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.
Have tried many falafel recipes- this one is very authentic to Israeli Street food – excellent!
Hmmmmmm….this is deliciousness. I followed the recipe to the “t” and result was perfect. I plan on having it with pickled garbage and lettuce/tomato salad with some ranch dressing as it’s the only pickled add-on I have that my mouth called for. Thank you Tory!
Fantastic Evah, glad to hear it!
Lovely tasting falafel BUT I am a little concerned about potential lectin toxicity given that the beans are not thoroughly cooked after soaking.
Is this your personal take on it or is it backed by science? If the latter, I would appreciate references as all that I can find advise boiling for a prolonged period before consumption.
The fairly quick frying time suggests likely inadequate cooking.
Thank you in anticipation.
Phil
This is how traditional falafel has been made for generations, and people enjoy it this way all around the globe every day. I would think if toxicity was an issue, it would have been discovered long before now. Frying cooks the beans at a very high temperature; while they do cook quickly, they also cook thoroughly. If they didn’t cook through, the falafel would be tough and crunchy, and would not have a pleasant fluffy interior. I am not a scientist, however. If you’re still concerned, I have a recipe that uses boiled chickpeas instead which is somewhat similar here: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/spicy-panko-chickpea-patties-recipe/
I’ve made your recipe 10 times and love it, I’m planning on doing it for a large dinner party but I don’t want to be over a stove for hours.
Do you think this recipe will work in an air fryer?
Glad you’re enjoying the recipe! I have never tried an air fryer, to be honest– but I think some people have tried this recipe with one with good results. You might want to check through the comments to see if anybody offers advice on this one. Good luck!
Falafel is a treat! I enjoy this recipe so much. I could eat this every day, but don’t have the time. 🙁 Thank you for your recipes all your food on here looks amazing. I think I will make your coffee cake muffins next. I enjoy middle eastern and asian food very much. I have lived in S. Korea for 4 1/2 years and when we returned I thought where are all the veggies and remembered it has always been this way. How sad! It is so hard to find good food, so I grow and cook my own. Praise God for that!
This is the recipe I have been looking for forever. Far too many using tinned Chickpeas that don’t hold together. These turned out exactly as they were supposed to and allowed me to crank in the Piri Piri and Paprika for some extra heat. Thanks for sharing.
This is great recipe works every time I fry mine in coconut oil makes for a terrific crunch and soft and tender inside one of the best falafel recipe I’ve found next I’ll try fava beans and let u know
This is the recipe I pull up every time I make falafel, which I’ve gotten down fairly well from a flavour perspective but still working on the texture to get that just-right mix of crispy and fluffy. I’m just back from my fourth trip to Israel where I “took” notes on what I eat at the shawarma/falafel stands off Dizengoff in Tel Aviv — smaller balls that I won’t cook as long.
Yours is now my site of choice for recipes on dishes I come across in Israel. Next up, artichokes.
Smaller balls are key for achieving that crispy/fluffy mix. Glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
Are the chick peas supposed to get soft after soaking ?
They’ll still be firm, but somewhat tender– not as soft as when they are cooked or canned.
Can these be made and frozen uncooked? I can only eat so much falafel a day! I have never made my own… and would like to pop a few out of the freezer on demand. Would you thaw or cook frozen (I don’t fry really at all so don’t know the best way)? Thanks for any advice.
You can freeze them. Read through the comments, as many readers have frozen them successfully and some offer their tips.
This turned out great! Could have been hotter in the middle. Any tips for getting them to cook inside a bit more thoroughly? I don’t think my oil was too hot.
Such a great recipe!! Not as difficult as I thought and the results are beyond delicious!
When you say dry chickpeas/garbanzo beans, and not to substitute with canned ones, does that include those in cartons? Like Tesco Organic Chickpeas in Water?
Yes, canned and carton chickpeas are cooked. You need to soak dry ones to achieve the proper texture.
I wish I could post a picture! I have always loved falafel, just made my first following Tori’s recipe, and I love it!
Thanks Tori
Hi! I can’t see the comments any more that talk about baking the mix instead of frying. All comments prior to May 2018 seem to have disappeared. Could you repost the baking info please?
At the bottom of the comments section, you will see a link that says “older comments.” Click it and it will take you to the next page. There are close to 1,000 comments on this post so it breaks up by page at a certain point.
Thank you for this clear recipe – my mother visited Israel a few years ago. She has digestive issues but came back raving about the food there particularly the falafels so I have been hunting for a proper falafel recipe online. I had some abortive attempts with cooked beans – Finally I think I have the definitive one!
lovely recipe, made for a party as finger food served with dips and loads of people asked for the recipe as it went down SO well!
Are you able to freeze them or would it be better to freeze the unfired mix ? In some recipe, it makes sense to prepare for example six serving given the ingredients and the desired final composition of the finished product, how small of a batch would you suggest ?
I appreciate the time you took in preparing your listing here and selected yours first for its’ five star rating. I find much of the listing is simple common sense (using dried beans rather than canned) and quite adaptable offering a variety of these tasty morsels to prepare at the end of the common recipe.
You may become one of my “go to”s if you do not watch it ! LOL I will have to check your stuffed cabbage recipe, if have one.
Cheers,
Peter
Hi,
I want to try this recipe but I don’t want to fry them. Is that possible? I have and air fryer, or I’d be happy baking them. I just don’t want to ruin them. Any advice you can give me?
Hi Emily, if you read through the comments you’ll see many other readers have tried baking them with decent results. I really prefer frying them for flavor, but if you want to try baking there is a lot of feedback in the comment section. 🙂
I didn’t see an option to see older comments either, did you? I too a interested in air fryer and baking results.
Scroll to the very bottom of this page and click “Older Comments.” If you don’t see it let me know which device you are using so I can troubleshoot.
I’m using an Apple IPad, and I do not see any “older comments” either. I want to bake, not fry them, thanks.
Thanks Sandra, I will look into the comment issue. I don’t really recommend baking, they tend to come out dry, but other readers have tried it and liked the result. They recommend brushing the baking sheet with oil (I would use olive oil) and brushing the falafel with oil as well. Some have also used an air fryer and they report good results with that. I can’t personally recommend these options as falafel really tastes the best when fried, but feel free to experiment.
First of all, I want to tell you that your Jewish recipes are the absolute best and I have tried many others. Your directions are clear and your recipes are truly “no fail.” My members agree since I have made many of your recipes for them.
So here is a small suggestion for falafel: Your recipe works very well and could be left just as is. However, I find that adding in a can of cooked garbanzos (drained) and almost pureed make the felafel a little creamier on the inside and still crispy on the outside. The mix still holds together very well, so there is no worry that it will disintegrate. Give it a try. I think you will like the result.