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?
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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.
I’ve started making my own pickled radish and turnips to use for falafel topping. I use natural salt brine. It’s really easy.
Oh my god, Shiksa! I tried out the hummus and falafel recipe both and they came out great! I grew up in the Middle East, and I was looking to recreate my childhood, so thank you very much for these great recipes, in fact I made some some falafel shavarma, with a hummus spread and the three of us finished the entire batch in one sitting! Next stop is to make some dill pickle at home!
Fabulous Mist!
Hi Tori,
I made your felafels for the first time a few months ago and used a deep fryer – they turned out brilliantly, thanks to your excellent instructions. But last night’s effort wasn’t the same at all, despite doing exactly (or so I thought) the same thing. They basically disintegrated in the deep fryer and it was clear there was a problem with too much moisture. I then tried to fry some the usual way and they turned out very soggy. Could it be that I overdid the cooking of the pre-soaked peas?
Many thanks,
Deborah
Hi Deborah– the chickpeas should not be cooked at all. Did you cook them? If so that may be the issue. They are only supposed to be soaked, not cooked.
That made me laugh!! Obviously I must have followed your instructions to the letter first time around, and then completely missed the ‘no cooking’ part this time. Thinking of hummus, maybe, or just reading too fast like always. Thanks so much for your reply and commitment to your readers – I’ll be making these again. Cheers from the South of France!
LOL, no problem Deborah. Better luck next time!
I LOVE falafel but I am the only one in my family that does like it. Can I make the recipe up as called for and then freeze some of them. I would probably eat as many as I could over the first couple of days but then might turn into a falafel ball. If I could freeze them that would be awesome!
I have what may appear to be a silly question, but what is the proper consistency of a correctly fried falafel? I have purchased falafel with a firm inside from a food cart and with a creamy–almost gooey inside from a “Greek” restaurant. I prefer the firmer consistency, but which is correct and traditional?
Thanks.
Pdale– the perfect falafel is crispy/crunchy on the outside and fluffy/tender inside. In my opinion it shouldn’t anywhere close to gooey… but everybody has their own way of doing things. 🙂
Gooey on inside is not right and means undercooked, usually from oil too hot or too much water in mix. The proper falafel is crunchy on outside and fluffy but cooked on inside. And THAT is why it’s so hard to master falafel. Anyone can process the ingredients and fry them–but they won’t be the way they need to be.
For you Brits ending up on this page – Asda sells falafel mix (ca. £1.50), add water and oil, make your appetizing balls and get frying… Certainly the lazy option but very quick and for being pre mixed, I must say they’re very good!
Isn’t adding ‘French fries’ a bit of defeating the objective? I’m fairly certain that’s been added to accommodate us ‘westeners’ Great page however, a lot of love for the falafel!
We live in Israel so have ample opportunity to eat falafel but these days we are on a somewhat restricted diet so need to know exactly what is in our food.
We made these and loved them. We did boil the chickpeas since I wasn’t sure the exact definition of “overnight” and got concerned that even after around 10 hours the chickpeas were still quite hard so at that point I boiled them for another hour or so, making sure not to boil them until they were very soft (unlike if I were making hummus for example).
We used whole wheat flour and did end up having to add 2 eggs to get it to stick together, but they fried up wonderfully. I ended up freezing around half of the balls for another day since it was just too much goodness for one meal.
We ate it with an Israeli chopped salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrot, red onion, dill pickle, red pepper, salt, olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Also tahina for those of us that eat sesame.
And the best hack of all was the “pita” bread
Oops I must have hit submit too early… Anyway we made “pita” by mixing whole wheat flour, salt and water, making flat rounds and flying on a hot skillet. It doesnt puff or have a pocket like real pita but it’s fine for rolling up salad and falafel (kind of like a lafa bread which you can also buy falafel in here) and delicious when eaten warm.
I finally tried these and they are perfect.. my husband loved them. Thank you for sharing!
Anxious to try these…have heard so many say how great they are but haven’t yet tested….know I’ll love them though since they’re made with all my fav ingredients….thanks for sharing!
This is an excellent recipe! I LOVE the layout of the page, with your personal & detailed/researched information, coupled with the really good photos of interim stages. The only problem I encountered was that there was insufficient flour to bind the mixture – I had to add double the amount, plus I put in a little cornstarch, to boot. My question is, whether I should NOT have drained the soaked garbanzos/chickpeas? IN other words, whether the mixture was missing the water, to create the paste…just a thought!
FYI, the oil I used to cook is optimal for frying, i.e. coconut oil. But I prefer the taste of olive oil, of course…only i’ve heard, that olive oil breaks down under high temperatures yielding some toxin or other (?!), so i refrained. Because I am one of those folks who experiences difficulties digesting legumes unless in combination with rice, I forewent the pita bread & I served it with fresh-cooked basmatic-coconut rice. Unfortunately, no Tahini was handy, so it’s a tad dry served that way…BUT hey, it was an excuse to wash down with chilled white wine – which ALSO works well!
😉
thank you for such a great recipe post and all the variations – i cannot wait to try this out !
HI.. thanks for the recipe.. really looking forward to trying this. Can i make the mixture and keep it for longer in the fridge so I can fry them just before serving? e.g. overnight or from morning to evening?
Yes Puja, you can refrigerate the mixture up to overnight (but not longer than that). Enjoy!
Having never really liked the falafel on sale in London, I just got the urge to try and make some. This recipe seemed the most authentic so I gave it a try today. Wow wow wow! NOW I see what the fuss is about! They turned out perfectly and were more tasty than in my wildest dreams! I’m not Jewish, but I’m gonna try more recipes on your site. Thank you very very much!
Fabulous Annamarie! I love to hear that. 🙂
YUMMY, thanks a lot Tori for sharing this nice recipe. Yesterday I suddenly got the urge to make yummy homemade falafels, which I ain’t done in years, and now the chickpeas are soaked and I got all the ingredients ready.
I will also add a small quantity of soaked Mung Dal (split mung beans without coating – tiny yellow things) to my Falafel paste. I think I did this once before, and seem to remember it being good.
Also, I’ll use Garam Masala spice mix and probably an egg or two.
Can hardly wait! 🙂
I enjoyed eating falafel during my trip to the Holy Land and ever since have been wanting to try making this recipe at home. Thank you for sharing the recipe. God bless you.
Hi Tori,
I came across your blog when looking for Passover recipes. I ended up making your chocolate chip cookies and they were very good. So I wanted to make felafel from scratch and to you I came. And I was not disappointed. I was soooo proud of them, they came out great and even happier that I will not have to buy the frozen or boxed versions of felafel ever again. Your recipe is AWESOME! Now I gotta try your tahini recipe…Thanks so much for sharing!
My wife was surprised at the great results. I made the batter for her following the recipe. I think 2 hours in the fridge before frying is the trick. Thanks for your recipe.
I just made this falafel and I have to tell you, it was just spectacular. Although I added a couple eggs to hold things together a touch more, I think it would have been fine without. The finished product was better than I’ve had in restaurants. Thanks so much for sharing this post!
Great Ashley! Happy to hear it.
This is a great recipe, this is the very first time I have made these with success thanks 🙂