This Easy Homemade Falafel recipe is one of the first recipes I shared on here after getting my food processor 15 years ago, and it’s stood the test of time as a reader favorite. These protein-packed, budget-friendly vegan patties are perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner, and they’re so easy to make at home! Traditionally, they’re deep-fried, which gives them a wonderfully crispy exterior with a soft, warm center. I have an irrational fear of deep-frying, so I shallow-fry my falafels in a skillet. They still turn out crispy and delicious, but with less mess and hassle!
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What is Falafel?
If you’ve never had falafel before, they’re a classic street food originating from the Middle East. These little fried patties are made of mashed beans (fava or chickpeas/garbanzo) mixed with tons of fresh herbs and spices, like parsley, cilantro, and cumin. They’re browned and crispy on the outside, with a soft center. If you’re veggie, vegan, or trying to reduce your meat intake, homemade falafel is the perfect protein-packed alternative!
My version of this tasty treat is definitely not authentic, as I use canned chickpeas and flour. But if you’d like to try your hand at making authentic falafel or read more about the culture and history behind them, check out this recipe from The Mediterranean Dish.
“These are hands down the best falafels I’ve ever had! They’re easy to make, crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside and taste fantastic! I also made your hummus & Greek yogurt sauce to go with them. Stuffed a pita with falafels, hummus, fresh greens and topped with the sauce, All I can say is Wow! Thank you!!”
MaryBeth
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy falafel recipe:
- Canned Chickpeas: I always use canned chickpeas because they’re quick (no soaking required), readily accessible, and CHEAP. You can use dried chickpeas if you like; just be sure to soak them overnight and prepare about 3 cups worth (which is equivalent to two standard 15-ounce cans).
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour to help bind the mixture together. You can also use chickpea or garbanzo bean flour to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Baking Powder: The combination of canned chickpeas and flour can make the patties quite dense, so I add some baking powder to offset this. It helps create a lighter texture on the inside while still maintaining crispiness on the outside.
- Red Onion: Adds a nice bite and texture. Any color onion will work here, but I love the flavor of red onions in this recipe.
- Fresh Parsley and Cilantro: These add a fresh and vibrant flavor. Don’t like cilantro? No problem—just use extra parsley. I don’t recommend substituting dried herbs here, as they won’t taste the same fresh.
- Garlic: I use four whole cloves, so the garlic flavor certainly isn’t lacking here!
- Cooking Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil suitable for frying. Some options include avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Seasonings: Salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin add flavor with a little kick of heat. Feel free to reduce the amount of cayenne or omit it altogether if you’re sensitive to spice.
Can I Bake Them?
I always get questions about whether you can bake falafel, and I really wouldn’t suggest it. In my testing, I found they don’t get a nice brown crispy exterior like you do with frying, and they can get quite dry. Some readers have had success using the air fryer for about 15 minutes at around 370°F, but I haven’t personally tested this method.
Recipe Success Tips!
- Process the ingredients in batches if you have a smaller food processor. This recipe makes a fairly big batch of falafel mix, and I don’t want you to overwork your food processor! If you have a smaller one, divide the ingredients and process in batches.
- Avoid big chunks of ingredients. I like my patties to have some texture, but big pieces of onion or chickpeas can cause them to fall apart when frying. Make sure to process the ingredients until a chunky paste forms.
- Don’t skip the flour, and add it in batches. The mixture will hold together without adding flour, but as soon as you cook it, I can almost guarantee the patties will fall apart. You want to add the flour in batches (starting with 2 tablespoons) until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when formed into balls.
- Let the mixture rest. This rehydrates the flour, enhances the flavor, and makes it easier to form into patties. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before cooking. You can even leave it overnight and fry them the next day.
- Make sure the oil is hot. One reason I prefer pan-frying over deep frying is because I don’t have to check the oil temperature constantly. However, it’s still important to make sure the oil is hot. It should be hot and shimmering but not smoking. The hot oil immediately creates a crispy crust on the patties when they hit the pan (another trick to help them hold their shape).
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Adding too many patties to the hot oil will cause the temperature to drop and affect the cooking time and texture. I like to cook them in batches, leaving enough space between each one for even cooking.
How to Serve Falafel
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of falafel wraps or flatbread with fresh greens and tahini sauce. But recently, I’ve been making hummus bowls from our white bean hummus, whatever raw veggies I have in the fridge (usually cucumber, tomatoes, and bell peppers), pickles or pickled red onions, and these yummy little patties. Or, to please a crowd, I love to create a mezze platter with several dips, like tzatziki sauce or baba ganoush, marinated olives, pita bread, crudités, and homemade falafel! They’d also add a delicious, garlicky flavor to just about any salad, but I like one with a tangy dressing, like our Greek salad.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
I usually freeze some of the uncooked patties as a grab-and-go option for busy nights. I form the mixture, but instead of frying, I freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid and transfer to a freezer bag. Because they’re only small, you can pan-fry them from frozen without thawing.
Any leftovers (after cooking) should be cooled and stored in the fridge for 3-4 days, making them great for meal prep! You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven (best for maintaining the crispy exterior) if desired.
Homemade Falafel Recipe
Servings 19 falafelIngredients
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas ($1.72)
- ¼ red onion ($0.26)
- 1 handful fresh parsley, about ¼ bunch ($0.26)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, about ¼ bunch ($0.17)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.12)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.01)
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper ($0.13)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.08)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.04)
- ½ cup flour* ($0.07)
- ¼ cup neutral cooking oil for frying ($0.22)
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a colander. Add the chickpeas to a food processor with the red onion, parsley, cilantro, salt, cayenne, garlic and cumin.
- Process the mixture until it forms a chunky paste. A little texture to the mixture is usually desirable. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure the mixture is an even texture.
- Place the mixture into a bowl and add the baking powder. Begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture becomes cohesive enough to form into patties and not stick to your hands. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
- Using a small measuring cup or scoop (about 1/8th cup or 2 Tbsp), form the mixture into small patties.
- If freezing the patties for later, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet so they can freeze without sticking together. The patties can be transferred to an air-tight container or freezer bag for long-term storage once they have frozen through.
- To cook the fresh or frozen patties, heat oil in a skillet (or pot if deep frying) until very hot and shimmering, but not smoking. Cook the patties on each side until deep golden brown and crispy.
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Equipment
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Falafel — Step By Step Photos
Gather all your ingredients.
Rinse and drain two 15oz. cans of chickpeas (or about 3 cups if cooked from dry) in a colander. Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with a large handful of parsley, a large handful of cilantro, 1/4 of a red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 1 tsp salt.
Pulse the mixture until you have a chunky paste. Chunks add great texture, but too many will keep the mixture from holding its shape in a patty. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Stir 1 tsp baking powder into the chickpea mixture. Then begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the paste is dry enough to form patties and not stick to your hands. I only used 1/4 cup of flour when I made these recently! Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors blend.
Scoop the mixture into about 2 Tbsp portions and shape into small patties.
If you’d like to freeze your falafel, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, then place them in the freezer. Once frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag for long-term storage. I got 19 falafel with a 2 Tbsp scoop. I cooked some immediately and froze the rest.
To cook, add enough oil to a skillet to completely cover the surface (one of my favorite pans). Heat over medium until the oil is hot and shimmering. Add the formed patties and cook on each side until brown and crispy.
Let them drain on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
And that’s it! If you’re a garlic lover, you’re going to LOOOVE these homemade falafel!
oh i will def be doing that… no cilantro though, i will find some other veggie
These are the most delicious falafel! I have yet to find a restaurant/food truck that has falafel this good. I’m so spoiled with these, I am always disappointed when I order them out!
Hi there! I do not own a food processor and prefer not to use my blender due to apartment living and sensory issues. Could I still break up the mixture using a fork or potato masher? I don’t mind if it takes longer!
Unfortunately it would be REALLY difficult to get the mixture the proper consistency by hand. You could definitely try though! My suggestions would be grating the onion on a box grater and finely mincing the garlic and herbs separately before mashing the chickpeas with a fork and then mashing it all together. If you try it let us know how it goes!
Tip to others – make sure to add the minimum flour!
I’ve made these a few times before with great success. However, this last time I felt the mixture was holding together nicely with only 1.5tbsp of flour. However, when I went to fry they they completely disintegrated into the pan.
Great recipe! A have a smaller food processor so I split it up into three smaller amounts. Worked out really well. I ended up using 6 tbsp of flour and they did not fall apart. Have made it twice since trying it the first time!!
These were very tasty my friend made them for New Years Eve and I think I ate six of them.
Love them! Thank you for another great recipe!
I made this exactly as written. The flavor was spot on. Served the falafel with couscous and homemade tzatziki with lots of cucumbers. It was very enjoyable AND budget friendly. Thanks!
Could you bake or air fry these?
We have not tested those methods, and can’t comment. But it sounds like a great experiment!
We bake them for our baby. 375 for 10-12 minutes on each side.
These came out amazing. One of the few recipes that will become a staple for me. Thank you!
I made these yesterday and they were so easy! It was quick to come together and I could tell the resting in the fridge really helped the flavor. The first few I cooked got a little too crumbly, so I added more flour to the rest of the batter to hold them together better, this was a good call, they cooked up so well after that.
The flavor is delicious! I served them on a salad with some homemade tzatziki (another budget bytes recipe!).
Can you substitute dried parsley and cilantro for fresh?
I wouldn’t suggest it for this recipe, unfortunately.
Hi there! Could you use freshly cooked chickpeas for this recipe the same way you would canned? And if so, would this equate to about 3.5-4 cups of cooked chickpeas?
Hi! While I haven’t tried freshly cooked chickpeas, they would probably work. One 15oz. can is usually somewhere around 1.5 cups of chickpeas, so I would aim for about 3 cups. That being said, I’d really need to test it before offering any concrete suggestions.
I accidentally blended the mix for too long, so the patties aren’t as meaty as they should be, but it still is incredibly delicious! I need a new blender lol. I added more onion, garlic, and spices because I like the flavoring to be a bit stronger.
I made these a couple of months ago and have been eating them out of the freezer as needed using the thaw then cook in oil method… and I always found it unpleasantly oily. Today I forgot to take my falafel out of the freezer in the morning so it would be thawed at dinner time so I just threw it in the dry skillet still frozen and let it cook until I could see that it was mostly thawed. I then flipped it, added a few tablespoons of water, and smashed it down. The water helped it get nice and crispy on the bottom as it evaporated. Then I flipped it over again and added water and smashed again to get it crispy on the other side. I enjoyed it much more than cooking it in oil when cooked this way!