I was so excited, so drawn in, so salivating when I saw this recipe for falafel from Living The Pie Life a few weeks ago. The only problem was that I didn’t have a food processor. But somewhere in the back of my mind, a little voice was telling me, “you WILL get a food processor for Christmas… just be patient, Beth.” Sure enough, my parents bought me this food processor as an early Christmas and graduation present. I’ve been using it non-stop ever since.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
What is Falafel?
If you’ve never had falafel before, they are a little patty made of mashed beans (fava or sometimes garbanzo) along with tons of fresh herbs and spices. Traditionally they are fried which gives them a wonderfully crispy exterior with a soft warm center. I have an irrational fear of deep-frying, so I shallow-fried my falafel in a skillet. My version of this tasty treat is definitely not authentic, 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 these recipes:
- Lebanese Crispy Falafel from Feel Good Foodie
- How to Make Falafel from The Mediterranean Dish
- Falafel (The Crispy Traditional Way) from Chef Tariq
Can I Bake Them?
I always get questions about whether you can bake falafel and I really wouldn’t suggest it. You won’t get that nice brown crispy exterior like you do with frying and they will probably get quite dry. If anything, use just a small amount of oil in a non-stick skillet to at least brown them up some.
Are They Freezer-Friendly?
I froze most of my falafel uncooked and will probably shallow fry the rest of them. Leftover cooked falafel are also great as an addition to salads or to make sandwiches with, so cooking them all at once isn’t a terrible idea.
See this recipe used in my weekly meal prep.
Easy Homemade Falafel
Servings 7 2 falafel eachIngredients
- 2 15oz. cans chickpeas ($1.58)
- 1/4 red onion ($0.25)
- 1 handfull fresh parsley (about 1/4 bunch) ($0.25)
- 1 handfull fresh cilantro (about 1/4 bunch) ($0.25)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.05)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.03)
- 1/2 cup flour* ($0.07)
- 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil for frying ($0.16)
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a colander. Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the red onion, parsley, cilantro, salt, cayenne, garlic and cumin (all ingredients except baking powder and flour). 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 stir in the baking powder. Begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture becomes cohesive enough to form into patties. Chickpea or garbanzo bean flour gives the best flavor and texture, but all-purpose can be used in it’s place. 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 falafel dough 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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Falafel – Step By Step Photos
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 it’s 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. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors blend.
Scoop the falafel 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 15 falafel with a 2 Tbsp scoop. I cooked some immediately and froze the rest.
To cook the falafel, 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 falafel and cook on each side until brown and crispy. Let them drain on 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!
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
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!
We have made this a million times and loved it. In the latest iteration, we used chickpea flour instead of regular flour. Not sure if we did something wrong but it resulted in a big old miss. The falafel disintegrated in the pan and gave it a much grainier texture when done.
Would chickpea flour do that?
It’s possible, since chickpea flour has a different composition from wheat flour, so it might not be quite as “gluey.” How about everything else, was it minced as finely? I can see larger pieces of the other ingredients causing it to not hold together as well.
Same here! Using almond flour
Can I make these without letting them sit for an hour? I don’t usually have that kind of time when making dinner.
You might be able to get away with reducing the rest time some, but it definitely needs a little time for the flour to absorb moisture and set.
Wow 🤩! So good and easy. My first time making them cause I really don’t like store bought ones. I replaced cilantro with more parsley and used all purpose whole wheat.
So I make this recipe all the time and I love it! However about every 4th time I make it, it completely fails and I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. As soon as the falafel hits the oil the whole thing disintegrates and it will not fry up at all. Even the disintegrated bits wont fry.
My best theory is that I am overmixing the “batter” or that my chickpeas are too wet when they are getting blitzed up and the excess moisture is affecting it.
Any one have any ideas? I lost an entire batch of falafel last night due to this problem.
Hmm, I’m not sure, but the chickpeas being too wet would be my first guess. I think overmixing would actually help it stick together because flour tends to get more gluey when mixed (thanks to the gluten).
Maybe you’re not getting the oil hot enough before adding the patties?
I made these a few weeks ago and froze them uncooked. Today I defrosted and cooked them at 350 for 15 min in the air fryer, flipping midway. AMAZING.
I’m excited to try these! At what temperature, and for how long would I cook these in the air fryer?
Is there anything I can sub instead of the egg to make this vegan?
Off the top of my head I don’t know of anything because I’d really need to do some testing with any substitutes to make sure they work okay before offering them as a suggestion. You might try Googling “vegan falafel” to see if there are already some recipes developed specifically to be vegan or to just see what those recipes use as a binder and then try that in this recipe.
I don’t see egg in the recipe or instructions—am I missing something?
Hahaha, no, looks like I just had a brain fart and was thinking of a different recipe. The falafel recipe does not contain egg. 🤦♀️
One of the best recipes I’ve made! It tasted like restaurant-quality!
I served the falafel in pitas with your tzatziki sauce, lettuce, cucumber, and feta with frozen waffle fries and your cauliflower salad recipe for dinner, then made falafel bowls for lunch :))
I’ve always avoided making falafel because I didn’t want to buy chickpea flour and I assumed they had to be almost deep fried. This was so delicious. In case anyone else thinks their patties are making a cohesive mass without flour, they will, but you’ll have slumping, falling-apart-in-the-pan chickpea crumbles. Use the flour!
Also I must have a small food processor; I should have processed it in two batches. Even still the ones I added flour to turned out beautifully. I served it with za’atar topped naan, cucumbers, feta and olives.
These turn out great every time! So easy and super tasty. I’m trying them air fried today so wish me luck!
This is my new favorite vegetarian recipe. It is pretty quick and easy as most everything is mixed in the food processor. The flavors are wonderful. I serve mine in a lettuce cup with a slice of tomato, avocado and topped with some tzaziki sauce. (I know I got that spelling off) 😱
Hi, Can I in any way make them in the oven, or is it only possible in a skillet??
I don’t suggest baking them. Check out the paragraph above the recipe titled “Can I bake My Falafel” for a more detailed explanation. :)
I want to cook some of these that I froze… would you recommend letting them fully that first or does frying them frozen work?
letting them fully THAW** first
I would probably thaw them first just for good measure. They’re pretty small, but they are pretty dense, so they might not fully cook through if fried from frozen. :)
This is delicious! I found the mixture was too much to put in my food processor all at once, so I did it in two batches and just made sure to mix everything properly once I transferred it to the bowl. I’ve made this twice and both times I only needed about 2 tbsp of flour, as it was nearly the right consistency right away. Turned out perfect! I really enjoyed these in a soft tortilla, with either Lebanese toum (garlic sauce) or sour cream.
Also, I had too much cilantro and parsley left over from the first recipe, so I just put the leftovers in a ziploc bag in the freezer till I made another batch, and that worked great.
I made these tonight and they were SO good!! Thank you for the recipe!
I really wanted this to work! But from the beginning it never came together- the mix was a nightmare in the food processor- I had to do 4 batches. And then my first attempt completely fell apart in the pan- literally just burnt crumbs. So I added half as much flour as before and a hand full of bread crumbs, this time I only lost about 30% crumbles in the oil. Added another full cup of bread crumbs and I finally have something that will hold together but the middle is completely soft! Giving up on these and I’m so bummed! I normally love all budget byte recipes. At least it’s a cheap fail!
I had a similar experience; fell apart and burnt crumbs in the pan, thought it was due to not enough flour but my raw patties seemed perfect. The edible parts were delicious but the frying process involved a lot of swearing and the finished product definitely did not turn out pretty
One of my favorite recipes! Being able to freeze it and only needing a small amount of oil makes this a really awesome, healthy meal prep option.
Can I do the mix and let it sit overnight without making the patties? I would like to do the patties tomorrow when we are ready to eat them.
Yes. :)
Can you tell me why we need to add baking powder?
The gasses produced by the baking powder when the falafel are cooked help lighten the mixture ever so slightly, preventing them from being quite so dense.
This looks amazing!
EASY HOMEMADE FALAFEL
Mine disintegrated:( I tried deep frying and pan frying. I used chickpea flour…very disappointed
I’m addicted.
Wow, this was SO GOOD! I don’t have a food processor so I mashed the chickpeas by hand (by rolling a can over the peas in a large ziplock haha) and then minced everything else and mixed it by hand, and it turned out totally fine.
This looks amazing! Do you think air frying would work?
We haven’t tested in an air fryer. However a previous commenter noted, “Great recipe! I cooked them in an air fryer; use an oil mister and spray both sides of the patties. You’ll hardly use any oil, yet they still come out nice and crispy on the outside.”
I love falafel and this recipe is SO GOOD!! I’ve never made them before, and wasn’t sure about how they’d turn out. Sometimes random recipes found on the internet aren’t so good, ya know? But this was delicious. Ate them all within a day.
i ALSO have an irrational fear of deep frying!! but i love falafel very much, so you see my struggle. thank you for this recipe, & shallow frying option; i can’t wait to try it asap! now i just gotta get me one of them fancy food processors…
Just made these last night and they were great! Ended up using about 6 TBSP of flour and it was enough. Wet my hands a little while making the patties and that helped not to coat my hands in chickpea gunk and kept the patties moist for frying. No crumbs here! I also don’t have a food processor, so I dumped everything into a gallon zip bag and pounded it with a hammer!
Thinking about going ahead and cooking the reserve in the freezer. :)
Made these last night for dinner and even the sceptics LOVED them! Really quick and easy to make, and they made great leftovers to pack in my lunch today.
Amazing recipe. One of the best falafels we never had. I will make it again for sure.
Was I supposed to use the entire 1/2 cup of flour (I used ap flour)? Because my ended up tasting like garlicky Play-Doh.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that Jacy. Per the recipe, you want to add 2 Tablespoons at a time until it reaches a consistency just enough to form the patties. Sometimes it can vary and not need the full 1/2 cup of flour.
These taste amazing! What should I do if they break apart while frying?
I’m not sure there is a way to fix it once they’re broken up, but maybe you can use the pieces as a salad topper?
I made these and the mixture was quite dry so only added a couple of tbsp of chickpea flour. They formed very well, and I chilled them for several hours. When I put them in the oil though they completely fell apart, just a big mush in the pan! I then tried dry frying in the frying pan and they came out ok, tasty but didn’t have that lovely texture falafels should have.
Below, does that mean 1/4 cup?
1 handfull fresh parsley (about 1/4 bunch)
1 handfull fresh cilantro (about 1/4 bunch)
These are delightful! I made them the first time and they came out a bit crumbly. I added an egg and they were perfect!
I followed the recipe exactly but dried the chickpeas in a hand towel after draining. I have a small food processor so I had to blend in batches and then mix with a rubber spatula. I also used a bit more than 1/2 cup flour.
Everything held together perfectly, no crumbs. I used a small deep fryer at 350 degrees instead of skillet frying. I also refrigerated the patties for awhile after making them so that might have affected how well they held together. Literally delicious.
Forgot to add, I served with Budget Byte’s naan topped with chopped red onion, cilantro, and the dill yoghurt sauce from the chicken shawarma wrap recipe. Seriously, make this.
These completely fell apart on us. They were holding together until we put them in the oil. They just fell apart in the oil. We weren’t able to eat them. I think this recipe needs a binder – some egg or aquafaba or similar.
These are amazing! I follow the recipe exactly and they turn out great every time. You definitely need to add the full 1/2 cup of flour every time. To tell you the truth, I never really cared for falafels before I made these. I do add a bit more oil to the pan when frying so the whole falafel gets fried. Both my children and my husband devour these… they often fight for the last one! This is a staple recipe in our house now :)
My first attempt was not very successful. I had some of the problems mentioned here, mushy, mostly fried crumbs. The second time I added all the flour, didn’t stir and see if it needed it, I drained my chickpeas well, I dried out the parsley and cilantro. And, it had a great texture. I love the flavor. Those who said it was too time consuming, they have a point. It took forever in my food processor. I did a double batch (processing in batches) so I’d have a bunch in the freezer. I love them.
I love the idea of something new so I will have to try this as your recipe looking tastie , I just noticed falafel in our high Street restaurant .
I’m making this for dinner tonight. I’ve already prepped some, the garlic is no joke and I under estimated it. I will definitely use less next time.
I did have an issue with the center being too mushy but perhaps I could have put in more flour. I’m going to follow the fry with some baking to see if that helps.
Very crumbling and wouldn’t bind together
Great recipe easy to follow taste was better than those I buy.
I really wanted this to work. But I ended up with a small plate of mushy patties that barely held together in the pan, and a whole bunch of fried crumbs. More crumbs than patties!!. I haven’t ever made falafel before so my inexperience here wasn’t helpful! I found the whole process entirely too time-consuming (even the food processing took forever and I struggled with my Ninja to get the chickpeas to properly turn to paste. I will most likely not be doing this again…. I will pay someone else to make me falafel when I get a craving.
You need to start with dried chickpeas, not canned, and make the falafel quite flat so they cook through. Also nix the flour and add a bit of baking soda. Check out Maureen Abood’s recipe.
I would love to try these in my new air fryer. Has anyone done these in an air fryer?
I did them in my airfryer tonight, turned out nice! I made them in a patty shape and put them in for about 20 min at 390ish, flipping them halfway through.
Can you bake these instead? How you recommend doing it, if so
Beth talks about that in the introduction. I personally don’t think they are good when baked. You don’t get that nice crust, they just kind of dry out. :(
👍
The taste was great! Full of flavor! Sadly mine cooked on the outside but stayed completely soggy on the inside, leading to a messy pile of semi-cooked falafel. Made the best of it and just drizzled on vegan tatziki and called it a day! But I’ve made other falafel recipes that have stayed together well… Not sure what went wrong on this one!
Could be too high heat? Lower heat will cook the outside slower and allow more time for the inside to cook
I’d never made falafel before, but I’d had store bought and wasn’t super impressed as they were bland. I love chickpeas, though, so I figured I’d try making them at home. I’m glad I found this recipe!
The only tweaks I made were to leave out the cayenne (my husband and daughter don’t like spicy) and instead use smoked paprika, and I didn’t have fresh parsley so I used dried. Next time I’ll definitely use fresh parsley as the dried version tastes like sad nothing. I also needed just a bit more than 1/2 cup flour (call it 2/3 maybe?) for the mixture to come together.
All in all, this is a solid recipe and I will definitely make it again!
Happy to hear you enjoyed it and made it your own Kayla!
I was hesitant to use canned chick-peas, but this recipe worked wonderfully. The patties did not breaks apart and shallow fried perfectly well. The first bite was amazingly flavorful, (as was every subsequent bite.) This will be a new favorite for sure.
So happy to hear it Darren!
Can you use a blender instead of a food processor! I only have a mini processor, used mainly for chopping onion. The las time I made this recipe it took forever blending small amounts in my tiny processor and then adding and mixing into the rest of the batch. 🥵 I’m thinking about just throwing it all in the blender…
Unfortunately I think the mixture would be too dry to rotate correctly in a blender. I think it would just stick to the sides. :(
I used a blender and it turned out GREAT. As Beth mentioned, it does stick to the sides, but with a little patience and a good small rubber spatula, anything is possible!
And a little elbow grease! Thanks Carly!
Followed directions to the letter and they fell apart as soon as they hit the oil. Complete mess. Cool.
I can’t tell you how many times I have made this recipe! It is an absolute go-to for me and my husband’s favourite, which is saying a lot!
Thank you so much!
You’re welcome Kate!
Have you ever fried them in ghee? Just wondering if that would be possible?
We haven’t, but I think that would be just fine and a wonderful flavor!
This recipe is insanely good. I don’t have a food processor but I made do with a potato masher and my stand mixer. The diced red onion stayed pretty large because of this but that’s not something I mind at all. I even accidentally forgot the cilantro and it still had tons of flavor, and once you freeze them individually they keep really, really well. Will definitely be making again!
That’s awesome to hear!
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made falafel in the past and it fell apart in the pan immediately. I’m glad to say that this came out wonderfully and froze really well–I had falafel for months!
Can the falafel dough be refrigerated longer?… Maybe a couple days? If using the frozen patties, do they thaw first or deep fry frozen?
Yes, you could definitely keep the uncooked falafel mix in the fridge for 2-3 days. I do suggest letting the falafel thaw before cooking, but because they are so small, they thaw rather quickly at room temperature, or you can transfer them to the refrigerator the night before.
Really good falafel, i did make a few tweaks the second time i made it. I left the cilantro out (not fond of it) doubled the parsley to make up for it (love fresh parsley) and added a 1/4 tsp of paprika. I shallow fry in a pan till just crisp the when i have them all done i place them on a baking sheet in the oven at 350F for about 15 mins to crisp them further. Make a wrap with a few warm ones and vac seal portions and freeze for later when i get hungry for falafel. :)
Always best to have a few on hand for falafel snacks :)
Are they suppose to still be soft/moist on the inside? I cooked them over medium heat, and while the outside were crispy, the. Inside was still really soft.
Yep, they will stay fairly soft on the inside.
Delicious!! Thanks for sharing recipe
Delicious! Home run! Cost effective! One of the best sources of vegetarian protein! Healthier (no frying)! Will be on repeat!
Thank you!!!
Hi, would it be ok to freeze once fully cooked? I’d like to include these in my meal prep. Ty!
Yep!
So delicious! Was looking for some vegan recipes and this one is jackpot. This is my first time making falafel but it was not intimidating and they turned out well. I made them according to your instructions and paired them with some lemon parsley rice. Going to try adding them to a spinach salad next. Thanks!
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!!
I loved these! I think next time I will add a couple more cloves of garlic and tad more cilantro. They ere very easy to make and I learned the oil HAS to be hotter than when I dry tortillas or it makes an explosion and I have to wait for the mess to get crispy enough to fish out before continuing. Unfortunately I think it was too much flavor 2 of my kiddos but that means more for me!!!! :D
Hands down the best falafel. I make a batch every week. Not even kidding, every week. We eat it as fast snack, take it with us on the go. There is never a left over for a salad or pita wrap. Thank you for posting it. Plus it’s baked, as I don’t fry anything.
Just made these the other night and they are delicious!! I used some fresh cilantro from my garden and it was amazing.
also, we ended up making 11 patties. Put them on a Hawaiian bun with a spinach and parmesan tzaziki. Soooo yummy! Also served it with the fresh cucumber salad!
I used dried chickpea and soak it overnight.this recipe is easy amazing and delicious
These look S0 good. Ive never tried them before. But am on a diet & frying isn’t really a good idea. What are the calories?! Can these be baked?
All falafel is vegan!!! The store’s is vegan.
If you google search “5DayWeightLossPlan” there is a keto friendly recipe for this.
Do the chick peas need to be peeled?
I do not peel mine. :)
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I plan to try it soon. I first had falafel about 10 years ago in Israel. I was taken from the first taste of this crispy on the outside, soft on the inside treat. I can hardly wait to shop for the chickpeas and the fresh ingredients so I can try this recipe.
I LOVED these! The recipe was easy to follow and they tasted so good, my whole family loved them as well. The only change I would make is to make the falafel about half the size of what it called for, I found it fried much easier this way.
Hi, thank you for the recipe. The flavor is amazing but mine did not rise and cook through as pictured. So I had crispy crust and falafel paste in the middle. Any suggestions?
Thank you
Mine did not rise either. The texture you described is the same as mine, although the mixture wasn’t as wet as a paste.
I can’t speak this recipe(i haven’t made it yet) but most of the time this problem is caused by either not enough cook time(the outside is to your desired taste so i wouldn’t adjust that) or your patty is a little to thick try patting your patty a little thinner each time til you get the desired interior texture.
it’s possible your pan was too hot – cooked the outside too fast while leaving the inside underdone. lower the heat a little to give the inside time to cook and maybe make the patty a little thinner.
My dad used to make these, but after he passed, my mom couldn’t make them without bringing up memories. so i’m making theses 10 years after, i’m finally making them for her.
Just tried this, and it was super easy and delicious as a salad! A definite go to recipe for texture! Works well with creamy vegan dressings if you aren’t up for the calorie hot that tahini packs. This one will go with me for long weekends, and summer dinners!
I have made and enjoyed this recipe many times. For my family, I like to double the recipe and freeze half for a future dinner. I have also found that I need to add quite a lot of flour for the falafel to hold together–not sure if I’m missing something, but adding flour usually does the trick if things seem to be disintegrating in the pan.
Oh I love this recipe! It looks fairly easy to make so I won’t mess it up haha great recipe, thank you!
I tried these today and followed the recipe exactly. Before they went into the pan they looked exactly like the photos, nice tidy firm patties. But unfortunately within a couple of minute in the frying pan, they fell apart completely and I ended up with an oily mush. I had frozen 3/4 of the patties so I am hoping that the frozen ones hold up better … Am I missing something ? What would make them hold their shape ? More garbanzo flour ? ( Fortunately there were part of a meal prep, not an immediate meal).
Was the oil nice and hot when you put them in? If they crisp up quickly in the skillet that should hold them together.
These are amazing! We’ll be using this recipe again in the future. I recommend sprinkling them with salt after they come out of the oil.
Is this recipe missing a liquid ingredient? I seem to recall adding some of the chickpea liquid in other falafel recipes. I followed the instructions and drained away the liquid but then found that the mixture wouldn’t blend. I improvised with olive oil and the juice of half a lemon and the falafel fried up perfectly.
I also substituted buckwheat flour for the chickpea flour, which worked very well.
We really enjoyed this recipe!! So flavorful! We had these and also some beef meatballs and tzatziki sauce. We will definitely be using this recipe again!
This recipe worked well for me. It was delicious and satisfying!
This was a fail for me. I hate cilantro so I omitted it. Kept everything else the same. Mine wasn’t very green. I formed into patties and refrigerated. When I put in the pan several fell apart. I made the green goddess sauce which was amazing, though.
Just saw this recipe earlier when I was searching up ideas for chickpeas while at the grocery store. Yes, I actually search for recipe ideas when I actually get to the grocery store and then shop. Weird but yeah I do it. Once I got home from the grocery store I started working on making these and let me tell you they are some of the best falafel’s I’ve had. I really like eating things plain like this as I’m not a huge fan of many condiments or sauces. Also like you I too have been using my food processor non-stop since I’ve gotten it a few days ago.
I made this and air fried it! It was wonderful! Fresh- 370 degrees 12minutes. Frozen 370 degrees 15-16minutes. These are the perfect meal to prep and freeze. You can pull out a few at a time for a quick dinner!
Could you bake the falafel?
I don’t suggest it. They just end up getting dry and don’t get a nice crispy exterior.
Can they be baked instead of fried?
In my opinion, they don’t turn out well in the oven because they tend to dry out and don’t get a nice crispy exterior.
For falafel you need to so soak raw hummmmus over night and not cooked hummus
Soak half a cup of raw chickpeas overnight and add them to the food processor with your other ingredients. They give a crunch to the falafel
Quick question – whats the best way to fry them after freezing them? I tried defrosting them in the microwave and then frying, but they fell apart in the pan. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
I fry them straight from the freezer. Since they’re so small they heat through quite quickly in the pan. :)
No don’t defrost then you can’t Handel them from the freezer to the fry pan
I believe she used canned chickpeas. No need to soak them.
I think you forgot first step to make falafel!
The chickpeas should rest in water for at least 12 hours to make it soft and easier to process in stomach
The recipe calls for canned chickpeas so they are already softened.
I made these tonight and they were fabulous! I cut back a bit on the cayenne pepper because some of my kids don’t like things too spicy. My husband gave the best compliment… “These are the best falafel I’ve ever had.” And he’s had falafel at a lot of different restaurants. Great recipe! Thanks, I’ll be making these again.
I just made these for dinner and I have to say they were AMAZING. I followed the recipe except left out the cilantro and used AP flour. They were perfect. I’m actually a little proud of myself for making something so delicious even though it’s not my recipe. I served with tzatziki and a little soft goat cheese. Thank you for sharing!
We just made this tonight as part of your falafel meal prep and it turned out really well! I made a few changes to the recipe which I liked: I added 1 grated carrot to the mix, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and an egg to help it bind (we also used regular flour). Just had a bite and it’s delicious! Thanks as always for your fantastic recipes!
why are you putting baking powder in it?
It keeps it from being quite so dense.
I just made these and they were great! I did use flour!! The one thing that I will suggest is do not overcook! I do like the crispy outside but I also like the soft inside! They are absolutely wonderful and very easy to make! I have a Falafel press that makes them very simple to make! Thank you very much!
Great recipe! I cooked them in an air fryer; use an oil mister and spray both sides of the patties. You’ll hardly use any oil, yet they still come out nice an crispy on the outside.
I had a huge problem with frying. I use chickpea flour and the first batch in the oil went fine, but when I tried to do the second round in the same oil, the oil foamed a ton, and started leeching all the falafel dough into the oil, they broke up, and instead of a crispy exterior, the bits that were browned just sloughed off into the pan. It was bizarre. Has anyone else had this issue?
First round were tasty, but I couldn’t figure out what was going on with the second round.
I’ve made these once and they tasted great but I had the same issues with frying and they just sort of fell apart. Did you ever figure how to fix that or did she reply?
Hmm, I’m not sure why they would have fallen apart. Perhaps they were too dry? Mine were quite wet when shaping them, so they held together when in the frying pan.
They fell apart for me too. 😭 I’m trying to bake the rest of the mixture right now so that I don’t have to throw it all away. I’ve made falafel many times and this has never happened to me. I followed the recipe exactly, using AP flour.
Are you able to use almond or coconut flour?
I’ve never cooked with either of those types of flour, so unfortunately I can’t guess how they would affect this recipe. :(
I have made these three times. Delish!! However I’m having issues with them falling apart. In the oil. The first time they were perfect with regular flour. The second two rounds I used chick pea flour. They fell apart. Do you think that has anything to do with it? Any pointers? I love this recipe. They are so good!!
Hmm, yes, that’s probably the issue since regular flour is a bit gluey when wet, it probably holds it together better. Perhaps adding less flour when using the chickpea flour, which will leave them more wet and hopefully they’ll hold better?
I made mini patties, probably about half the size of yours. Then I baked them at 375 degrees on a silicon baking mat for 15 min and then 10 min after flipping. They were crispy and not too dry. Paired with your hummus (using aqafaba instead of oil), and they tasted very fresh and delicious. Probably would be even better with oil but I’m trying to cut down on fat.
Hands down one of the best things I’ve EVER made…. And I cook A LOT of things. Thanks Beth, this is AWESOME. Wouldn’t change a THANG!
Can they be baked in the oven instead of fried in oil ???
I talk about that in the introduction. I personally don’t think they are good when baked. You don’t get that nice crust, they just kind of dry out. :(
To make this a tad cheaper, getting dried beans and cook them in a pressure cooker. The beans take about 45 minutes to cook, and a 1 lb bag is about $1., and much tastier .
Delicious. Great served with sliced avacado. I used potato flakes instead of flour. My kids loved them as well.
I’ve read that you can make these in an air fryer – excited to try! :)
Hi, Beth.
I really hope you read this!
Falafel is so easy to make, but is not made from cooked chickpeas. The chickpeas need to be raw, and soaked from the night before until they are rehydrated. You also don’t need flour in the falafel because the chickpeas meal will hold together if made properly. The result is falafel, is creamy and green on the inside and super crunchy on the outside. Don’t get me wrong, these patties look delish and for sure they are delicious, but they are not falafel.
These are delicious! Pretty fiddly to make but absolutely worth it. Thanks, Beth!
I was wondering if I could bake them instead of frying them??
I don’t suggest it. Unfortunately it just kind of dries them out and doesn’t create that nice crispy crust on the outside.
Can I use almond flour instead of regular flour?
Unfortunately I’ve never worked with almond flour, so I’m not sure how it would work out in this recipe.
I tried it and they were really good except it dint hold well while frying . Any suggestions on this ? I used dry chickpeas soaked them overnight and then cooked and processed it .. is tht how we do while using dry chickpea .. thank you for this amazing recipe
Hmm, I’ve never made them with dry chickpeas so I’d probably have to test and troubleshoot it to see how to make them hold together better. It’s hard to guess without having tried it.
I made this recipe last week and had never attempted making falafel before so I was a little nervous, but OMG it was so easy and the falafels turned out perfectly! I made a lemon dill greek yogurt sauce to pair with them, because I didn’t have a cucumber to make tzatziki and the flavors were great together. My husband loved it too!
When you freeze these, do you thaw them before cooking?!
I don’t. :) They’re so small that they heat through really quickly even from frozen.
Can these be grilled? I am avoiding all oils and would prefer not to cook them in oil. Thanks.
I don’t know that they would hold up over the open grates. They may also stick because they are quite moist, which is why the oil is helpful.
should we boil the chickpeas before processing …thank yuo
I used canned chickpeas, so they are already cooked and don’t need to be boiled. :)
These were fantastic! A few notes on my go of things: I used King Arthur all purpose flour; everything other ingredient was exactly as listed. I put them in the freezer straight away before cooking. Several weeks later, they served their exact purpose, which was to provide a healthy, fast, and tasty dinner on a work night when my energy and motivation for starting dinner from scratch is generally zero.
They were indeed a bit on the wet side. I’m not sure if this would have been the case if I had not frozen them first. My remedy was to skillet fry per the recipe until they were nicely browned on each side, then I moved them to a cookie sheet and baked in a 350 F oven for about 15 minutes. (They held their form just fine for this process, despite being on the wet side.) The result was crispy hot goodness!
My tired self and my finicky hubby were both delighted with these for our 8pm dinner. Will certainly be making these again…I wonder if adding in some ground flax seed might help bind up the wetness? Regardless, thanks again for a winner of a recipe in our house. I so appreciate your creativity and easy-to-navigate website.
Wow… another smashing success. Thanks a ton.
Wonderful flavor and perfect with some hummus or tzatziki and pita. However, the texture is quite soft so they’re missing that crunchy classic falafel taste. They were a bit difficult to fry and too smooth in the middle. I think canned chickpeas are too moist to make a good coarse, crunchy falafel. Next time I’ll try soaking the chickpeas overnight and using them uncooked, as many other falafel recipes suggest. Besides the texture, the flavor was good and these make decent leftovers for lunch.
Hi, I posted a comment about the mix being too wet, I was looking forward to any suggestions on how to fix it. Any ideas on how to fix that would be greatly appreciated. I used cooked chickpeas instead of canned.
Many thanks.
Adding chickpea flour may help. You don’t want to add too much all-purpose flour or it can start to taste pasty, but chickpea flour will help absorb extra moisture without changing the flavor. I’ve never done this with home cooked chickpeas, so I’m not sure how that might have affected it.
Thanks so much for taking time to reply. I totally forgot to add that I did use chickpea flour. Yikes.
I’m going to try to dry up the chickpeas a bit next time. Truly hoping they’ll stay together during the shallow pan frying process.
These falafels are outstanding!
The flavor was a 10. Had cold left overs the following day and they predictably
lost the crunch but also that fresh flavor. Will try to reheat under the broiler as others posted or just freeze and fry what is needed for the moment.
I also probably used less flour than in the recipe so they were a bit soft.
These falafels were way above what I get at local ME restaurants.
Thanks, Beth!
I went to a local Mediterranean inspired fast food place last night and tried a falafel pita. I loved it and want to try making my own. I will definitely try your recipe! I need to get myself a little food processor.
Mine came up a bit too wet. 🤔 Wondering why… Used dry/cooked chickpeas (cheaper, personal preference, etc.).
Just wondering how long these stay in the freezer (raw or cooked) and how long you thaw them before frying them. Thanks!! Can’t wait to try it!
I always try to use up my frozen foods within a few months. There’s not really a clear cut off line of when they’re no longer good, it’s more like a slow degradation of quality, and it can depend on several factors. They thaw quickly, though, because they’re so small. You could probably leave them at room temp for a half hour or so until they’re no longer solid, then fry ’em up.
Made this last night, it was delicious!!! Had it with a cucumber sauce…. plain yogurt, diced cucumber, dill weed, salt& pepper….. froze the extras for quick meals!
I have tried to make falafel several times before but they never turned out (I have no idea why!)
These are soooo good!! I used an all purpose gluten free flour and I did have to add a bit of water to mine but that’s because I cooked my chickpeas from dry and they always end up less moist than canned.
Definitely will add this to my lunch rounds for sure!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I always try to make your vegan recipes and this one was so good. I have been looking for a good falafel recipe for years and now I finally have one. I made a double batch and froze some but they were gone in less than a week. My family loved them. I am making a double batch again this weekend and will also keep these as a freezer staple for a quick go to meal. They are so good and easy to make :) Thank you!!
I can’t wait to make these! Must plan a Mediterranean themed meal for my family to show them off! Thank you! Look delish! Thank you for the simple recipe!
I HATE cilantro. What can I use as a substitute?
I would just double the parsley.
Hi Beth!
Have you baked these with any success or have you always fried them?
The only reason they are cooked, really, is to heat them through, firm them up a bit, and create that nice crispy crust. Baking will heat them through, but it will not give them a crispy exterior like frying. They do get a little dry when baked, as well.
Would it be possible to make this in a blender, or mix by hand? I don’t have a good processor but I want to makes these!
It’s definitely too dry to work in a blender, but if there’s some way you can mince the ingredients together by hand, that would work.
A Mezzaluna might be good for mincing this together by hand! I consider it my manual food processor. I will try it this week and update.
Wow! These are amazing! I made this recipe twice in 2 weeks because I couldn’t get enough. I was lazy, so I bought Sabra brand Tzatziki dip to pair with the falafels and it was perfect. I did fry mine in a small amount of oil and in my opinion, that made it even better. If I can figure out how to get them crispy in the oven, I might bake them. Instead of freezing them (they don’t last long enough!) we refrigerate them and to reheat, we put them under the broiler for a few minutes on each side so they don’t lose their crunch. I will continue to make this recipe!
Hey, your link to the original recipe now leads to a spam page that tries to trick you into calling some random phone number, just fyi.
Yikes! Thanks for letting me know! (Edit: Looks like that blog changed their name and moved, but I found the recipe and linked up!)
Okay, I’m pretty sure this recipe has changed my life. Since I discovered it (3 days ago) I’ve made it three times and have joined the gym! I think, just as soon as I finish the sausage tomato soup simmering for dinner (yeah, my husband is getting sick of falafel), that I maybe become a vegetarian because of this recipe. So yummy! I’d like to try and deep fry them at some point (once I’ve abandoned the gym.) So great for lunches. My only thought is that maybe the recipe needs a little less salt (or maybe I’m not rinsing my chick-peas enough?) Make this! Today! Make it often. I’m going to have to blog about this!
Added a little more water+lemon juice and then added more flour after, made a really good thin pizza crust when spread out and baked for about 20-25 mins!
I added some lemon juice too. Brighten up the flavor. Very good!
I can’t wait to try this! How many patties does this make?
It made about 18 small patties. :)
Beth i enjoy your blog so many great recipes i made these and they were amazing best falafel ever and i can’t believe they were so easy to make thank you
I’ve been eating vegan for a week now and needed something that tasted “splurge worthy”. I used this recipe and fried them to make more of a fritter consistency. Oh my they are delicious!
Vegetarian, cheap, filling and delicious, I’ve been looking for a recipe like this :)
omg.. i have only ever had falafels from the boxed mix before and was never really a huge fan. I decided to try these because the pictures looked so good. These were amazing! I officially love falafels! mine were a little soft but i don’t think i used enough flour. Regardless, they were so good..
I made these over the weekend, and because I’m gluten free anyway, I used Bob’s Red Mill all purpose GF flour. It has chickpea and fava bean flour in it. I also used dried chickpeas that I cooked in my slow cooker for about 6 hours until they were cooked but still slightly firm. Once my mixture was done, I froze 9 patties. To cook, I defrosted a patty and fried it in about 1/4 inch oil. They are soooo yummy and I’m so glad to have an easy option for my lunches when I get home from work!
I want to use dried chickpeas. How many cups of chickpeas do the two 15 oz cans yield?
It’s probably about 3.5 cups. You can be a little flexible with the amount on this one and it will still work out good. :)
Made these for Christmas dinner. First attempt was to fry them in about 1/2 – 3/4 inch of oil. They dissolved in the oil. Sadness!
Luckily, I made way more than I needed (was going to freeze them) so I pan fried the rest as the recipe indicates. They were still kind of mushy so I finished them afterward for 20 minutes in the oven at 375 (on a cookie sheet on top of a pizza stone).
I used all purpose wheat flour — probably just not quite enough, though I am fairly sure it was close to a 1/2 cup. Also perhaps my other ingredients were just too wet or too abundant.
It’s been so long since had falafel that I’m not sure how firm they’re supposed to be; the oven time may have been too much. Next time I will use more flour for sure, though!
Thanks for replying so fast :D I think I’ll play it safe and go get a bag of flour. I can’t wait to try these!
Thinking of making these for lunch and dinner tomorrow…they remind me of Indian kebabs, which aren’t skewered, but baked/shallow fried and served as appetizers.
I was wondering; would corn starch and one egg be an appropriate substitute for the flour and baking powder? It’s all I have on hand right now.
Hmm, I think cornstarch and egg will make the texture quite different, although without trying it out I don’t think I could give an accurate description.
I made these. In an ancient blender that I was convinced was going to give up the ghost any moment. (Because I killed my food processor trying to make bread in it like a crazy person). It took forever, and I added in idk how much liquid to keep the thing chopping. End result, though, was that they’re delicious, but I haven’t made any since because it was such a pain. Food processor is back on my list of needed kitchen appliances.
One of my BB favorites!
I love your blog, also I love this recipe. I just wanted to let you know that I mentioned you in my recent blog post here. Go check it out: http://dontboilmybooks.weebly.com/1/post/2012/10/oven-baked-falafal.html
This was awesome! Fried them in a little coconut oil. We made miniature sized falafal patties just because it was easier to scoop the mixture out and into the skillet with a spoon and then flatten with a spatula. My husband said these were better than what he gets at his favorite Mediterranean restaurant. This will become a regular in our house. THANK YOU!
I know it’s not authentic, but I bind mine with egg and I LOVE the flavor and texture it adds (just one small egg for the whole batch). That probably turns it into another dish altogether, but I don’t care = ]
The BEST falafel I have ever eaten was baked! I have cooked falafel on a griddle before too. The taste is still the same–fabulous!!
You could use some coconut oil the next time you cook them. One of the healthiest oils I know of. So you’d get that crispy texture without the guilt or the hate mail. I’m not sure how great the tropical taste will be, but it’s worth a shot. Just don’t heat the oil over 350 degrees or all nutritional value is lost. Good luck though. Super cheap and sound delicious.(:
Aha, I assumed they were $1.58 per can, man those are cheap!! Love your blog, it combines two things I love: food and saving money! -Anna
Oh, and I *do* appreciate it when people catch my math errors (and spelling/grammar for that matter)! So, thanks!
Actually, I’m pretty sure I used generic garbanzos from Wally world that were only $0.79 per can! A total steal, I know… my corner grocery sells them for almost $2 a pop!
Pardon me ma’am, but your math is off. You have omitted 1 can of garbanzo beans from your calculation. Now I am not only a grammar Nazi, but a math Nazi as well! Muuhhaaahaaahaaa!!! -Anna
This looks great. Thanks!
Lindsay – Yes, that would work really well!
Hi Beth,
Can I mix everything up the night before and then fry the patties the next day?
I accidentally bought a can of cannellini beans (as well as one can of chickpeas) & the recipe still turned out great! Thanks! :)
Flavour is amazing, but when I tried to fry them in good hot oil, they slowly dissolved and all I could hear was ‘I’mmmmm meltiiiiiing’ lol /sigh
optimally organic
vestidos de novia valencia
I try it but with LENTILS sooo delicios! same just put the lentils in hot water for 1 hour then dry them and prepared in the same way u do with garbanzos, ITS SOO DELICIOUS!!
THANKS FOR THE RECEIPE
Anon – That’s not a silly question! You can just fry them from frozen. If you make them small enough, the hot oil should thaw the inside fairly quickly so they won’t be left frozen on the inside and cooked on the outside. There’s nothing in them that actually needs cooking to be “safe” so it’s not a danger. If you don’t want to risk cold centers, you could always microwave them for 30 seconds or so before frying.
This might sound like a silly question, but if I freeze some, do they have to thaw out first or can I just fry them right from frozen?
I just made falafel the other day and ate every one of the fritters. I didn’t think about freezing them. Good idea!
Just made this with naan it was wonderful!
it is a very easy recipe ii will be making this again!
I made a different falafel recipe a few weeks ago and it turned out dry and not very flavorful. This recipe was easier, more moist and had so much more flavor!! Thank you for all of your great recipes :)
I don’t think it would taste similar. Parsley is a major flavor component in these falafel and it’s quite different than green onion. You might try cutting the parsley in half and adding in some green onion, that would be an interesting twist!
do you think itd taste similar with a green onion stalk instead of the parsley?
Just made these, and they’re amazing! They’re even better than ones I’ve gotten from restaurants — much more moist and flavorful.
I finally got around to making these today! I made the falafel, pita, and tzatziki sauce. DELICIOUS!
made these today for dinner and I loved the fact that they weren’t deep fried. This recipe is a keeper for me, thanks for sharing :)
My whole family loves this recipe! My “super picky eater” 15 year old says this is his new favorite food. Thanks!
Ok, so my first ever falafel experience was as L’As du Falafel in Paris, which purportedly has the best falafels in the city. That set the bar awfully high. I have tried making my own a couple times in the past, with fairly miserable results. Then, last night, I made these. Sweet jeebus. They were A.MA.ZING. Little patties of chickpea wonder. *pauses to wipe drool from chin*
I made them almost exactly to your recipe, except I used 5 cloves of garlic, and I added 1/2 a jalapeno that was staring at me in the freezer. I served them in a pita with shredded romaine slathered in my favorite yogurt dill sauce and a couple tomato slices. My husband and I could only stare at each other and nod vigorously over the tops of our pitas, because we couldn’t stop chomping long enough to speak.
So anyway, yeah, they were pretty good. ;P
Thanks for an awesome blog, btw. We’re new vegetarians, and your recipes have made the transition an absolute pleasure. We don’t even notice the meat is gone! (And that’s really saying something for husby.)
I lived in Egypt for a couple of years & have traveled to Greece ….. and I have to say these falafels are so yummy!
This recipe made enough to freeze & my kids (3 and 1) love them!
Yeah for a meatless dinner-
I HAVE MADE THESE (AND THE DELISH YOGURT SAUCE) THREE TIMES IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND OOOHhhHhhHH so good. I am serious. Such a delicious, healthy, simple meal. :)
How about making these with sprouted beans? From dried beans? Even cheaper!
Made this for our meatless monday dinner tonight…OMG, sooooo good! Thanks for sharing, I will definitely make this one again and again and again!
Hi Beth,
I found you through a post on ‘Food Inc.’
I’ve not tried this recipe yet but I will as I’ve made these before and they’ve not held together well. My guys RAVE about the flavor! Even my teenager loves them : )
You can reduce the cost of this fabulous recipe even more if you buy dried garbanzos. I soak them until they sprout and then simmer on low about 20 minutes until just tender. Mush better flavor than tinned beans.
I love how you break down the cost of each recipe. This is a real contribution. Thanks so much for this post!
oh yea.. and I added some other goodies into the recipe as well – 1 grated carrot, 2 green onion stalks and half a baked potato… just because I needed to use it up in something! :)
Super delicious!!
I’ve made your recipe once before and everyone gobbled them down (I didn’t tell the kids WHAT was in them.. just urged them to try a bite! lol)
I made a double batch tonight and was having the hardest time getting the patties to brown up.. Finally I just took the whole bowl’s worth and poured it out onto a pizza pan and popped it in the oven on 375. I thought, surely this will do the trick!
Well it never puffed, it never browned noticeably so I just figured no worries, I’ll use it as a dip for carrots and cucumbers and cut up the pitas instead.
It was about an hour after dinner when I realized … DOH! I completely forgot to add in the baking powder and the flour!!! heh
Just wanted to let you know this works really well as a dip too when you happen to forget some of the essentials! :)
Thanks!
Hmmm, I wonder if the gluten in the flour helped mine stay together. A couple other people had problems with theirs falling apart too, though. That’s definitely a bummer because the crispy exterior with warm interior is quite heavenly. I’m glad you were able to make it tasty anyway!!
I just made these tonight for dinner, only change was to use rice flour. Tried to find chick pea flour so it would be gluten free and authentic but no dice.
Flavour is amazing, but when I tried to fry them in good hot oil, they slowly dissolved and all I could hear was ‘I’mmmmm meltiiiiiing’ lol /sigh
I resorted to a non-stick skillet dry cook and they were still wonderful. No, not crispy fried in oil wonderful, but the ingredients and the flavour punch these little cakes had made up for it.
I also made your pita recipe sans gluten :-)and ate it pretty much like your picture, even some very garlicky tzatziki stuffed inside.
Hubby enjoyed it too, even after I told him it was a gluten free, vegetarian, low fat meal lol
Ty again Beth, keep it up!
I made these last night and they were amazing! I was out of garlic, unfortunately, but I -did- have celery that I hadn’t used, so I threw in a single stalk. It added a wonderful texture to it! Can’t wait to make these again.
I finally got to making these and they were delicious! I pan fried them in an oven-safe pan and transfered the pan to the oven for a few minutes to finish them.
I also found an incredible easy tzatziki recipe in my Body-For-Life cookbook where I combined 1/3c plain yogurt (I used greek), 1/2 a peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber, 1 clove garlic, minced and 1 Tbsp each of chopped fresh dill and chives. It took less than 5 minutes to throw together and tasted great with the falafel!
so happy to have found your blog- great concept!
i tried these, and while the taste was great, they just would not stay together at all. big mess :( i added and egg and more flour after the first batch and it was a bit better but not much.
any tips?
I don’t have a food processor, so I ended up chopping/mashing everything up as finely as I could by hand, putting it in the blender with just a bit of liquid and then adding a little more flour later. It worked out just fine, a little bit chunky but very delicious. Just had to make sure I was constantly scraping down the sides, moving the mixture around, etc, because it is way too thick to just turn the blender on and walk away.
Well, it’s definitely too thick for a blender. I suppose you could mince the onion, garlic and herbs super fine, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher (probably easier if warmed) then mix everything together. You’ll have a chunkier mix but I’m sure it will hold, especially after adding the flour. After all, falafel have been around FOREVER and they didn’t have food processors back in the day ;)
It’s definitely worth a tray, anyway. These have made it to the top of my “all-time favorites” list.
Do you think there is any way to make these without a food processor?
BTW everyone, I’ve been frying my falafel since this first batch and they are TO DIE FOR! Those falafel pita sandwiches are by far one of the best things I’ve ever made and I can’t stop eating them! I made a quick tzatziki with a small greek yogurt cup, some dried dill and just a pinch of salt. Spread a couple Tbsp of that on the pita then stuff it with the falafel, tomato, cucumber and red onion. AMAZING!
M- I bet WW flour would work although I can’t vouch 100% since I haven’t tried it. Since WW flour has a stronger taste, it might change the flavor just a bit too. Give it a shot and let me know if it works!!
Well you may not have fried them up proper, but they look amazing. I’ve been looking for a good falafel recipe, I might just have to try this out.
I am so making these this week. I just happen to have tons of beans, 3lb bag of red onions, lots of garlic and the pita. They look delish!
yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I am jealous of your stuffed pita… it looks so yummy!
Looks delish! Will whole wheat flour hold them together?
I have tried a couple falafel recipes recently, and I have been so disapointed because they wouldn’t hold together. I think the secret is the flour and baking powder which was never mentioned in other recipes I’ve read! Now I feel some hope when I think about trying again to make homemade falafel. Thanks!
I love falafel and yours look delicious!
The green reminds me of a homemade Egyptian style falafel I used to eat three years ago. Can’t wait to try this!