soaking chickpeas, forming falafel, and achieving a perfectly crisp exterior with a tender inside.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 18-24 hours soaking time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes frying or 15-20 minutes baking
- Total Time: 25 minutes active prep and cook time (plus soaking time)
- Yield: 15 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Falafel Mixture
- 1 ½ cup soaked chickpeas, drained (250 g)
- ½ small yellow onion
- 2 – 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup fresh packed spinach or parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
Additional Ingredients
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- Frying oil (vegetable or canola oil), as needed for frying (about 2 inches deep in pan)
Instructions
- Soak Chickpeas: Soak ¾ cup (150g) dried chickpeas in cold water, ensuring water covers them by at least 3 inches. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours, optionally adding ½ tsp baking soda to soften chickpeas. They will swell to about 1 ½ cups after soaking.
- Drain and Rinse: Drain the chickpeas from soaking water and rinse well with fresh water to remove remnants of soaking liquid.
- Process Ingredients: Pat chickpeas dry with a clean cloth. Add chickpeas, onion, garlic, and fresh spinach or parsley along with salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture reaches a couscous-like texture—crumbly but fine enough to hold together without becoming a paste.
- Chill Mixture: Cover the falafel mixture and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to enhance flavors and firm up mixture for easier shaping. If pressed for time, you may cook immediately.
- Add Baking Powder and Sesame Seeds: Remove mixture from fridge and stir in baking powder and toasted sesame seeds thoroughly.
- Form Falafel: Using hands or a small cookie scoop, form the mixture into uniform balls or patties, compacting well to ensure they hold shape.
- Fry Falafel: Heat about 2 inches of frying oil in a dutch oven or heavy pan over medium heat. Test oil temperature by dipping handle of wooden spoon—small bubbles indicate readiness. Fry 6 falafel at a time, for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Bake Falafel (Alternative): Place shaped falafel on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even browning.
- Serve: Enjoy falafel with lemon tahini dressing, in pita bread, as part of a mezze platter, or a power bowl with your favorite accompaniments.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cooked falafel can be frozen and reheated in the oven or in a pan. Uncooked patties can also be frozen and baked later. If frying from frozen, allow to defrost first to avoid oil splatter.
Notes
- Soaking chickpeas overnight is essential for proper texture and to prevent falafel from falling apart.
- Baking powder helps lighten the falafel and improve texture.
- Toasting sesame seeds enhances their nutty flavor.
- Use a food processor to achieve the ideal falafel consistency—avoid overprocessing to prevent pasty mixture.
- Frying yields a crispier falafel, but baking is a healthier alternative.
- Falafel can be frozen both cooked and uncooked for convenience.
- Be cautious when frying frozen falafel due to water content causing oil splatter.
