Easy Authentic Falafel Recipe

It’s a trending popular dish with vegans and vegetarians. You would be surprised how easy it is to make this fried treat in your kitchen. Falafel are fried (sometimes baked) balls of mashed chickpeas or fava beans mixed with spices and herbs. You can throw them on top of a salad, in a pita, or eat them with dipping in sauces. All good and all simply addictive. We bet no one can just stop at one. This Authentic Falafel Recipe will amaze you in its simplicity and ease. In the Middle East, you could ask 10 different people what is falafel and and where it comes from, and you’d get 10 different stories. All along the Levant and through the Middle East, various countries and cultures absolutely love these tiny golden brown balls, and proudly present them as their national dish. They came into my life in their probable birth country, Egypt! Egypt by the way, is the country where I started my career as a Tour Manager, escorting Indian groups there in 2005. Falafel stuffed in their Aish Baladi, Egyptian bread, with plenty of hummus or tahini along with some pickled veggies is a common sight everywhere you go. From street side vendors to 5 star breakfast spreads, these falafels get popped into mouths with equal gusto.

What is Falafel?

Falafel is Middle Eastern equivalent to fast food, an any time snack, though it’s also popular as a breakfast dish. Very often, it’s served as part of a mezze platter with different types of dips, pickled or fresh veggies, and bread. Traditionally, these fried balls are made with ground chickpeas or fava beans along with herbs and spices. They are crispy golden brown outside, yet soft like fritters inside. The exact history of falafel is murky, as many countries like Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria have laid claim to the creation of falafel. Many agree that falafel began to take shape around the port city of Alexandria in Egypt, possibly among Coptic Christians in the Roman era, though the exact circumstances are unknown. Falafel comes from the word pilpāl, an Aramaic word meaning “to be round”. Aramaic is an ancient Arabic language spoken during the times of the New Testament. Some stories say that Coptic Christians ate falafel as a meat substitute during lent. The Coptic term pha la phel means “of many beans.” Originally, falafel was made of fava beans. But as time went by and if spread to the Mediterranean and Middle East, chickpeas became more common. Sometimes it is made with a mix of both beans. The Egyptian all-fava falafel also goes by the name ta’amiya, which means ‘a bite of food’ in Egypt. In Arab countries, falafel is very popular during Ramadan. The same goes for Christians during Lent, as it’s a hearty vegetarian meal option. It is typically served in sandwich form, either in a pita or aish wrap, and is usually accompanied by vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes and pickles, as well as with sauces like hummus or tahini.

Why is Falafel so Popular?

Falafel Ingredients

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) – A good Falafel starts with dried and soaked chickpeas, NOT canned chickpeas. Canned chickpeas will be too soft and wet, and the falafel would be too mushy or will break during frying. Falafel is made with ground soaked chickpeas. Fresh Herbs – Parsley and cilantro gives bold and delicious flavor, as well as vibrant green color to falafel. Don’t skimp on these flavors. Veggies and aromatics – Onion, garlic and jalapeño. Spices – Cumin, coriander, pepper. Baking powder – It helps to give a fluffy, airy texture to falafel. Salt Oil for frying – You can use any of your preferred cooking oils for frying.

Step-by-Step Falafel Recipe

Soak the chickpeas: The night before, soak the dried chickpeas in water. Make sure the water covers the chickpeas by 2-3 inches, as they’ll triple in size. Soak for at least 18 hours, or longer if the chickpeas are still hard. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and dry them with a paper towel or dish cloth.
Make falafel mixture: Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, salt, pepper, and all the spices in your food processor or blender and pulse or blend until the mixture is well combined, about 45 seconds to a minute. The texture should be like coarse sand.
Refrigerate the mixture: Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, stir in baking powder, and mix well. Cover it with cling wrap and refrigerate at least one hour, or until you are ready to cook. Chilling the mixture helps hold the balls or patties together when forming.
Shape the falafel: Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to form the falafel into balls or patties. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time. Shape the falafel into small balls, about 1-1/4 inch in thickness. Do not pack them too tight, or your falafel will be dense. If they’re not holding together, give the mixture a few more pulses in the food processor.
Cook the falafel: Once all the falafel are formed, you can cook them by your preferred method. We love the old traditional deep fried balls ourselves, as it’s a treat and we don’t want to watch out for calories.

Deep Fry Method

Add about 3 inches of oil to a pan on medium heat. Heat the oil to 300-350°F. Carefully drop the falafel into the oil. Let them fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Avoid crowding the falafel in the pan and fry them in batches (about 6-8 at a time). Place the fried falafel patties on a plate lined with paper towels.

Shallow Fry or Pan Fry Method

If you are avoiding deep frying, pan frying is a great option, you still get crispy fried falafel. Form small patties instead of balls, as they will shallow fry better than in ball form. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Place the falafel in the pan and cook each side for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Baking Method

Make small falafel patties instead of balls. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the falafel on the baking sheet and drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 10 to 12, or until golden brown. Whichever method you use, a good falafel should be crispy and golden brown on the outside and fluffy and light green on the inside.

How to Serve Falafel

Serve falafel as soon as they finish cooking, fresh, crispy and warm.

Best Falafel Recipe Tips

The most important tip is to use dried chickpeas. Never go the canned route. Always use plenty of water to soak the chickpeas, as they double or triple in size and need to be soaked overnight, or 18-20 hours. Use baking powder to make them fluffy and soft inside. Do not pack them too tight, or your falafel will be dense. Form the falafel balls gently. If they’re not holding together, give the mixture a few more pulses in the food processor. You want falafel to look golden brown on the outside. If the oil is too hot, the outside will cook too fast before the inside gets cooked. You need the oil temperature in between 300-350°F. Make sure it remains in that range for even frying. Avoid crowding the falafel in the pan, and fry them in batches (about 6-8 at a time).

Make Ahead and Freezing

You can refrigerate prepared falafel mixture for 1-2 days ahead of time. Simply form them into balls when ready to fry. Uncooked falafel freezes beautifully. You can simply freeze the mixture in freezer friendly bags and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Or you can form the balls and freeze them. Place uncooked falafel balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour. Once hardened, transfer the balls into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. You can cook frozen falafel by frying or baking. We don’t recommend freezing cooked falafel, as they won’t be as crispy as they should be. Don’t you think making your own homemade falafel sounds neat and novel for all your friends and family? The whole process is absolutely simple. If you have a few extra hands to help form those balls, then it’s just a matter of frying them piping hot, and make a huge mound of these golden brown delicious falafel. Serve them with pita, serve them with exotic dips, or just pop them with some tahini sauce. Make this beloved iconic Middle Eastern food the next time you have some get together. Go the falafel way, and spread the smiles!