Homemade Falafel Recipe
This homemade falafel recipe features crispy, golden chickpea patties seasoned with fresh herbs and spices. Soaked chickpeas are blended with onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and fragrant spices, then formed into balls and shallow-fried to perfection. Perfect as a snack, appetizer, or part of a Middle Eastern meal, these falafels are delightfully crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 24 hours soaking time)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 24 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 20 falafel balls 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Falafel Mixture
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons chickpea flour (or regular flour)
Instructions
- Soak Chickpeas: Soak the dried chickpeas in a large bowl with water covering them by at least a couple of inches. Leave them to soak for 24 hours to soften.
- Prepare Falafel Mixture: Drain the soaked chickpeas and add them to a food processor along with the roughly chopped onion, parsley, cilantro, salt, garlic cloves, ground coriander, and cumin. Process until the mixture is coarsely blended and chopped but not pureed.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer the blended mixture to a bowl. Sprinkle the chickpea flour and baking powder over the mixture, then mix thoroughly with a spatula to combine evenly.
- Shape Falafel Balls: Form the mixture into balls about the size of one heaping tablespoon. Slightly flatten each ball and place them on a parchment-lined tray. Repeat until all falafel are formed.
- Chill the Falafel: Place the tray in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the falafel mixture to set and firm up, which helps prevent them from falling apart during cooking.
- Heat Oil: Fill a large skillet with tall sides with a couple of inches of oil and heat it over medium heat until hot and shimmering.
- Fry Falafel: Gently lower the falafel balls into the hot oil, spacing them generously (about 6 fit in the skillet at once) to avoid overcrowding.
- Cook First Side: Let the falafel cook undisturbed for 30-60 seconds until the sides turn a golden color, ensuring they hold together well before flipping.
- Flip and Cook Second Side: Carefully flip each falafel and cook the other side for about 30 seconds until golden and cooked through.
- Drain and Repeat: Remove the cooked falafel onto a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil. Continue frying remaining falafel in batches until all are done.
Notes
- Soaking chickpeas for a full 24 hours is crucial to achieve the right texture and prevent falafel from being dense or falling apart.
- If you don’t have chickpea flour, regular all-purpose flour can be used as a substitute but chickpea flour enhances the flavor and texture.
- Keep the falafel balls firm by chilling them before frying.
- Monitor oil temperature closely; too hot oil may brown falafel too fast without cooking inside, while too low heat results in greasy falafel.
- Leftover falafel can be reheated in an oven or air fryer to restore crispiness.
Keywords: falafel, homemade falafel, chickpea fritters, Middle Eastern appetizer, vegetarian falafel, fried chickpea balls
Find it online: https://heutigemahlzeiten.com/homemade-falafel-recipe/
