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Homemade Falafel

Homemade Falafel

Homemade Falafel Photo
Difficulty Level: Advanced
  • Prep Time:
    20 Minutes
  • Cook Time:
    PT35M
    15 Minutes
  • Yield:
    4-6 Servings
Travel no further than your home kitchen to enjoy falafel, a popular Mediterranean fast-food of small, deep-fried patties made of chickpeas, herbs and spices. Crunchy, perfectly seasoned, and delicious served in warm pita with veggies and sauce. *Recipe requires soaking the beans overnight.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • ½ medium red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh curly-leaf parsley or cilantro (or both)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or dried chili flakes (1/4 teaspoon if prefer more spice)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 4-6 tablespoons flour (rice flour or garbanzo flour is also fine)
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Pita bread or flatbread, warmed
  • For serving:
  • Chopped tomato, diced onion, shredded lettuce
  • Tahini sauce and/or tzatziki sauce
  • 236.59ml dried chickpeas
  • 0.5 medium red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 25.56g fresh curly-leaf parsley or cilantro (or both)
  • 4.26g salt
  • 4.26g cumin
  • 0.53g cayenne pepper or dried chili flakes (1/4 teaspoon if prefer more spice)
  • 6.39g baking powder
  • 4-6 tablespoons flour (rice flour or garbanzo flour is also fine)
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Pita bread or flatbread, warmed
  • For serving:
  • Chopped tomato, diced onion, shredded lettuce
  • Tahini sauce and/or tzatziki sauce

Travel no further than your home kitchen to enjoy falafel, a popular Mediterranean fast-food of small, deep-fried patties made of chickpeas, herbs and spices. Crunchy, perfectly seasoned, and delicious served in warm pita with veggies and sauce. *Recipe requires soaking the beans overnight.

Preparation
STEP 1

Soak dried chickpeas in water overnight in the refrigerator.

STEP 2

Place onions, garlic and parsley or cilantro in food processor and pulse until well chopped but not puréed.

STEP 3

Add drained chickpeas, salt, cumin and cayenne or chilis and pulse until mixture is almost puréed but not totally smooth. For chunkier falafel, process less.

STEP 4

Place mixture in a bowl and add the baking powder and half of the flour. Stir until incorporated. Add more flour until the mixture resembles a thick paste and holds a shape.

STEP 5

Form into balls or patties about two inches in diameter. In a large skillet, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 370˚F. Test one ball - it should sizzle when it hits the oil. If it doesn’t hold together, add more flour to the mixture.

STEP 6

Fry in batches, allowing oil to reheat between each. Fry 2-3 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

STEP 7

To serve, stuff half a pita or flatbread with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, lettuce and sauces.

Options

In classic street food style, crispy French fries can make a fun and tasty addition to your falafel pita wrap.

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