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
- 4–6 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.