This Falafel Recipe makes the best, crispy balls of chickpeas with spices, garlic, onion and parsley. Serve them with tahini sauce for a delicious meal!
Turn this falafel into a sandwich and serve it with flatbread and creamy cucumber salad.
Falafel is a popular Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dish made with dried chickpeas, ground with spices, garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro; formed into balls and deep-fried. I am sharing my simple version without cilantro (I am one of those people that can’t stand it because it tastes like soap!) along with a quick tahini sauce. It’s delicious! Often served as street food, this dish can be served for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
- chickpeas (dried, not canned)
- parsley
- spices
- onion
- garlic
- baking powder
How to make Falafel?
- Start by rinsing chickpeas. Place them in a bowl and add water. Let sit for 12 hours.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas. Add them to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients (except baking powder).
- Process until the mixture comes together. Cover the bowl and chill the mixture for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Add baking powder to falafel mixture and stir in.
- Shape mixture into balls.
- Fry in oil until brown and crispy.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve warm with sauce.
Best tips for making delicious falafel:
- use dried chickpeas (not canned) for the best texture; canned chickpeas will turn into a mush;
- chill falafel mixture before shaping;
- fry falafel in oil for the closest to authentic texture.
Can I bake falafel instead of frying it?
Yes! To bake the falafel, shape it into balls then press gently to form into disks. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes. Make sure to spray them with cooking oil and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
How to serve falafel?
I like to serve falafel freshly cooked, still warm, with tahini sauce. You can add cucumbers, chopped tomatoes and serve it with the sauce in pita bread.
More Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes:
- 2-Ingredient Flatbread
- Hummus without Tahini
- Shawarma Roasted Cauliflower
- How to Cook Couscous
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad
For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Dinner category.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Falafel Recipe (with Tahini Sauce)
Ingredients
for falafel:
- 2 cups chickpeas dried, not canned
- 1 cup parsley see note
- 1 small yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- oil for frying
for the sauce:
- ½ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse chickpeas and place them in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover the beans with 3 inches above them. The chickpeas with triple in size so you want to give them plenty of water. Let soak overnight (about 12 hours).
- Drain and rinse chickpeas.
- Place them in a food processor and add parsley, roughly chopped onion, garlic, spices but not the baking powder.
- Process until the mixture comes together. Do not overprocess. You don't want a paste.
- Place mixture in the same bowl you soaked chickpeas (for ease of clean up) and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Pour enough oil into a saucepan to come up to 3 inches on the sides. Heat up until it reaches 3750 degrees F.
- Add baking powder to falafel mixture and stir in.
- Shape the mixture into balls (scoop about 2 tablespoons of the dough).
- Fry them in batches to not overcrowd the pot. Fry until brown and crispy.
- Place falafel on a plate with a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- In a food processor, combine tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic and salt. Process for 15 seconds. Add more water if needed. The sauce should be thick.
- Serve falafel with sauce.
Notes
- Traditional falafel has cilantro. You can add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup along with parsley.
- This recipe makes about 20 falafel balls.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Kimberly says
Could this be cooked in an air fryer? If so, what temp and how long? Looks super yummy.
Ginny says
Falafel is one of my favorites and I thank you for this recipe. I saw it in my newsletter yesterday and made it last night. Perfection! The sauce was really good too.
Jessica Burgess says
I had been wanting to make this for so long and finally did, using this recipe and I’m so glad I picked this one. It was fantastic!! Thank you!
Doris Layhe says
There is nothing better than homemade falafel and this recipe is incredible! I am definitely making this again!