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.
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.
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!