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.
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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.
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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!
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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! :)