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Falafel Recipe

Falafel

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 52 reviews
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 0 About 15-18 falafels 1x

Description

Learn how to make falafel with this easy homemade falafel recipe.  It’s bursting with zesty fresh fresh flavors, lightly pan-fried (instead of deep-fried), and perfect for falafel wraps, salads and other favorite dishes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, tightly-packed
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, tightly-packed
  • 1/2 cup diced red or yellow onion
  • 1/3 cup flour (such as all-purpose, white whole wheat, chickpea, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 46 tablespoons high-heat oil (such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil or vegetable oil)
  • for serving: pita bread, chopped lettuce, sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, tahini sauce and/or hummus

Instructions

  1. Add chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, onion, flour, lemon juice, baking powder, cumin, salt, black pepper and garlic to a food processor.  Pulse until the mixture reaches a coarse crumb texture, stopping partway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.  Transfer mixture to a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until chilled.
  2. Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on a work surface.  Using a spoon or a medium cookie scoop, measure out 2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ball with your hands.  Place the ball on the parchment paper, and gently flatten it slightly with your hand so that it is about 1/2-inch thick.  Repeat with the remaining dough until all of the falafel disks are prepared.
  3. Heat oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it is shimmering.  Carefully transfer 4 or 5 falafel disks to the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until both sides of the disk are browned.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.  Repeat with the remaining falafel disks, adding extra oil to the pan if need be.
  4. Serve the falafels immediately while they are warm and crispy.  Or freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

Notes

This recipe requires 10 minutes prep time, plus 1-2 hours time to chill the falafel before cooking.