This Falafel Recipe is one of my favorite recipes on the blog! After eating plenty of falafel in my life, I finally decided to recreate my own. This recipe is so easy to make at home and perfect if you don’t live near a Middle Eastern Restaurant! My biggest tip with this recipe is to not rush it. The chickpeas need time to soak and rest for the very best texture!
Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!
Fluffy, crispy, delicious falafel is a crowd pleaser. It’s vegan (made with no meat, just garbanzo beans) and flavored by the perfect mix of herbs and spices. It’s also filling and packed with protein to leave even the hungriest member of your group fully satisfied.
Falafel is considered a Middle Eastern fast food because it’s a popular choice for street vendors who sell it in a falafel sandwich. It’s inexpensive to make, comes together easily, and is perfect in a warm pita, on top of a green Greek salad, or eaten by itself.
Recipe Origins
The history of falafel is up for some debate. Most food experts seem to agree that it came from Egypt, where it was originally made with fava beans and may have roots back over a thousand years. Others argue the idea for falafel may have come from India where British officers occupying the region recreated their favorite fried fritters with fava beans.
Over time falafel has become a popular fast food option, served in balls or patties by street food vendors all over the Middle East. It’s so popular in Israel that many claim it as their national dish. It’s usually served in warm pita pockets like a sandwich, with greens, tomato and lots of tahini.
I grew up eating the absolute best falafel in my hometown, but when I moved away, I was missing it so badly! I decided to recreate my own, which I wanted to be a blend of my favorite falafel recipes: crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and with a perfectly herby flavor. I tested a few variations and finally settled on the recipe that you see here!
Why Make This Recipe
- Great Meatless Option: Not every meatless meal is a crowd pleaser, but this one is a win for sure!
- Taste of Israel: Falafel is incredibly popular across Israel and once you have a bite of it, fresh and warm, you will understand why.
- Versatile: Try using this recipe to make these Falafel Pitas or serve them on their own with sides (ideas in this What to Serve with Falafel Balls article) for a comforting but guilt-free dinner.
Key Ingredients for this Falafel Recipe
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Dry Chickpeas: Unfortunately the convenience of canned chickpeas will not work for this recipe. They will make your mixture too wet and it will fall apart during the cooking process. You must use dried, uncooked chickpeas.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley and fresh cilantro are so important to this recipe. Not only do they provide a delicious, fresh taste but they also provide beautiful color to the inside of the balls as well. If you like a stronger herb flavor or a deeper green color, you can add more herbs!
- Spices: Good spices are important for the best flavor so try to find spices that are fresh and high quality. Grinding your spices fresh will pack the most punch in terms of flavor, but I used pre-ground spices for ease. I also recommend using fresh garlic cloves for this recipe for a stronger taste that will shine next to the herbs.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder is a surprise key ingredient for this falafel recipe. The baking powder lightens the chickpeas better for the perfect, fluffy texture on the inside, but makes the mixture crisp up really well on the outside. Make sure to stick with the measurements in the recipe card, though, as too much baking powder can throw off the taste.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil or peanut oil. Olive oil does not work well for falafel because it may heat too quickly and burn the herbs, causing a bitter taste.
Tools
- Large Pot: You will need a large pot or bowl to soak your dried chickpeas
- Food Processor: The easiest way to get the best texture is to throw your ingredients into a food processor. Chopping and mixing by hand would make this recipe very difficult.
- Frying Pan: You could also cook falafel in an air fryer or bake them in the oven.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Cover chickpeas with plenty of water and let them soak for 16–18 hours until tender. Drain and pat dry.
Step 2: Pulse the soaked chickpeas, herbs, onion, and garlic in a food processor until crumbly but moldable. Add spices and blend again to combine.
Step 3: Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight. Stir in baking powder just before frying.
Step 4: Form the mixture into patties or balls and fry in 350°F oil for 3–5 minutes, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
Alternative Ways to Cook this Middle Eastern Falafel Recipe
- Pan Fry: To use less oil, you can heat up just a few tablespoons of oil in a pan to cook the balls. You will need to turn them to cook each side and cook each side for about 2-3 minutes until crispy.
- Air Fry: You can cook falafel in an air fryer. Spray each ball with a small amount of oil and place them in a single layer, not touching each other, inside your air fryer. Air fry until brown and crispy.
- Bake: To bake falafel, use a pastry brush to coat your falafel balls in oil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Flip them over half way through to make sure each side is crispy. You could bake them without oil, but they will not end up crispy.
Expert Tips
- Serve your Falafel Recipe as a sandwich on a warm pita or on top of a Greek salad. Top with lots of tahini sauce or tzatziki.
- You can add more parsley or cilantro depending on preference. Many Israeli falafel recipes are bright green (more green than this recipe) because they include so many herbs.
- Make sure to bring the oil back to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before frying the next batch so each batch cooks consistently.
- It is easier to form the falafel patties if your hands are a little wet. They can be crumbly, so make sure to cup them in your hands and press the mixture together well.
- Try adding a half a teaspoon of baking soda to the water while you soak your chickpeas. This helps soften the peas just a bit.
- Egyptian falafel uses dried fava beans, so you can swap half of the dried chickpeas for fava beans if you want a traditional twist!
How to Make Your Falafel Stick Together Better
Your falafel mixture will fall apart during cooking if it is too wet. There are two things you can do to prevent your mixture from being too wet:
- Make sure you drain your chickpeas very well before adding them to your food processor.
- Be careful not to add too much onion and herbs.
If you are too far past that, you can try adding a few tablespoons of flour to your mixture to dry it out. Chickpea flour would be the best option, but regular white flour works as well. Be careful not to add too much! The more flour you add to your falafel, the more dense they will become.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, I suggest freezing the uncooked falafel balls on a tray until they firm up. Then place the frozen balls in a ziplock bag in the freezer until you are ready to fry them up and serve.
You can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When reheating, try not to use a microwave as your leftovers will lose their crispiness and instead become soggy. I recommend reheating in an air fryer to in an oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit just until warmed through.
Did you enjoy this recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
If you tried this Falafel Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Falafel Recipe
Equipment
- Pot(s)
- Food Processor
- Frying Pan
- Plastic Wrap
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Paper Towel
Ingredients
- 16 oz dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 16 hours (do not use canned chickpeas)
- 1 cup parsley, roughly chopped & stems removed
- ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped & stems removed
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5 large garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp coriander
- ⅛ – ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, depending on preference
- 1 tsp baking powder
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cover 16 oz dried chickpeas with 6 inches of water. Cover and leave to rest for 16-18 hours until the chickpeas are tender and can be broken with your fingernail.
- Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry.
- In a food processor, add the 16 oz dried chickpeas, 1 cup parsley, ½ cup cilantro, 1 yellow onion, and 5 large garlic cloves. Turn the food processor to HIGH and process the falafel mixture until it is well broken down, fine and crumbly but will hold together if you press it with your hands (like wet sand).
- Add the spices (1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 2 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp coriander, ⅛ – ¼ tsp cayenne pepper) and process again until well combined.
- Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge and allow to rest for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Right before frying your falafel, add 1 tsp baking powder into the mixture and mix to combine.
- Add a large pot to the stove and add about 2 inches of oil to the pot. Turn the heat to high and heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using 3 Tablespoons of mixture at a time, form the falafels into patties in your hand. If preferred, you can keep them spherical like a ball.
- Drop about 5 falafel at a time into the pot, frying for 3-5 minutes, until the falafel is brown and crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain any extra grease. Continue frying in batches until all of the falafel are fried. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Dry Chickpeas: You must use dried, uncooked chickpeas.
- Fresh Herbs: If you like a stronger herb flavor or a deeper green color, you can add more herbs!
- Spices: I also recommend using fresh garlic cloves for this recipe for a stronger taste that will shine next to the herbs.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil or peanut oil. Olive oil does not work well for falafel because it may heat too quickly and burn the herbs, causing a bitter taste.
- Serve your Falafel Recipe as a sandwich on a warm pita or on top of a Greek salad. Top with lots of tahini sauce or
- You can add more parsley or cilantro depending on preference. Many Israeli falafel recipes are bright green (more green than this recipe) because they include so many herbs.
- Make sure to bring the oil back to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before frying the next batch so each batch cooks consistently.
- It is easier to form the falafel patties if your hands are a little wet. They can be crumbly, so make sure to cup them in your hands and press the mixture together well.
- Try adding a half a teaspoon of baking soda to the water while you soak your chickpeas. This helps soften the peas just a bit.
- Egyptian falafel uses dried fava beans, so you can swap half of the dried chickpeas for fava beans if you want a traditional twist!
Liliane says
This started off well until you discredited the middle east, and even Egypt and labeled it “Israeli”. Thats cultural appropriation and misleading. Its also offensive to Arab countries and culture. The USA loves it as well but you didn’t label it American? Is Pasta, Sushi, Pizza Israeli too? Please give the appropriate accurate credit where its due.
The Foreign Fork says
Hi Liliane,
I actually gave an entire history lesson on how falafel originated in Egypt and that it is popular across the Middle East. The only time I labeled this as Israeli is when I was speaking specifically about Israeli versions of the recipe, though I also mention that it is made across the Middle East. The name of the article is even “Middle Eastern Falafel Recipe” so I’m not sure how I am “discrediting the Middle East” lol. You are right to be sensitive about this issue, but I did everything you are asking of me, so I think perhaps your anger is misplaced on this one.
Mindy says
The recipe calls for 1 tsp baking powder but in your notes you say baking soda.
The Foreign Fork says
Thank you so much Mindy!! Just updated it to show that it should be baking powder 🙂
Frank says
love your recipes. I made dozens of pistachio cookies that I have never been able to find the recipe for since I had them in Italy. Got pretenders in Boston but not the same.
Do you have a cookbook?
The Foreign Fork says
Hi Frank, I am so glad that you enjoyed the Pistachio Cookie recipe! They are some of my very favorite cookies on my blog, so I LOVE when other readers love them too. Yes I actually just released a cookbook this month! You can purchase it at shop.foreignfork.com