Tori Avey

Recipes, How To Tutorials & Vintage Lifestyle - Every Day Inspired by the Past

learn how to cook mediterranean

Sign Up

Home || Recipes || Entrees || Falafel

by 1,590 Comments

A white plate filled with falafel balls next to a bowl of tahini sauce.
Home || Recipes || Entrees || Falafel

by 1,590 Comments

Falafel

Learn how to make crispy, delicious Middle Eastern falafel the authentic way with multiple variations. Includes video tutorial.
4.85 from 717 votes
Jump to Recipe Email Me Recipes

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.

A white plate filled with falafel balls, tahini sauce, fresh herbs,a head of garlic, and pita bread sit in the background.

Table of contents

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!

A plate containing a pita pocket filled with falafel next to a small black dish of tahini sauce.

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.
A bowl of hummus topped with two falafel balls. A plate of falafel balls sits in the background.

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! 

  1. 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. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 
  4. 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! 
A man is making a pita sandwich at counter with salad fixins. Two workers are in the kitchen behind him.
Mana Mana falafel stand on Yehuda Hamaccabi street – Tel Aviv, Israel

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!)
Tori Avey eating a falafel pita sandwich, smiling at the camera, at Mana Mana restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Enjoying a falafel pita sandwich.

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. 

Ariel Rosenthal and Tori Avey at Hakosem restaurant in Israel.
With Ariel Rosenthal at Hakosem restaurant – Tel Aviv, Israel
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A white plate filled with falafel balls next to a bowl of tahini sauce.

Falafel

Learn how to make crispy, delicious Middle Eastern falafel the authentic way with multiple variations. Includes video tutorial.
COURSE: Main Course
Kosher Key: Parve
Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Resting Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 55 minutes
PRINT SUBSCRIBE

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)
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”wiyajhd9″ upload-date=”2022-10-20T00:00:39.000Z” name=”Falafel” description=”Falafel Recipe – Learn to make authentic falafel the traditional way with multiple variations in this step-by-step tutorial.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

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).
    Horizontal image of dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans) soaking in a glass bowl of water.
  • They will double in size as they soak – you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking.
    Horizontal image of glass bowl filled with chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
  • 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.
    Horizontal overhead image of a food processor bowl filled with falafel ingredients.
  • 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!
    Overhead image of a food processor bowl filled with falafel batter.
  • 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. 
    Horizontal overhead image of a white plain containing uncooked falafel balls.
  • 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. 
    Horizontal overhead image of falafel balls frying in a pan.
  • 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.
    Horizontal overhead image of a white plate filled with falafel balls.
  • 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.
    Horizontal image of a bowl of hummus topped with two falafel balls. A plate of falafel balls sits i the background next to a falafel pita sandwich.
  • 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.
    Sesame falafel balls on hummus.
  • HERB FALAFEL VARIATION (GREEN FALAFEL): Add ½ cup additional chopped green parsley, or cilantro, or a mixture of the two prior to blending.
    Herb green falafel balls on hummus.
  • TURMERIC FALAFEL (YELLOW FALAFEL): Add ¾ tsp turmeric to the food processor prior to blending.
    Yellow turmeric falafel balls on hummus.
  • 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.
    Horizontal close up image of a plate containing a pita pocket filled with falafel next to a small black dish of tahini sauce.

NOTES

You will also need: food processor, skillet
Prep time relates to actual time spent preparing ingredients. You’ll also need 12 hours of resting time to soak the chickpeas.
Makes 30-34 falafel balls. Serving size is roughly 5 falafels each. Nutrition is calculated with the assumption that each falafel ball absorbs 1/2 tsp of oil. This is my best estimate; when they are fried at the proper temperature, the falafel absorb very little of the cooking oil. The nutritional information provided here is calculated using an app. If you have specific dietary concerns, please consult your doctor or nutritionist.
A note on freezing: I have had several readers ask about freezing this recipe. I have never tried it myself, but here are some tips left from the comments. Some readers have had good luck with freezing the mix, then thawing it the night before in the refrigerator before frying. Sometimes a little more flour or chickpea flour is needed to hold the mixture together after freezing. Some readers have had luck with forming the balls, freezing those, then frying them straight from the freezer. Some have successfully frozen the finished cooked falafel, defrosting as needed. 
To bake falafel: Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Form the falafel into flat patty-style shapes and place them on the baking sheet. Brush the top of each patty with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through baking, until golden brown.
Personally, I don’t recommend baking these, as I find it can make them dry – but some people have great luck with it. If you read through the comments you’ll find various responses from readers who have tried baking. I also don’t own an air fryer, so I can’t advise on that. Read through comments for others’ experiences with this device. 
The following falafel-like recipe can be baked without losing too much in terms of flavor/texture: Spicy Panko Chickpea Patties.
Troubleshooting: If your falafel is too hard/too crunchy on the outside, there are two possible reasons– 1) you didn’t process the mixture enough– return the chickpea mixture to the processor to make it more paste-like. 2) the chickpeas you used were old, or they didn’t soak long enough. Try buying a fresher (newer) batch of dried chickpeas next time and make sure you soak them until they’re doubled in size and slightly tender.
Note: Some people like to add baking powder or baking soda to the falafel mix to lighten up the texture inside of the falafel balls. I don’t usually add it, since the falafel is generally pretty fluffy on its own. If you would like to add it, stir 1 tsp of baking powder into the falafel mixture after it has been refrigerated. I do add a bit of baking soda to the soaking water, which is outlined in the recipe.
EGYPTIAN FAVA BEAN FALAFEL: Use 1 lb. dried fava beans instead of chickpeas; cover them with cold water, soak them for at least 24 hours, then drain, rinse and peel them to remove the tough outer skins. You can also use a mixture of soaked fava beans and chickpeas if you wish; just make sure the weight of the dried beans adds up to 1 lb.
After the beans are soaked and skins removed, add the Classic Falafel ingredients to the processor along with the following ingredients – 1 leek, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered; ¼ cup chopped dill; ¼ cup chopped cilantro; and an additional ¾ tsp cayenne pepper. When mixture is processed to a coarse meal, pour into a bowl. Stir 2 ½ tbsp sesame seeds into the mixture with a fork until it’s evenly dispersed throughout the mixture. Refrigerate and proceed with frying. If mixture seems too “wet” when making the falafel balls, add additional flour by the teaspoonful until the mixture sticks together better. Continue with frying.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Falafel
Amount Per Serving
Calories 409 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 700mg30%
Potassium 720mg21%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Fiber 13g54%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 300IU6%
Vitamin C 8.7mg11%
Calcium 96mg10%
Iron 5.5mg31%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tori Avey Submark

tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I’d love it if you left me a star rating and comment below. Also, don’t forget to share and tag us on Facebook and Instagram!

FAQs

Can I store leftovers? 

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. 

Can I bake falafel balls instead of frying? 

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.

More Ways to Use Chickpeas

Nutritional information should be considered an estimate only; please consult a registered dietician, nutritionist, or your physician for specific health-related questions. Read more here. Please note that the recipe above is published using a recipe card plugin, with preexisting software which can auto-calculate metric measurements, as well as change the number of servings. Metric conversions and changes to the number of servings (resulting in different ingredient amounts) will only appear in the ingredient list, and are not changed within the step-by-step directions of the recipe.
Cherry Cheesecake Shooters PREVIOUS
Frozen Watermelon Lemonade NEXT
Square image of neatly arranged sliced lemon on a slant, accompanied by a serving of rice in the background and a side of asparagus, all presented on a white round plate.

cooking mediterranean

Sign up for my latest recipes and cooking tips, plus a free eCookbook.

Originally Published on

4.85 from 717 votes (23 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this Recipe




Please Note: We typically moderate comments once per month, so please don’t expect a quick response. I encourage you to read through the entire post and comments section carefully before asking a question, as it has very likely already been answered. Read the comment policy.

Comments

  1. Avatar photoSad Me says

    I followed this recipe to the “T” and they fell apart in the oil, made a hell of mess. Won’t be using this recipe again!

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      So sorry to hear that! As you can read in the comments above, many readers have had a positive experience with this recipe, but they can definitely be tricky the first time out. I am here to help, please feel free to email me so I can help you troubleshoot. Here is my contact page: https://toriavey.com/contact/

  2. Avatar photoSam walker says

    5 stars
    After playing around slightly with the mix and added a little turmeric ,have now put these on my resturant menu and must say they are flying out the door with great results

    I make them in batches and freeze before cooking absolute beautifully served with babaganoush ,tasaki and humours
    Ever in England visit us at the waterside tea garden and bistro arundel West Sussex

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      So neat, Sam! I would love to visit someday, will keep it in mind next time I’m across the pond. 🙂

  3. Avatar photoLauren says

    5 stars
    I just made these…oh my god. Delicious! I’m having a hard time backing away from eating them. The dough/paste was hard to handle so I did add an egg. Will make this recipe again!

    Reply

  4. Avatar photoGerhard Coetzer says

    5 stars
    Hi Tori,

    Thanks for the falafel recipe I have made falafel many times over the last decade but have to admit, this recipe is one of the best I have tried.

    Thanks again,
    G..

    Reply

  5. Avatar photoHeather says

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for the recipe! I made if for my family (husband and our 4 girls, ages 3-11) recently and it was delicious, a real hit! I was wondering if you have ever tried to make it baked in the oven instead of frying? Thought it might be a little less labor-intensive (standing at the stove), and perhaps a bit healthier, using less oil? 🙂 Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      Hi Heather. These really need to be fried, they will not turn out great if you bake them. Glad you enjoyed them!

    • Avatar photoSherry says

      Heather, I tried baking them in the past before I found this web site and this recipe…I threw out the whole batch. I also hate to fry things for the reasons you mentioned, but in this case, frying them gives you the full and proper flavor of all the spices, and I think that if you fry them at the right temperature and for the right amount of time, you won’t get greasy falafel. They will be crisp, not soggy and full of oil. But if you try baking them and find you have success, please let me know and I will try again!

  6. Avatar photoJudith says

    5 stars
    Amazing! I made these for my in-laws from Cairo and they RAVED about them. Thanks for the history & the variations. My vegetarian friends also loved them. Some of them want me to quit my day job to make these… they’re THAT GOOD!

    Reply

  7. Avatar photoSylvia Vervest says

    I’ve been looking for a good authentic recipe for Literally years. I spent 6 months in Israel many, many years ago and I got hooked on falafel while I was there and have never been able to find or replicate a good falafel since. Although I did find a place in Golders Green in London when I got back home that made a good substitute, but that is long gone. I now live in the Netherlands and once again no good falafel places to be found and I hate the packet stuff. I will be making these this week and thanks for this recipe in advance of cooking them.

    Reply

  8. Avatar photoSam walker says

    Hi love the recipe just concerned about the soaking of the chick peas do you need to boil these before processing them in the blender

    Thanks
    Sam walker

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      Hi Sam– falafel is made from soaked chickpeas, no boiling is required. Just make sure you soak them for the recommended length of time.

  9. Avatar photosherry says

    5 stars
    Thanks for the roasted-garlic link. I didn’t know that I could have used raw garlic. The recipe I had (for roasted garlic) was similar to yours, but I had NO idea how to cut the “top” off. All I cut off was the very pointy, papery tip! It looked nothing like yours LOL. After reading other posts here and thinking about it, I think next time I will mash up the chickpeas a bit before processing them, to get a more pasty consistency. Maybe a bigger, fancier food processor would have done a better job, but I have to work with what I have, and it just didn’t give it the right consistency, even after processing the entire batch 3 times (which means, i had to process 12 smaller batches!) Too much work, not to mention losing half the mix. Thanks so much for the excellent recipe, the taste is JUST perfect!

    Reply

  10. Avatar photoSherry says

    OK, it took me a few more weeks, but I finally got all the ingredients together (had some trouble finding cardamom). I did all the soaking, the mixing, the food processing, and now the mixture is chillin’ in the fridge (will have to be overnight, as it is almost 4 AM!) I have to tell you, it smells divine, and I tasted some of the raw mix, and I just KNOW it is going to come out fabulous! I will fry it all up tomorrow and give you the final verdict!
    I just want to mention, the recipe calls for roasted garlic. I don’t know exactly what you meant, so I found a recipe for I guess baking garlic (?) and did that. I think it will be fine, but can you tell me exactly what you meant by roasted garlic? Is it something you buy, or something you make? And if you make it, how do you do it? The recipe I used (from the Fanny Farmer cookbook, don’t make fun of me, I am so lame in the kitchen!), took a head of garlic, minus some of the papery outer, snip off the top, pour some oil on it, sprinkle some thyme, salt and pepper, cover and bake at 275 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another hour, hour-and-a-half. I skipped the sale and was light on the pepper (knowing this was going in the spice mix already). What do you think?

    Reply

  11. Avatar photoPrisanboot says

    5 stars
    Would it make a difference if the beana wwre hulles before going into the food processor? I hear this is a great trick for hummus, would it be worrhwhile here or a waste of time?

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      The beans are not cooked here, so they would be quite difficult to skin, and it wouldn’t make much of a difference because it doesn’t have the smooth texture that a dip does.

  12. Avatar photoKoundi says

    Am thinking of using green, fresh chickpeas. Why? Simply because I have them in the freezer and can’t think of a better use to put it to. Ever heard of using these for a falafel? If yes, any caveats you know of? I am thinking of simply letting them thaw to room temperature slowly (and not heating) and then proceeding to make the mixture.

    It is pretty cool that you are still responding to comments years after you first posted the recipe. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      Great question Koundi. Honestly I’ve never tried it. My guess is that it might turn out great, but I can’t promise anything. If you try it, will you let us know how it worked for you?

  13. Avatar photorosemarie marcopouliotou` says

    5 stars
    thank you for this recipe, it is the only way i can eat chickpeas.
    I love your site with all these recipes,
    thank you again

    Reply

  14. Avatar photoSarah says

    5 stars
    This recipe was so amazing! I added a bit more cayanne pepper, but it was so yummy!

    the grapeseed oil was a great idea! i added a bit more parsley in order to make it “greener.” adding the roasted garlic was also AMAZING!

    Super kudos for an amazing recipe!

    Reply

  15. Avatar photoMonique Sokol says

    5 stars
    Thank you for the awesome recipe. I live in Albuqueruqe, NM and have not found anywhere to get good, fresh falafel. This was so easy and delicious. I had a favorite place in San Francisco and these taste exactly like them. Absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make the tzatziki next. 🙂

    Reply

  16. Avatar photoVince says

    I have committed myself to making these tomorrow. The chickpeas are soaking now! Thank you for sharing the recipe, I will report back.

    Reply

    • Avatar photoVince says

      5 stars
      Well, the verdict is: Thank you Shiksa! I don’t think I have quite perfected it, but, I will be making these again and hopefully I will get them bang on. The flavour is immense, I just need to improve the texture. Thank you again.

  17. Avatar photobecky ezra says

    5 stars
    hi there,
    thank you for the great recipe. i live in the netherlands europe, here we have a very good falafel from some body from israel, but the shop is too far a way from me. due to my health condition i cant travel. so i do the falafel at home according your recipe. it was a great hit!!!!!! thank you again. and bless you all.

    Reply

  18. Avatar photoTash says

    Hi there! I have these chilling in the fridge right now 🙂 I was wondering how long I can leave them to chill before cooking? I was hoping to make them for dinner tonight, so 7 hours away? Or should I cook them in 2 hours and reheat?

    Reply

  19. Avatar photoRobin says

    Hi Tori – Love your site and I want to make ALL your recipes. But first, I really want to make falafel.

    In your December 29 answer to Susan you mentioned eggs. I can’t find any reference to eggs in your recipe ingredients or directions. Are eggs optional? How many would I use for this recipe?

    Thank you,
    Robin

    Reply

    • Avatar photoTori Avey says

      Hi Robin– I have revised the recipe to add a note about eggs. You shouldn’t need them, but they can be helpful to add if the falafel mixture won’t hold together.

EMAIL ME RECIPES

By clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our terms, DPF policy, and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.