Description
This traditional falafel recipe offers crispy, golden patties made from soaked chickpeas blended with fresh herbs and spices. Perfectly fried to achieve a crunchy exterior and tender interior, these falafels are ideal served warm or at room temperature with tahini or yogurt sauce. Versatile and vegetarian-friendly, they’re a delicious Middle Eastern staple for any meal.
Ingredients
Falafel Mixture
- 2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed and picked over
- 8 scallions, light and dark green parts, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
For Frying
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about ¼-inch in pan)
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas: Place chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with water about 4 inches above them, and soak for 24 hours, adding more water if needed as they swell. Alternatively, for a quick soak, boil chickpeas in a pot covered with water for 5 minutes, remove from heat, and let stand for 1 hour.
- Prepare the Mixture: Drain chickpeas and combine in a food processor with scallions, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Pulse until chickpeas are finely minced and mixture is well-moistened enough to bind together. Scrape the sides as needed and process until mixture holds when shaped, ensuring the falafel won’t fall apart during cooking.
- Form the falafel: Using heaping tablespoonfuls, shape the mixture into patties roughly ½ inch thick and 1½ inches wide. If mixture sticks to hands, moisten with water to ease shaping. The patties should be compact and hold together well.
- Cook the falafel: Heat about ¼-inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Add half the falafel patties carefully; they should sizzle on contact. Fry for about 4 to 5 minutes total, turning once the first side is golden to achieve even browning. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining patties. Serve warm or at room temperature with tahini or yogurt sauce.
- Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions: You can prepare the mixture and form patties a day ahead, storing uncooked patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the refrigerator, then fry when ready. For freezing, place shaped patties on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to freezer bags and store up to 3 months. Fry directly from frozen, adding extra cook time. Cooked falafel can be refrigerated up to three days or frozen after cooking; reheat in a 325°F oven for 10–15 minutes until warm.
Notes
- The falafel mixture needs to be finely processed to bind well and prevent crumbling during frying.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying—falafel should sizzle immediately on contact.
- Use fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro to add brightness and authentic flavor.
- Nutritional info assumes about 2 tablespoons of oil is absorbed during frying.
- Leftover falafels can be reheated in the oven for best texture retention.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 24 hours soaking time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
