Falafel

Published on May 31, 2021 | By
falafel

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern “fast food” made of a mixture of chickpeas, fresh herbs, and spices that are formed into small patties or balls. The balls are then fried or baked until golden brown.

They can be eaten on a platter with a Mediterranean style salad, with creamy cucumber tzaitki or a tahini sauce. Or, another popular option is to spoon all of these ingredients into a warm whole wheat pita for a fast food healthy sandwich. It’s not a big Mac and fries and it’s loaded with plant based protein and fiber that is good for you.

It is believed that falafel originated in Egypt as Coptic Christians looked for a hearty replacement for meat during long seasons of fasting or lent.  It has also become a popular vegan food in Egypt and throughout the Middle East and in the US too.

I like to serve my falafel with my Greek salad and tzaziki.

This vegan dish is made with simple, everyday ingredients. You must use dried garbanzo beans. Canned beans will not produce the results that you are looking for.  The dried garbanzo beans must be soaked overnight so you do need to plan ahead a bit. Season the falafel mixture with dried ground cumin and coriander. Or you can roast cumin and coriander seeds and then grind them in a small spice grinder. Garlic, onion, parsley, and a pinch of cayenne are also added to the garbanzo bean mixture.

You can make the falafel mixture ahead and it will keep in the fridge for a few days. You can also make it and freeze the uncooked mixture for future use. The cooked falafel balls do not keep well in the fridge or the freezer. Always plan to cook and eat falafel while it is crisp and crunchy and hot.

    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes
    • Yield
    • 18 falafel balls

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander, seeds roasted and ground
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 TBSP chickpea flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Place the dried chickpeas in a small bowl. Cover with water and soak overnight.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put them in the food processor. Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes or cayenne, black pepper, and coriander.
  3. Pulse the chick pea mixture until it is coarsely ground and a little pasty. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl.
  4. Add the chickpea flour and the baking soda. Mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of water and stir to combine. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes or for a couple of hours.
  5. Test the mixture to see if you can form it into balls or 1/2" patties and see if it will hold its shape. If it is too wet, add a little more chick pea flour. If it is too crumbly and dry, add a little more water.
  6. Form the chick pea mixture into 1" balls and place on a platter or a sheet pan. Heat about 2-3" of cooking oil in a deep skillet or pot. Heat the oil over medium to high heat.
  7. Carefully place the falafel balls into the hot oil. Cook them for about 2 minutes on each side. Turn them after they have cooked for a minute or two on one side. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, and place the falafel on a plate lined with a paper towel.
  8. Serve immediately while warm. I like to serve falafel with tzatziki, tahini sauce and hummus. You can eat them as is on a platter or put them in a warm pita for a falafel sandwich.
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