Falafel! It’s one of my all-time favorite snacks. This homemade falafel recipe has hundreds and hundreds of positive reviews. Why? Because it’s just that delicious!
Making authentic, traditional falafel is an interesting process, and it may be brand new to you. Never fear! I am here to walk you through each step, so you can achieve crispy, tender, tasty falafel every single time.
What is Falafel?
Falafel are crisp and delicious deep-fried legume fritters made with beans, spices, onions, and herbs. Legumes are well-soaked, then ground up and mixed with other ingredients. Next, the mixture is formed into small balls or patties, then fried in hot oil. The pre-soaked legumes are cooked during the frying process.
Most falafel today is made with chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). However, in Egypt and other areas of the Middle East, fava beans are the legume of choice. It is often served alongside other popular regional Mediterranean recipes like hummus, as well as shawarma made from lamb or chicken.
The History of Falafel
This Middle Eastern food has a very long history. The word falafel may descend from the Arabic word falāfil, a plural of the word filfil, meaning “pepper.” Legume fritters, including versions made with fava beans and lentils, have existed in the Middle East for thousands of years.
According to The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, written by my friend Gil Marks: “The first known appearance of legume fritters (aka falafel) in the Middle East appears to be in Egypt, where they were made from dried white fava beans (ful nabed) and called tamiya/ta-amia (from the Arabic for ‘nourishment’); these fritters were a light green color inside. Many attribute tamiya to the Copts of Egypt, who practiced one of the earliest forms of Christianity. They believed that the original state of humankind was vegetarian and, therefore, mandated numerous days of eating only vegan food, including tamiya.”
Likewise, the Torah, the Song of Songs, the Mishnah, and the Talmud all mention deep-fried lentil fritters, known as “ashishim.” This means early forms of falafel were enjoyed in this region since biblical times, at least. That’s some pretty ancient falafel!

Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Chickpeas – I use chickpeas because they’re easy to find, and they’re tasty! Follow my tips to cook and soak dried chickpeas. Do not use canned chickpeas; they will not give you the proper result – you need to start with uncooked chickpeas. If all you have on hand are canned chickpeas, try this very delicious and falafel-like spicy panko chickpea patties recipe instead!
- Onion and Garlic – These ingredients add a pungent, sweet, savory taste. I like white onion, but yellow onion will also work. Then, I use roasted garlic cloves for extra depth.
- Herbs and Spices – Fresh parsley, salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and ground cardamom create the warm, savory flavor found in falafel recipes all over the world.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour or chickpea flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. This absorbs any excess moisture and helps the falafel balls hold their shape.
- Leaveners – I use baking soda in the soaking water for the chickpeas to help soften them. You can also add baking powder in the falafel balls. This helps to create super tender, fluffy falafel.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying. I prefer avocado oil, but grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil all work.

How to Make Authentic Fried Falafel Balls
Homemade falafel can be a little time-consuming. So, make sure to read through the entire recipe and plan ahead accordingly!
- Soak the chickpeas. Submerge the chickpeas in cold water, and add baking soda. Cover the bowl, and chill in the fridge for at least 12 hours or ideally up to 24 hours. This helps soften them, making them easy to blend.
- Combine and blend. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Then, add them to a food processor along with the other ingredients. Pulse until a rough, coarse meal forms. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Be careful not to overprocess! The mixture should have a paste-like consistency, but shouldn’t be so smooth that it turns into hummus.
- Chill. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl, and stir with a fork to remove any remaining chunks. Then, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Fry. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. In the meantime, portion the falafel mixture into equal-sized balls or slider-shaped patties. Then, fry on each side until golden brown, working in batches as needed. Drain them on a paper towel-lined plate, and enjoy!

Tori’s Tips for the Best Crispy Falafel Recipe
- Divide the mixture. If you have a small food processor, divide the falafel ingredients in half before pulsing.
- Use a deep fry or candy thermometer. The ideal temperature to fry falafel is between 360 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to monitor the temperature is to use a deep fry or candy thermometer to check the oil before frying.
- Portion evenly. I like to use a tablespoon or a falafel scoop to portion the falafel balls into equal-sized pieces and roll them between wet hands.
- Test a single falafel before frying the rest. I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to brown (5-6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot, and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again.
- Add flavor. I like to dip my falafel balls in sesame seeds before frying for a little extra crisp and nutty taste. However, I’ve also tested different flavor variations, adding chopped parsley or fresh cilantro or turmeric, and they all taste great. (See the recipe card below for details!)

Serving Ideas
My favorite way to serve homemade falafel is as a falafel sandwich. To do so, I use flatbread or slice warm pita bread in half to form two “pockets.” Then, I stuff them with the falafel balls and add-ons such as tahini sauce, Israeli salad, hummus, baba ganoush, or tabouli, and vegetables like shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and dill pickles.
Sometimes I also like to add sprouts, cucumber slices, roasted peppers, roasted eggplant slices, sunflower seeds, French fries, feta cheese, and yogurt or tzatziki for extra taste and texture.
Or, start with a large bowl and a base of lemony saffron couscous, cauliflower couscous, quinoa, or saffron rice, then add fresh veggies and all your favorite toppings.
Falafel balls are also great to serve as an appetizer or side dish with dips and main courses. Or, add them to a mezze platter for a party spread.


Falafel
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) – you must start with dry, do NOT substitute canned, they will not work!
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3-5 cloves garlic (I prefer roasted garlic cloves)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon flour or chickpea flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional – makes the falafel more fluffy)
- Vegetable oil for frying – avocado oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil all work well (I prefer avocado oil)
Instructions
- One day ahead: Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the water and stir; this will help soften the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and let them soak overnight in a cool, dark place or chill in the refrigerator. The chickpeas should soak at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours, until tender (change soaking water for fresh water after 12 hours).

- They will double in size as they soak – you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking.

- Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Pour them into your food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour or chickpea flour (use chickpea flour to make gluten free), salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom. Note: if you have a smaller food processor, you will want to divide the ingredients in half and process the mixture one batch at a time.

- Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, and a more paste-like consistency will help with that… but don't over-process, you don't want it turning into hummus!

- Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.Fill a skillet with oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches. Use cooking oil with a high smoke point (oil suggestions can be found in the ingredient list). Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. The ideal temperature to fry falafel is between 360 and 375 degrees F; the best way to monitor the temperature is to use a deep fry or candy thermometer. After making these a few times, you will start to get a feel for when the oil temperature is "right."Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into round balls or slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop. I usually use about 2 tbsp of mixture per falafel. You can make them smaller or larger depending on your personal preference. The balls will stick together loosely at first, but will bind nicely once they begin to fry.

- If the balls won't hold together, place the mixture back in the processor again and continue processing to make it more paste-like. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil, they should bind together and stick. If they still won't hold together, you can try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour or chickpea flour to the mixture. If they still won't hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should fix any issues you are having.Before frying my first batch of falafel, I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to brown (5-6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again.

- When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the falafels in batches of 5-6 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Once the falafels are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon. Let them drain on paper towels.

- Serve the falafels fresh and hot; they go best with a plate of hummus and topped with creamy tahini sauce. You can also stuff them into a pita.

- SESAME FALAFEL VARIATION: After forming the balls or patties, dip them in sesame seeds prior to frying. This will make the falafel coating crunchier and give it a slightly nutty flavor.

- HERB FALAFEL VARIATION (GREEN FALAFEL): Add ½ cup additional chopped green parsley, or cilantro, or a mixture of the two prior to blending.

- TURMERIC FALAFEL (YELLOW FALAFEL): Add ¾ tsp turmeric to the food processor prior to blending.

- HOW TO MAKE A FALAFEL PITA: Making a falafel pita is actually really simple. The two main ingredients are pita bread and falafel. Cut the pita bread in half to form two “pockets.” Each pocket is a serving size. Stuff the pocket with falafel, as well as any add-ons you fancy.Here are some traditional add-ons that can be added to your pita: tahini sauce, shredded lettuce, diced or sliced tomatoes, Israeli salad, onions, dill pickles, hummus, tabouli.Here are some less traditional add-ons that are also tasty: sprouts, cucumber slices, roasted peppers, roasted eggplant slices, sunflower seeds, french fries, feta cheese, yogurt, tzatziki.

NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
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FAQs
This recipe is best served right away. However, you can store cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
I’ve never tried freezing this recipe, but some readers have had good luck with freezing both the uncooked chickpea mixture and the cooked falafels.
Personally, I don’t like baking this recipe, finding that it tends to dry out. However, if you want to give it a try, prepare and shape the falafel dough into patties as usual.
Then, arrange them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and brush the top of each falafel patty with extra virgin olive oil. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden. If you read through the comments, you’ll see tips from some readers who have tried this method with some success.














Great recipe! My wife loves falafels and she most definitely loved this recipe. She is so excited to be able to have them at home now. ?
Hi ! Do you have a hummus recipe? I’d really appreciate it 😀
Hi Mitzy, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Tori has several hummus recipes on the site. They can be found at this link: https://toriavey.com/?s=hummus
Hi. Has anyone tried frying first and then reheating in an oven? I want to make these as a bring along dish for a friends dinner party and don’t want to bother her with having to fry them at her house.
try it
I often take them to work the next day and reheat in the microwave.
I would like to thank you for this recipe. I live in Poland. Falafel is not very popular in my country, I think. First time I ate falafel in Jewish restaurant in Lublin (Poland) one month ago. It has tasted so good! I asked a waiter about ingredients. I thought it had to be difficult to cook. How to keep all this ingredients together without an egg? 🙂 And then I have found your website. I’ve watched a video, read the recipe, made a list of spices to buy. These spices, especially coriander, cumin and cardamom, are not familiar to polish cuisine but they tasted delicious. I have made falafel twice already. And I’ve served it with the tahini sauce (but with yoghurt, not with water). The recipe was perfect. I am sure I will make falafel very often, for my family and friends. Thank you very much for inspiration. (And I’m sorry for my bad English. I’ve been learning English only for one year and a half.)
Wow!! This recipe is amazing but I just wanted to say one thing Agata….You’re English is amazing!! Keep it up girl. No need to apologize. Pozdrowienia!!!
I’m new to your site and can’t wait to try a few recipes. Question – does falafel have to be fried? Can it be baked or flattened into a patty and pan fried? Just trying to save on added fat from the frying. Thank you!
I prefer it fried, but if you read through the comments you’ll see that many readers have had luck with baking. Personally, I prefer the texture and flavor from frying, but feel free to try their modifications to see what works best for you!
You can also try using an Air Fryer, my parents have had excellent luck “Frying” traditional items suck as fries and fish sticks with the air fryer
Hi there! I made the falafel but want to fry it tomorrow. Is it ok to sit in the frig overnight? Thanks
I like the content on this page Tori Avey! Especially the video is amazing. I will try this falafel today for sure.
My husband has gluten problem and he loves falafel but this recipe make me so happy. It’s very simple and not too complicated to make it. Thanks!
Wow! This was delicious! I used spelt flour, and cooked in olive oil. I will try to bake next time. Thank you for sharing Tori!
Can I use the quick soak (1hr) method for the chickpeas in this recipe?
Yes.
Are there any other steps aside from soaking 1 hour? I soaked overnight.
Quick soaking instructions here: https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-soak-and-cook-chickpeas/
Lovely… Been longing to find a good recipe with no blind spots.. lucky to find this one. Thanks a bunch. It came out probably as wanted it to be. Enjoyed!
These turned out amazing! I made them exactly as written, using chickpea flour and adding the extra parsley to make the “green” version….but I baked them at 350° for 22 minutes on parchment paper with no oil whatsoever. I was so worried they were going to be dry and horrible that I had a back up plan to order Chinese, but they were delish! Thank you so much!
yes @mindysays i have done it, and they still came out nicely!
“Awesome Recipe” simple and delicious. ….thank u
Can you make the raw balls and freeze them or is it better to fry the balls and then freeze them to be used at a later time?
Yes. Put the formed falafel on a tray and put in freezer. Once frozen you can put them in a plastic bag and keep them in freezer for months!
Outstanding !!!!!
Wow. The first time I ever tried falafel was rather forgettable. I knew I sorta liked the direction of the fish though. I looked up a recipe a few years ago and found yours! Since, I have tried falafel from different great restaurants and I’ve got to say, mine always seem to taste better! Thank you so much. I’ve been making this recipe for years now. Completely love it.
Hi
I have started selling these on a new street food market. I need to get the food out real quick so have been preparing a mix then deep frying the falafels for 2 mins then leaving in fridge for up to 6 days – any left after that I freeze the thaw and cook on the next market. I fry for one to two minutes again to heat through before eating.
Are these timelines ok?
Uncooked mix in fridge for up to 4 days
Cooked falafel in fridge for up to 6 days
Cooked falafel in freezer for up to 2 weeks
I don’t freeze uncooked falafel as cannot store in boxes but cooked ones can be stacked ok.
Thanks
Hi Steve, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. This timeline looks just fine to me!
I would drizzle mine with some Daddies Sauce ans a dollop of cheesy peas!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! The proportions you list are absolutely perfect and I was able to nail a better-than-restaurant batch on my first try (though I do add an extra pinch of freshly ground green cardamom pods because I find the smell and flavor absolutely intoxicating).
This quantity of batter/paste/dough/whatever you call it lasts in my fridge about two weeks, and the last few I fry up taste just as good, dare I say BETTER, than fresh! Extra kudos for recommending chickpea flour. I have many gluten free friends that really appreciate the extra effort.
I’ll be trying your hummus recipe next because with all these delicious falafel, we’ve been buying WAY too much hummus, so it’s time to make that from scratch too!
Happy happy all around! Again, thanks!
Joseph, Thank you so much! The recipe called for only leaving the mixture in the refrigerator to chill for 1 to 2 hours, I made mine up and plan to fry the batch tomorrow. The first time I tried the recipe it came out perfectly, so glad that I’m not messing anything up by keeping it in the fridge for a longer period! Thanks again and happy falafeling! PS I’ve made the hummus and it is delicious. My 13-year-old daughter will not eat any other hummus than the one Tori makes!